title: Effect of heating strategy on power consumption and performance of a pilot plant anaerobic digester.
abstract: The effect of heating strategy on power consumption and performance of a pilot plant anaerobic digester treating chicken litter, under thermophilic conditions, has been studied. Heating strategy was evaluated using three different spans (0.2 degrees C, 0.6 degrees C, and 1.0 degree C) for triggering the temperature control system from target temperature (56.7 degrees C). The hydraulic retention time in the pilot plant digester was in the range of 32 to 37 days, varying the total solids concentration fed from 5% to 6%. The results showed that under the experimental conditions, heating was the most energy-demanding process with 95.5% of the energy used. Increments up to 7.5% and 3.8%, respectively, on mechanical and heating power consumption, were observed as the span, for triggering the temperature control system from target temperature, was increased. Under the experimental conditions studied here, an increment of 30.6% on the global biodigester performance index was observed when a span of 1.0 degree C was compared to the one of 0.2 degrees C.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Ingeniería Agroindustrial, Universidad Autónoma Chapingo, Apartado Postal 161, Chapingo, 56230 Estado de México, México. espinosa@correo.chapingo.mx
authors.forename: Teodoro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Espinosa-Solares
authors.forename: Salvador
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Valle-Guadarrama
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bombardiere
authors.forename: Max
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Domaschko
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Easter
mesh_terms: D000693:Anaerobiosis; D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D019149:Bioreactors; D001709:Biotechnology / Q000379:methods; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012037:Refuse Disposal / Q000379:methods*; D013696:Temperature; D014865:Waste Disposal, Fluid / Q000379:methods*