title: Co-digestion of glycerine and sewage sludge to optimise green electricity production.
abstract: Sewage sludge and crude glycerine were co-digested in the mesophilic digester of Hoogstraten wastewater treatment plant. Additions of up to 1 kg of crude glycerine/(m³ reactor).(day) were done without significant operational problems. At higher dosage, severe digester foaming was observed. Methane production during co-digestion was up to 20% higher than what would be expected based on the digester input. Compared to the period before glycerine dosage, every tonne of added crude glycerine resulted in a surplus methane production of 489 Nm³. The theoretical methane production from the used crude glycerine was 341 Nm³ per tonne. The difference is explained by a higher sewage sludge degradability during co-digestion with glycerine. Glycerine dosage can remedy the lowered specific biogas yield of sewage sludge in Flanders and consequently enhance green electricity production.
authors.affiliation: Aquafin NV, Dijkstraat 8, B-2630 Aartselaar, Belgium. lucas.maes@aquafin.be
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Maes
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Weemaes
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hellinck
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: De Gueldre
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Van De Steene
mesh_terms: D019149:Bioreactors; D005990:Glycerol / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D059205:Renewable Energy; D012722:Sewage / Q000737:chemistry*; D014865:Waste Disposal, Fluid / Q000379:methods; D014873:Water Pollutants
chemical_list: D012722:Sewage; D014873:Water Pollutants; D005990:Glycerol