title: Liquid mixing and solid segregation in high-solid anaerobic digesters.
abstract: An experimental procedure (Residence Time Distribution technique) was used to characterize the macro-mixing of both liquid and solid phases of a laboratory-scale dry anaerobic digester using appropriate tracers. The effects of the waste origin and total solid content were studied. An increase in TS content from 22% to 30% TS (w/w) induced a macro-mixing mode closer to a theoretical Plug Flow Reactor. The segregation of particles having different densities was investigated regarding the RTD of the solid phase. Segregation of dense particles occurred at low TS content. By using different TS content and waste origins, it was also determined that the yield stress was a key parameter in the mechanism of segregation. At high yield stress, dense particles were more stable and thus less subjected to settling. As a consequence, operating at high TS content may permit to prevent the sedimentation of the denser particles.
authors.affiliation: Université de Lyon, INSA-Lyon, Laboratoire de Génie Civil et d'Ingénierie Environnementale, 9, rue de la Physique, Villeurbanne cedex F-69621, France. Electronic address: hassen.benbelkacem@insa-lyon.fr.
authors.forename: Hassen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Benbelkacem
authors.affiliation: INRA, UR050, Laboratoire de Biotechnologie de l'Environnement, Avenue des Etangs, Narbonne F-11100, France.
authors.forename: Diana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Garcia-Bernet
authors.affiliation: Université de Lyon, INSA-Lyon, Laboratoire de Génie Civil et d'Ingénierie Environnementale, 9, rue de la Physique, Villeurbanne cedex F-69621, France.
authors.forename: Julien
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bollon
authors.affiliation: INRA, UR050, Laboratoire de Biotechnologie de l'Environnement, Avenue des Etangs, Narbonne F-11100, France.
authors.forename: Denis
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Loisel
authors.affiliation: Université de Lyon, INSA-Lyon, Laboratoire de Génie Civil et d'Ingénierie Environnementale, 9, rue de la Physique, Villeurbanne cedex F-69621, France.
authors.forename: Rémy
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bayard
authors.affiliation: INRA, UR050, Laboratoire de Biotechnologie de l'Environnement, Avenue des Etangs, Narbonne F-11100, France.
authors.forename: Jean-Philippe
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Steyer
authors.affiliation: Université de Lyon, INSA-Lyon, Laboratoire de Génie Civil et d'Ingénierie Environnementale, 9, rue de la Physique, Villeurbanne cedex F-69621, France.
authors.forename: Rémy
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gourdon
authors.affiliation: Université de Lyon, INSA-Lyon, Laboratoire de Génie Civil et d'Ingénierie Environnementale, 9, rue de la Physique, Villeurbanne cedex F-69621, France.
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Buffière
authors.affiliation: INRA, UR050, Laboratoire de Biotechnologie de l'Environnement, Avenue des Etangs, Narbonne F-11100, France.
authors.forename: Renaud
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Escudié
mesh_terms: D000693:Anaerobiosis; D003470:Culture Media
chemical_list: D003470:Culture Media
keywords: High-solid anaerobic digestion; Mixing; Residence Time Distribution; Sedimentation; Total solid content