title: Enhanced biogas production using cow manure to stabilize co-digestion of whey and primary sludge.
abstract: Increasing biogas production from municipal anaerobic digesters via additional loading with industrial/agricultural wastes offers a low-cost, sustainable energy generation option of significant untapped potential. In this work, bench-top reactors were used to mimic a full-scale primary sludge digester operating at an organic loading rate (OLR) of 2.4 kg COD/m3 d and a 20 d hydraulic retention time (HRT). Co-digestion of whey with primary sludge was sustained at a loading rate of 3.2 kg COD/m3 d (17 d HRT) and boosted gas production to 151% compared to primary sludge digestion alone. Addition of chemical alkalinity enabled co-digestion of whey with primary sludge to be maintained at an elevated OLR of 6.4 kg COD/m3 d (11 d HRT) with gas production increased to 208%. However, when the chemical addition was simply replaced by cow manure, stable operation was maintained at OLRs of 5.2-6.9 kg COD/m3 d (11-14 d HRT) with gas production boosted up to 268%.
authors: School of Engineering and Advanced Technology, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand.
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Shilton
authors: School of Engineering and Advanced Technology, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand.
authors: N
authors: N
authors: Powell
authors: School of Engineering and Advanced Technology, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand.
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Broughton
authors: School of Engineering and Advanced Technology, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand.
authors: C
authors: C
authors: Pratt
authors: Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Australia.
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Pratt
authors: Palmerston North City Council, Palmerston North, New Zealand.
authors: C
authors: C
authors: Pepper
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D056804:Biofuels / Q000032:analysis*; D002417:Cattle; D008372:Manure / Q000032:analysis*; D008894:Milk Proteins / Q000737:chemistry*; D012722:Sewage / Q000032:analysis*; D000067816:Whey Proteins
chemical_list: D056804:Biofuels; D008372:Manure; D008894:Milk Proteins; D012722:Sewage; D000067816:Whey Proteins