A unique microbial fuel cell.
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Bioelectric Energy Sources↗
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Generating electricity from wastewater treatment.
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Bacteria↗
Hydrogen from a microbial fuel cell.
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Anaerobiosis↗
Simultaneous wastewater treatment and biological electricity generation.
It is possible to directly generate electricity using bacteria while accomplishing wastewater treatment in processes based on microbial fuel cell technologies. When bacteria oxidize a substrate, they remove electrons. Current generation is made possible by keeping bacteria separated from oxygen, but allowing the bacteria growing on an anode to transfer electrons to the counter electrode (cathode) that is exposed to air. In this paper, several advances are discussed in this technology, and a calculation is made on the potential for electricity recovery. Assuming a town of 100,000 people generate 16.4 x 10(6) L of wastewater, a wastewater treatment plant has the potential to become a 2.3 MW power plant if all the energy is recovered as electricity. So far, power densities are low, resulting in power generation rates of 150 kW/m2. Progress is being made that we believe may result in as much as 0.5 MW from wastewater treatment. The generation of electricity during wastewater treatment may profoundly affect the approach to anaerobic treatment technologies used in wastewater treatment.
Acetates↗
Anaerobic digestion as a core technology in sustainable management of organic matter.
In the past decades, anaerobic digestion (AD) has steadily gained importance. However, the technology is not regarded as a top priority in science policy and in industrial development at present. In order for AD to further develop, it is crucial that AD profits from the current fuel issues emerging in the international arena. AD can provide low-cost treatment of sewage and solid domestic wastes, which represents a vast application potential that should be promoted in the developing world. Furthermore, the developments in the last decades in the domain of anaerobic microbiology and technology have generated some interesting niches for the application of AD, such as anaerobic nitrogen removal and the treatment of chlorinated organics. Recently, AD has also generated some serendipities, such as the use of AD in processes for sulphur and calcium removal and the coupling of AD with microbial fuel cells. The international developments in terms of bio-refineries and CO2-emission abatement are of crucial importance with respect to the impetus that AD will receive in the coming decade. There should be little doubt that by placing the focus of AD on the production of green energy and clean nutrients, the future of AD will be assured.
Bacteria, Anaerobic↗
Pilot-scale two-stage process: a combination of acidogenic hydrogenesis and methanogenesis.
This study was performed to optimize both acidogenic hydrogenesis and methanogenesis, and then to develop a pilot-scale two-stage process producing not only CH4 but also H2. Firstly, acidogenic hydrogenesis of food waste was examined in pilot-scale leaching-bed reactors using dilution rate (D) as a tool to improve the environmental conditions. The maximum efficiency of 71.4% was obtained by adjusting D from 4.5 to 2.5 d(-1) depending on the state of degradation. Secondly, the wastewater from acidogenic hydrogenesis was converted to CH4 in a pilot-scale UASB reactor. The COD removal efficiency exceeded 95% up to the loading rates of 13.1 g COD/Ld, which corresponded to HRT of 0.25 d (6 h). Lastly, a pilot-scale two-stage process was devised based on a combination of acidogenic hydrogenesis and methanogenesis. Over 120 days, the pilot-scale process resulted in large VS reduction of 70.9% at the high loading rate of 12.5 kg VS/m3/d in a short SRT of 8 days.
Bacteria, Anaerobic↗
Continuous hydrogen production from organic waste.
The antibiotic effects of lactic acid bacteria, Lactobacillus paracasei, on hydrogen production were investigated using glucose as the substrate for the batch experiments. The effects of lactic acid bacteria on hydrogen fermentation depended on pH and the inhibition of hydrogen-producing bacteria was prevented by keeping the pH over 5.0. Then, a continuous hydrogen production experiment was conducted by using bean curd manufacturing waste as an actual organic waste at pH 5.5 at 35 degrees C. The increase of the substrate concentration and the addition of nitrogen gave precedence to acetic and butyric acids production in the metabolic pathway and suppressed propionic acid production. As the result, continuous hydrogen production from municipal organic waste was enabled.
Ammonium Chloride↗
Effect of operating conditions and reactor configuration on efficiency of full-scale biogas plants.
A study on 18 full-scale centralized biogas plants was carried out in order to find significant operational factors influencing productivity and stability of the plants. It was found that the most plants were operating relatively stable with volatile fatty acids (VFA) concentration below 1.5 g/l. VFA concentration increase was observed in occasions with dramatic overloading or other disturbances such as operational temperature changes. Ammonia was found to be a significant factor for stability. A correlation between increased residual biogas production and high ammonia was found. When ammonia was higher than approx. 4g-N/l the degradation efficiency of the plant decreased and as a consequence, the residual methane potential was high. Decrease of the residual methane potential with increasing hydraulic retention time was found. Digestion temperature was very important for effective post-digestion. Post-digestion for recovering the residual methane potential at temperatures below 15 degrees C was very inefficient.
Ammonia↗
Environmental aspects of the anaerobic digestion of the organic fraction of municipal solid wastes and of solid agricultural wastes.
In order to obtain more detailed information for better decision making in future biogenic waste treatment, different processes to treat biogenic wastes in plants with a treatment capacity of 10,000 tons of organic household wastes per year as well as agricultural codigestion plants were compared by life cycle assessments (LCA). With the tool EcoIndicator, anaerobic digestion is shown to be advantageous as compared to composting, incineration or a combination of digestion and composting, mainly because of a better energy balance. The management of the liquid manure in agricultural codigestion of organic solid wastes causes increased gaseous emissions, which have negative effects on the LCA, however. It is recommended to cover the slurry pit and to use an improved manure management in order to compensate for the additional gaseous emissions. In the LCAs, the quality of the digester output could only be taken into account to a small extent; the reasons are discussed.
Agriculture↗
Potential for biohydrogen and methane production from olive pulp.
The present study investigates the potential for thermophilic biohydrogen and methane production from olive pulp, which is the semi-solid residue coming from the two-phase processing of olives. It focussed on: a) production of methane from the raw olive pulp, b) anaerobic bio-production of hydrogen from the olive pulp, and c) subsequent anaerobic treatment of the hydrogen-effluent with the simultaneous production of methane. Both continuous and batch experiments were performed. The hydrogen potential of the olive pulp amounted to 1.6 mmole H2 per g TS. The methane potential of the raw olive pulp and hydrogen-effluent was as high as 19 mmole CH4 per g TS. This suggests that olive pulp is an ideal substrate for methane production and it shows that biohydrogen production can be very efficiently coupled with a subsequent step for methane production.
Anaerobiosis↗
Full-scale application of anaerobic digestion process with partial ozonation of digested sludge.
For improving sludge digestion and biogas recovery, a new anaerobic digestion process combined with ozonation was tested at a full-scale unit for 2 years and its performance was compared with a simultaneously operated conventional anaerobic digestion process. The new process requires two essential modifications, which includes ozonation for enhancing the biological degradability of sludge organics and concentrating of solids in the digester through a solid/liquid separation for extension of SRT. These modifications resulted in high VSS degradation efficiency of ca. 88%, as much as 1.3 times of methane production and more than 70% reduction in dewatered sludge cake production. Owing to accumulation of inorganic solids in the digested sludge, water content of the dewatered sludge cake also reduced from 80% to 68%. An energy analysis suggested that no supplemental fuel was necessary for the subsequent incineration of the cake from the new process scheme. The process is suitable to apply to a low-loaded anaerobic digestion tank, where power production is used.
Bacteria, Anaerobic↗
Reduction of sludge production from WWTP using thermal pretreatment and enhanced anaerobic methanisation.
The objective of the study presented here was to investigate the performance of an enhanced two-step anaerobic process for the treatment of WWTP sludge. This process was developed to answer the urgent need currently faced by WWTP operators to reduce the production of biosolids, for which disposal pathways are facing increasing difficulties. A pilot plant was operated on a full-scale WWTP (2,500 p.e.) over a period of 4 months. It consisted of a thermal pre-treatment of excess sludge at 175 degrees C and 40 min, followed by dewatering and methanisation of the centrate in a fixed-film reactor. The thermal lysis had a two-fold enhancing effect on sludge reduction efficiency: firstly, it allowed a decrease of the HRT in the methaniser to 2.9 days and secondly, it yielded biosolids with a high dewaterability. This contributed to further reductions in the final volume of sludge to be disposed of. The two-step process achieved a sludge reduction efficiency of 65% as TSS, thus giving an interesting treatment option for WWTP facing sludge disposal problems.
Bacteria, Anaerobic↗
UASB treatment of liquid residues from grass bioraffination.
In 2001 the first green biorefinery started operation in Switzerland with a design load of 5,000 tons dm of grass per year and a combined output of fibres (0.4 tons per ton input), protein (160 t/t) and bioenergy (500 kWh/t). Bioenergy was produced in a 570 m3 UASB reactor which has been monitored intensively during its first year of operation. Anaerobic treatment of liquid residues with > 80% degradation of organics was shown up to high f/m ratios and loading rates of 12 -15 kg COD/m3 d and specific biogas production of 0.5-0.65 Nm3 of gas per kg of COD added. A mass flow analysis of solids and pellets leads to the conclusion, that due to a low sludge bed volume of only 16% of the reactor combined with a low actual organic loading of 1.5 kg COD/m3 d there was a restricted adsorption and a low degradation of substrate solids.
Bacteria, Anaerobic↗
Continuous microbial fuel cells convert carbohydrates to electricity.
Microbial fuel cells which are operated in continuous mode are more suitable for practical applications than fed batch ones. Three influent types containing carbohydrates were tested, i.e. a glucose medium, a plant extract and artificial wastewater. The anode reactor compartment yielding the best results was a packed bed reactor containing graphite granules. While in non-mediated batch systems power outputs up to 479 W m(-3) of anode compartment could be attained; in continuous mode the power outputs were limited to 49W m(-3). Cyclic voltammetry was performed to determine the potential of the in-situ synthesized bacterial redox mediators. Addition of mediators with a potential similar to the bacterial potential did not significantly alter the MFC power output, indicating a limited influence of soluble mediators for continuous microbial fuel cells. Maximum coulombic and energy conversion efficiencies were, for the continuous microbial fuel cell operating on plant extract at a loading rate of 1 kg COD m(-3) of anode compartment per day, 50.3% and 26.0% respectively.
Acer↗
Minimization of greenhouse gas emission by application of anaerobic digestion process with biogas utilization.
To assess the impact on greenhouse gas emission, different process schemes for municipal sludge treatment were evaluated based on the data from pilot-scale experiments and review of annual operation reports. A modified anaerobic digestion process with partial ozonation of digested sludge to improve biological degradability and the conventional anaerobic digestion process were compared with respect to the energy demand in each process schemes. Options for beneficial use of biogas included (1) application of biogas for power production and (2) recovery as an alternative to natural gas utilization. The analysis indicated that the partial ozonation process with power production led to minimal greenhouse gas emission because the extra energy production from this scheme was expected to cover all of the energy demand for the plant operation. Moreover, the final amount of dewatered sludge cake was only 40% of that expected from the conventional process, this significantly minimizes the potential for greenhouse gas emission in the subsequent sludge incineration processes.
Bacteria, Anaerobic↗
Assessing the environmental burdens of anaerobic digestion in comparison to alternative options for managing the biodegradable fraction of municipal solid wastes.
Biological treatment processes including anaerobic digestion (biogasification) and composting are increasingly being considered by waste management officials and planners as alternatives for managing the mainly organic residues of municipal solid wastes (MSW). The integrated waste management model which is based upon the application of life-cycle analysis was employed to compare the environmental burdens of landfilling, composting and anaerobic digestion of MSW at a mid-sized Canadian community. Energy consumption (or recovery), residue recoveries and emissions to air and water were quantified. Scenario comparisons were analyzed to demonstrate that the environmental burdens associated with anaerobic digestion are reduced in comparison with the alternative options. The major benefit occurs as a result of the electricity produced from burning the biogas and then supplying the 'green power' to the local electrical grid.
Bacteria, Anaerobic↗
Anaerobic digestion as a sustainable solution for biosolids management by the Montreal metropolitan community.
The Quebec Waste Management Policy (1998-2008) is requesting that the municipalities prepare a waste management plan, including a global objective of 60% of these wastes to be diverted from landfill sites by reduction, re-usage, recycling and valorization. Around 5.8 million tons of wastes were generated on the territory of the Montreal Metropolitan Community in 2001 for a population of about 3.5 millions citizens. In this paper, we present different management scenarios in which anaerobic digestion was used as a valorization step, focusing on the energetic value of the methane produced and the reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The four scenarios prepared cover the valorization of the organic fraction of municipal solid wastes, green wastes and excess sludge and showed potential methane generation of 17-140 Mm3 with a GHG reduction of 62,000-500,000 tons of CO2-equivalents.
Bacteria, Anaerobic↗
Power densities using different cathode catalysts (Pt and CoTMPP) and polymer binders (nafion and PTFE) in single chamber microbial fuel cells.
Cathode catalysts and binders were examined for their effect on power densities in single chamber, air-cathode, microbial fuel cells (MFCs). Chronopotentiometry tests indicated thatthe cathode potential was only slightly reduced (20-40 mV) when Pt loadings were decreased from 2 to 0.1 mg cm(-2), and that Nafion performed better as a Pt binder than poly(tetrafluoroethylene) (PTFE). Replacing the precious-metal Pt catalyst (0.5 mg cm(-2); Nafion binder) with a cobalt material (cobalt tetramethylphenylporphyrin, CoTMPP) produced slightly improved cathode performance above 0.6 mA cm(-2), but reduced performance (<40 mV) at lower current densities. MFC fed batch tests conducted for 35 cycles (31 days) using glucose showed that replacement of the Nafion binder used for the cathode catalyst (0.5 mg of Pt cm(-2)) with PTFE reduced the maximum power densities (from 400 +/- 10 to 480 +/- 20 mW m(-2) to 331 +/- 3 to 360 +/- 10 mW m(-2)). When the Pt loading on cathode was reduced to 0.1 mg cm(-2), the maximum power density of MFC was reduced on average by 19% (379 +/- 5 to 301 +/- 15 mW m(-2); Nafion binder). Power densities with CoTMPP were only 12% (369 +/- 8 mW m(-2)) lower over 25 cycles than those obtained with Pt (0.5 mg cm(-2); Nafion binder). Power densities obtained using with catalysts on the cathodes were approximately 4 times more than those obtained using a plain carbon electrode. These results demonstrate that cathodes used in MFCs can contain very little Pt, and that the Pt can even be replaced with a non-precious metal catalyst such as a CoTMPP with only slightly reduced performance.
Bioelectric Energy Sources↗