Analysis of the performance of an anaerobic digestion system at the Regina wastewater treatment plant

• Published in: Bioresource technology 2004-12, Vol.95 (3), p.301-307
• Main Authors: Zhao, H.W, Viraraghavan, T
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acids; Alkalinity; Anaerobic digestion; Bacteria, Anaerobic - physiology; Biofuel production; Biogas; Biological and medical sciences; Biological treatment of sewage sludges and wastes; Bioreactors; Biotechnology; Energy; Environment and pollution; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; Industrial applications and implications. Economical aspects; Kinetics; Models, Theoretical; Power Plants; Regina; Sewage - chemistry; Sewage - microbiology; Volatile solids; Volatilization; Waste Disposal, Fluid - methods
• ISSN: 0960-8524; 1873-2976
• DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2004.02.023

From the performance analysis of the anaerobic digestion system at the Regina Wastewater Treatment Plant, it was found that the anaerobic digestion system at the Regina plant was generally operated in a stable condition as indicated by pH, volatile acids and alkalinity levels. The operation of the anaerobic digestion system was not optimal because of the low volatile solids concentration and low volatile solids loading rate, especially because of high HRT. Two options, thickening the primary sludge and increasing the volatile solids loading rate, were recommended for the optimal operation of the digestion system. After examining a number of kinetic models, it was found that the Chen–Hashimoto model could be used to predict the volumetric methane production rate and the first-order model could be used to predict the efficiency of volatile solids reduction. The study showed that utilization of digester gas for power production was the best alternative for the excess digester gas. 13.3% of the electrical demand and 35.5% of the plant's total energy could be met based on digester gas wasted, assuming 25% as the conversion efficiency.