Anaerobic digestion of municipal solid wastes: Dry thermophilic performance

• Published in: Bioresource technology 2008-11, Vol.99 (17), p.8180-8184
• Main Authors: Forster-Carneiro, T., Pérez, M., Romero, L.I.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Anaerobic thermophilic digestion; Anaerobiosis; Applied sciences; Biofuel production; Biogas; Biological and medical sciences; Biological treatment of sewage sludges and wastes; Bioreactors; Biotechnology; Carbon - chemistry; Energy; Environment and pollution; Exact sciences and technology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Industrial applications and implications. Economical aspects; Methane; Methane - chemistry; Organic fraction of municipal solid waste (OFMSW); Oxygen - chemistry; Pollution; Refuse Disposal; Temperature; Volatilization; Wastes
• ISSN: 0960-8524; 1873-2976
• DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2008.03.021

The purpose of this study was to analyze the performance of two laboratory-scale reactors (5.0 L) treating organic fraction of municipal solid waste (OFMSW): source sorted OFMSW (SS_OFMSW) obtained from a university restaurant and mechanically selected municipal fraction (MS_OFMSW) obtained from a Municipal Treatment Plant placed in Cadiz-Spain. Discontinuous reactors operated at thermophilic (55 °C) and dry (20% total solid) conditions. Different decomposition patterns were observed: (1) the SS_OFMSW exhibited the classical waste decomposition pattern with a fast start up phase beginning within 0–5 days and 20–30 and a subsequent stabilization phase. The VS removal was 45% with a cumulative biogas of 120 L in approx. 60 days; (2) the MS_OFMSW showed a methanogenic pattern throughout the whole experimental period (60 days) and this gave higher levels of organic biodegradation (56%VSr) and biogas production (82 L). Both processes were completed and a high level of cumulative methane production was achieved in less than 60 days, proximally 25–30 L.