Photoenhanced anaerobic digestion of organic acids

Patent · Tue Apr 24 00:00:00 EDT 1990

OSTI ID:6631737

Weaver, P F

This patent describes a process for rapid conversion of organic acids and alcohols in anaerobic digesters into hydrogen and carbon dioxide, the optimal precursor substrates for production of methane. The process includes addition of photosynthetic bacteria to the digester and exposure of the bacteria to radiant energy (solar energy). The process also increases the pH stability of the digester to prevent failure of the digester. Preferred substrates for photosynthetic bacteria are the organic acid and alcohol waste products of fermentative bacteria. In mixed culture with methanogenic bacteria or in defined co-culture with non-aceticlastic methanogenic bacteria, photosynthetic bacteria are capable of facilitating the conversion or organic acids and alcohols into methane with low levels of light energy input.

• Assignee: United States Dept. of Energy, Washington, DC (USA)
• Patent Number(s): US 4919813; A
• Application Number: PPN: US 7-398604A
• OSTI ID: 6631737
• Resource Relation: Patent File Date: 25 Aug 1989
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

09 BIOMASS FUELS
ALCOHOLS
ANAEROBIC DIGESTION
METHANE
PRODUCTION
ORGANIC ACIDS
BACTERIA
BIOREACTORS
CARBON DIOXIDE
HYDROGEN
ALKANES
BIOCONVERSION
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBON OXIDES
CHALCOGENIDES
DIGESTION
ELEMENTS
HYDROCARBONS
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
MANAGEMENT
MICROORGANISMS
NONMETALS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PROCESSING
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTE PROCESSING
090900* - Biomass Fuels- Processing- (1990-)