Engineering design considerations for methane fermentation of energy crops. Annual report, first year, October 1, 1983-September 30, 1984
The focus of the first year of the multi-year effort was to begin to define the methane fermentation requirements of two potential energy crops - napier grass and sorghum. Three laboratory scale digester designs were examined - completely mixed digesters controlled at 10 percent solids were used as controls, and solid state digesters with and without leachate management were used to define the kinetics of hydrolysis and methanation in innovative reactor systems. Several different approaches indicated that the biodegradable fractions of organic solids in napier grass and sorghum averaged 74% and 93%, respectively. The completely mixed reactors were highly sensitive to overloading; and operation at 10 percent solids required long retention times (greater than 60 days) to achieve stable operation, low volatile acid concentrations, and efficient biodegradable organic conversions. Most of the emphasis was on solid state batch reactors operated with leachate management. Initial biogas production rates in the solid state units exceeded 10 volumes per volume per day (v/v/d) with sorghum and averaged greater than 1 v/v/d for 100 days at 55 deg C. Three multiple cycles were successfully initiated with sorghum without addition of water, nutrients, or buffer after the initial startup during the first year of testing.
- Research Organization:
- New York State Coll. of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Ithaca, NY (United States). Dept. of Agricultural and Biological Engineering
- OSTI ID:
- 6744729
- Report Number(s):
- PB-93-146637/XAB; CNN: GRI-5083-226-0848
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: See also PB--92-213008 and PB--92-213016
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Engineering-design considerations for methane fermentation of energy crops. Annual report-year 4, January-December 1987
Engineering-design considerations for methane fermentation of energy crops. Annual report, October 1, 1984-September 30, 1985. Volume 2
Related Subjects
BIOMASS CONVERSION PLANTS
DESIGN
METHANE
BIOCONVERSION
PILOT PLANTS
AGRICULTURAL WASTES
ANAEROBIC DIGESTION
BIOGAS PROCESS
CHEMICAL REACTORS
COST ESTIMATION
CROPS
ENGINEERING
FERMENTATION
HYDROLYSIS
KINETICS
METHANATION
NUTRIENTS
OPERATION
POTENTIAL ENERGY
PRODUCTION
RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES
RETENTION
SOLIDS
SORGHUM
ALKANES
CEREALS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
DECOMPOSITION
DIGESTION
ENERGY
ENERGY SOURCES
FUNCTIONAL MODELS
GRAMINEAE
HYDROCARBONS
INDUSTRIAL PLANTS
LILIOPSIDA
LYSIS
MAGNOLIOPHYTA
MANAGEMENT
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC WASTES
PLANTS
PROCESSING
SOLVOLYSIS
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTE PROCESSING
WASTES
090900* - Biomass Fuels- Processing- (1990-)