Unconventional anaerobic digester designs for improving methane yields from sea kelp

Conference · Fri Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1982

OSTI ID:5374301

Fannin, K F; Srivastava, V J; Chynoweth, D P

Studies were performed as part of an ongoing comprehensive research program to develop and optimize the anaerobic digestion process for producing methane from sea kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera). Laboratory-scale studies focused on digester design and operating techniques applicable toward the goal of increasing methane yields and production rates over those observed in previous studies using conventional stirred tank reactors (STR). Two unconventional anaerobic digesters, an upflow solids reactor and a baffle flow reactor, were used to study the anaerobic digestion performance of kelp; both digesters permit solids retention times that are longer than the hydraulic retention times. The performance of the unconventional digesters was compared with that of the STR on the basis of methane yield and process stability. These studies demonstrated that, although digester performance was markedly affected by kelp variability, the methane yield in both unconventional digesters exceeded 70% of the theoretical yield and was substantialy higher than that of the STR. Utilization of simple digester designs that promoted long solids retention times improved the anaerobic digester performance significantly over that observed in conventional anaerobic digestion processes.

• Research Organization: Institute of Gas Technology, Chicago, IL (USA)
• OSTI ID: 5374301
• Report Number(s): CONF-820127-6; ON: DE82902742
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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ALKANES
ANAEROBIC DIGESTION
AQUATIC ORGANISMS
BIOCONVERSION
BIOSYNTHESIS
CHEMICAL REACTORS
DESIGN
DIGESTION
HYDROCARBONS
MANAGEMENT
METHANE
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PERFORMANCE
PLANTS
PROCESSING
PRODUCTION
SEAWEEDS
SYNTHESIS
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTE PROCESSING
YIELDS