Energy-production efficiency in anaerobic digestion: a basis for advanced process development

Conference · Thu Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1981

OSTI ID:5603003

Ghosh, S

Simple procedures to evaluate net energy production efficiencies of digestion systems are presented for various substrate qualities, feed biodegradabilities, and methane yields, and for a spectrum of conventional and unconventional digester operating conditions. The analysis indicates that the anaerobic digestion process can have a negative energy balance when dilute slurries are digested at low loading rates, or when the feed has a low biodegradability and low methane yield. Sludge heating or digester heat losses account for the largest fraction of the external energy input depending on the feed slurry concentration and the loading rate. Mixing and sludge pumping each require only a few percent of the total process energy input.

• Research Organization: Institute of Gas Technology, Chicago, IL (USA)
• OSTI ID: 5603003
• Report Number(s): CONF-8110161-1; ON: DE82902117
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

09 BIOMASS FUELS
090122 -- Hydrocarbon Fuels-- Preparation from Wastes or Biomass-- (1976-1989)
140504* -- Solar Energy Conversion-- Biomass Production & Conversion-- (-1989)
ALKANES
ANAEROBIC DIGESTION
BIOCONVERSION
BIODEGRADATION
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
DECOMPOSITION
DIGESTION
DISPERSIONS
ENERGY
ENERGY ANALYSIS
ENERGY BALANCE
HYDROCARBONS
MANAGEMENT
METHANE
MIXTURES
NET ENERGY
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PROCESSING
SEWAGE
SEWAGE SLUDGE
SLURRIES
SUSPENSIONS
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTE PROCESSING
WASTES
YIELDS