Biogasification of pretreated reed-sedge peat

Conference · Tue Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1980

OSTI ID:6492556

Ghosh, S

To improve the fermentability of Minnesota reed-sedge peat, the feed was hydrolyzed with an 8% HCl solution at 270/sup 0/F and 28 psig, substantially increasing the volatile-acid and gas production over that observed with an untreated feed. Thermophilic (127/sup 0/F) digestion afforded higher gas and methane yields than the mesophilic (95/sup 0/F) temperature. The highest methane yield - about 1.9 SCF/lb volatile solids (VS) added - was observed at a retention time fo 24 days at the thermophilic temperature. This corresponds to an energy-recovery efficiency of 20% and is 3 times that produced from untreated peat at a comparable retention time of 30 days. Furthermore, the addition of large quantities of sewage sludge (about 50 wt % of the feed on a VS basis) increased the methane yield to 4.6 SCF/lb VS added; a lower sludge dosage of 15 wt %, however, did not enhance gas production. A mixed inorganic nutrient supplement also substantially improved methane production. A pH of about 6.4 proved optimum for both mesophilic and thermophilic digestion of peat. Effluent-dewatering studies showed that dilute digested slurries could be dewatered by vacuum filtration and mechanical pressing to yield 34 wt % solids-content cakes.

• OSTI ID: 6492556
• Report Number(s): CONF-800876-
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
010404* -- Coal
Lignite
& Peat-- Gasification
09 BIOMASS FUELS
090122 -- Hydrocarbon Fuels-- Preparation from Wastes or Biomass-- (1976-1989)
ALKANES
BIOCONVERSION
ENERGY SOURCES
FERMENTATION
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
GASIFICATION
HYDROCARBONS
HYDROCHLORIC ACID
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
INORGANIC ACIDS
METHANE
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC MATTER
PEAT
PRODUCTION
TEMPERATURE DEPENDENCE
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES