Wastewater reclamation and methane production using water hyacinth and anaerobic digestion
Research reported here supports the conclusion that water hyacinth ponds are effective in the secondary treatment of domestic wastewater and under these conditions exhibited an average growth yield of 60 dry tons/ha-yr. However, treatment efficiencies and growth yields vary significantly in response to factors which include: (1) of nutrients in the pond influent; (2) residence times and water depth; (3) cultural techniques such as plant density and harvest frequency; (4) environmental conditions such as temperature, frost, etc.; and (5) insect infestation. These variables are under more intense study using smaller scale experiments. The results of these studies will be employed to determine optimum conditions for operation of the larger ponds. Work thus far completed on the anaerobic digestion of hyacinth and sludge has provided information on feed properties, feed biodegradabilities, digestion efficiencies under conventional digestion, nutritional balance, and the effects of blend constituents on methane yield and production rate. It is known that these feeds can be digested without external nutrient addition or pH control. The kinetics and efficiencies are comparable to those of other biomass or waste feeds; in fact, the yield from primary sludge is the highest we have seen reported for particulate feeds. Two conventional digester designs are currently exhibiting a significant increase in feed conversion to methane. Future laboratory research will continue to focus on advanced digestion and pretreatment for improvement of conversion efficiencies and net energy production. This will be complemented by operation of a larger scale experimental test unit.
- Research Organization:
- Institute of Gas Technology, Chicago, IL (USA)
- OSTI ID:
- 6529898
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-830213-1; ON: DE83901334
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Methane production by anaerobic digestion of water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes)
Kinetics and advanced digester design for anaerobic digestion of water hyacinth and primary sludge
Related Subjects
090122 -- Hydrocarbon Fuels-- Preparation from Wastes or Biomass-- (1976-1989)
140504 -- Solar Energy Conversion-- Biomass Production & Conversion-- (-1989)
32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
320604* -- Energy Conservation
Consumption
& Utilization-- Municipalities & Community Systems-- Municipal Waste Management-- (1980-)
ALKANES
ANAEROBIC DIGESTION
AQUATIC ORGANISMS
BIOCONVERSION
BIOREACTORS
BIOSYNTHESIS
DESIGN
DIGESTION
HYDROCARBONS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
LIQUID WASTES
MANAGEMENT
METHANE
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PH VALUE
PLANTS
PROCESSING
SYNTHESIS
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTE PROCESSING
WASTE WATER
WASTES
WATER
WATER HYACINTHS
YIELDS