Heat treatment of refuse for increasing anaerobic biodegradability. Semi-annual progress report, July 1, 1975--December 31, 1975

Technical Report · Sat Jan 31 00:00:00 EST 1976

OSTI ID:7356141

Gossett, J M; Healy, Jr, J B; Stuckey, D C; Young, L Y; McCarty, P L

This research is concerned with the efficacy of various heat treatment procedures in converting refractory organic materials to biodegradable substances so they will be convertable to methane gas. Organic refuse materials are being subjected to temperatures from 25 to 250/sup 0/C, pH from 1 to 13, and for times up to 3 hours. Biodegradability is being assessed with a Warburg respirometer. Some of the chemical added for pH control was found to be consumed during heat treatment, reducing the concentration in solution which is effective in transforming organics. For this reason, chemical requirements can be minimized by increasing the solids concentration in the reactor feed. Semi-continuous digestion of refuse at 35/sup 0/C and at a 15 day detention time resulted in 35 percent reduction in volatile solids and conversion of waste to methane. Microbiological studies indicated that several aromatic compounds expected to be formed from lignin heat treatment, including phenol, were fermentable to methane gas. (auth)

• Research Organization: Stanford Univ., Calif. (USA). Dept. of Civil Engineering
• OSTI ID: 7356141
• Report Number(s): NSF/RANN/SE/AER-74-17940-A01/PR/75/4
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

09 BIOMASS FUELS
METHANE
BIOSYNTHESIS
SOLID WASTES
BIODEGRADATION
ANAEROBIC DIGESTION
MUNICIPAL WASTES
ORGANIC WASTES
PH VALUE
PRESSURE DEPENDENCE
TEMPERATURE DEPENDENCE
ALKANES
BIOCONVERSION
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CRYOGENIC FLUIDS
DECOMPOSITION
DIGESTION
FLUIDS
HYDROCARBONS
MANAGEMENT
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PROCESSING
SYNTHESIS
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTE PROCESSING
WASTES
090122* - Hydrocarbon Fuels- Preparation from Wastes or Biomass- (1976-1989)