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Title: Photoenhanced anaerobic digestion of organic acids

Abstract

A process is described for rapid conversion of organic acids and alcohols anaerobic digesters into hydrogen and carbon dioxide, the optimal precursor substrates for production of methane. The process includes addition of photosynthetic bacteria to the digester and exposure of the bacteria to radiant energy (e.g., solar energy). The process also increases the pH stability of the digester to prevent failure of the digester. Preferred substrates for photosynthetic bacteria are the organic acid and alcohol waste products of fermentative bacteria. In mixed culture with methanogenic bacteria or in defined co-culture with non-aceticlastic methanogenic bacteria, photosynthetic bacteria are capable of facilitating the conversion or organic acids and alcohols into methane with low levels of light energy input.

Inventors:
 [1]
  1. Golden, CO
Issue Date:
Research Org.:
Midwest Research Institute, Kansas City, MO (United States)
OSTI Identifier:
867352
Patent Number(s):
4919813
Assignee:
United States of America as represented by Department of Energy (Washington, DC)
Patent Classifications (CPCs):
C - CHEMISTRY C02 - TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE C02F - TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE
Y - NEW / CROSS SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES Y02 - TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE Y02E - REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
DOE Contract Number:  
AC02-83CH10093
Resource Type:
Patent
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
photoenhanced; anaerobic; digestion; organic; acids; process; described; rapid; conversion; alcohols; digesters; hydrogen; carbon; dioxide; optimal; precursor; substrates; production; methane; addition; photosynthetic; bacteria; digester; exposure; radiant; energy; solar; increases; ph; stability; prevent; failure; preferred; acid; alcohol; waste; products; fermentative; mixed; culture; methanogenic; defined; co-culture; non-aceticlastic; capable; facilitating; levels; light; input; waste product; light energy; radiant energy; carbon dioxide; solar energy; organic acids; waste products; organic acid; energy input; mixed culture; photosynthetic bacteria; anaerobic digestion; /210/435/

Citation Formats

Weaver, Paul F. Photoenhanced anaerobic digestion of organic acids. United States: N. p., 1990. Web.
Weaver, Paul F. Photoenhanced anaerobic digestion of organic acids. United States.
Weaver, Paul F. Mon . "Photoenhanced anaerobic digestion of organic acids". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/867352.
@article{osti_867352,
title = {Photoenhanced anaerobic digestion of organic acids},
author = {Weaver, Paul F},
abstractNote = {A process is described for rapid conversion of organic acids and alcohols anaerobic digesters into hydrogen and carbon dioxide, the optimal precursor substrates for production of methane. The process includes addition of photosynthetic bacteria to the digester and exposure of the bacteria to radiant energy (e.g., solar energy). The process also increases the pH stability of the digester to prevent failure of the digester. Preferred substrates for photosynthetic bacteria are the organic acid and alcohol waste products of fermentative bacteria. In mixed culture with methanogenic bacteria or in defined co-culture with non-aceticlastic methanogenic bacteria, photosynthetic bacteria are capable of facilitating the conversion or organic acids and alcohols into methane with low levels of light energy input.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {1990},
month = {1}
}