skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Conversion of MSW (municipal solids waste) to methane in the SOLCON (solids-concentrating) digester

Conference ·
OSTI ID:6377413

The Institute of Gas Technology (IGT) has been operating a 1200- gallon, anaerobic solids-concentrating (SOLCON) digester at the Walt Disney World Resort Complex in Lake Buena Vista, Florida since January of 1984. This digester development work is part of a larger effort, sponsored by the Gas Research Institute (GRI) Southern California Edison, that provides effective community waste treatment and disposal options while recovering a valuable methane resource from these wastes. Excellent conversions to methane have been obtained in the SOLCON digester during 4 years of uninterrupted operation. Data were collected on: (1) Wastes from experimental municipal wastewater treatment applications. Water hyacinths were harvested from secondary wastewater treatment channels and combined with sludge from primary clarifiers to maximize potential methane recoveries in the digester. (2) Wastes from agricultural operations. Sorghum was selected as a candidate because it represents both a potential energy crop, as well as, a waste resource if only portions of the plant are converted after grain production. (3) Wastes from municipal waste collection.

Research Organization:
Institute of Gas Technology, Chicago, IL (USA)
OSTI ID:
6377413
Report Number(s):
CONF-880215-8; ON: TI89007172
Resource Relation:
Conference: Energy from biomass and wastes, New Orleans, LA, USA, 15 Feb 1988
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English