Abstract
A novel process has been developed and evaluated in a pilotscale program for conversion of the biodegradable fraction of municipal solid waste (MSW) to methane via anaerobic composting. The sequential batch anaerobic composting (SEBAC) process employs leachate management to provide organisms, moisture, and nutrients required for rapid conversion of MSW and removal of inhibitory fermentation products during start-up. The biodegradable organic materials are converted to methane and carbon dioxide in 21–42 d, rather than the years required in landfills.
Similar content being viewed by others
Abbreviations
- DRANCO:
-
dry anaerobic composting
- MSW:
-
municipal solid waste
- SEBAC:
-
sequential batch anaerobic composting
- VS:
-
volatile solids; dry, ash-free solids
- vvd:
-
volumes of methane per volume of reactor per day
References
Franklin Associates, Ltd. (1988),Characterization of Municipal Solid Waste in the United States, 1960 to 2000, Update, 1988 Draft Report, Contract 68-01-7310, US Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC.
The Biocycle Guide to Composting Municipal Wastes (1989), J. G. Press, Em- manus, PA.
Legrand, R. and Chynoweth, D. P. (1989),Twelfth Annual Madison Waste Conference, Madison.
Senior, E., ed. (1990),Microbiology of Landfill Sites, CRC Inc., Boca Raton, FL.
Barry, M., Colleran, E., and Wilkie, A. (1982),Energy Conservation and Use of Renewable Energies in the Bio-Industries, F. Vogt (ed.), Pergamon, Oxford, pp. 75–87.
Ghosh, S. (1984),The Eleventh American Society of Mechanical Engineers National Waste Processing Conference, Orlando, FL.
Hall, S., Thomas, A., Hawkes, F., and Hawkes, D. (1988),Fifth International Symposium on Anaerobic Digestion, Bologna, Italy.
Jewell, W. J., Cummings, R. J., et al. (1983–1987), Considerations and Meth- ane Fermentation. Four Annual Reports submitted to Gas Research Institute, Chicago, IL, Contract No. 5083–226–0848.
Rijkens B. A. (1981),Energy from Biomass and Wastes V, Institute of Gas Tech- nology, pp. 463–475.
Rijkens, B. A. (1982), "Two-Phase Process for the Anaerobic Digestion of Solid Wastes First Results of a Pilot-Scale Experiment."Energy from Biomass, 2nd E.C. Conference Proceedings, Berlin.
Smith, P. H., Bordeaux, F. M., Goto, M., Shiralipour, A., Wilkie, A. (1988),Methane from Biomass: A Systems Approach, Smith, W. H. and Frank, J. R., eds. Elsevier Applied Science, London, pp. 291–334.
DeBaere, L., VanMeenen, P., Deboosere, S., and Verstraete, W. (1987),Resources and Conservation 14, 295–308.
Bonhomme, M. (1988),Energy From Biomass and Wastes XI, Klass, D., ed., In- stitute of Gas Technology, pp. 721–730.
Isaacson, R., Pfeffer, J., Mooij, P., and Geselbracht, J. (1988),Energy From Biomass and Wastes XI, Klass, D., ed., Institute of Gas Technology, pp. 1123–1163.
Biljetina, R., Srivastava, V., and Isaacson, R. (1989),Energy From Biomass and Wastes XII, Klass, D., ed., Institute of Gas Technology, pp. 1029–1044.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Chynoweth, D.P., Bosch, G., Earle, J.F.K. et al. A novel process for anaerobic composting of municipal solid waste. Appl Biochem Biotechnol 28, 421–432 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02922622
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02922622