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Effect of Feed Strategy on Methane Production and Performance of an AnSBBR Treating Effluent from Biodiesel Production

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Abstract

The aim of this work was to investigate the effect of different feeding times (2, 4 and 6 h) and applied volumetric organic loads (4.5, 6.0 and 7.5 gCOD L−1 day−1) on the performance of an anaerobic sequencing batch biofilm reactor (AnSBBR) treating effluent from biodiesel production. Polyurethane foam cubes were used as inert support in the reactor, and mixing was accomplished by recirculating the liquid phase. The effect of feeding time on reactor performance showed to be more pronounced at higher values of applied volumetric organic loads (AVOLs). Highest organic material removal efficiencies achieved at AVOL of 4.5 gCOD L−1 day−1 were 87 % at 4-h feeding against 84 % at 2-h and 6-h feeding. At AVOL of 6.0 gCOD L−1 day−1, highest organic material removal efficiencies achieved with 4-h and 6-h feeding were 84 %, against 71 % at 2-h feeding. At AVOL of 7.5 gCOD L−1 day−1, organic material removal efficiency achieved with 4-h feeding was 77 %. Hence, longer feeding times favored minimization of total volatile acids concentration during the cycle as well as in the effluent, guaranteeing process stability and safety.

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Abbreviations

BA:

Bicarbonate alkalinity, mgCaCO3 L−1

C CH4 :

Methane concentration in the gas phase, mmol L−1

C CO2 :

Carbonic gas concentration in the gas phase, mmol L−1

C M :

Methane concentration in the liquid phase in the reactor, mmolCH4 L reaction volume−1

C SF :

Organic material concentration for filtered samples, mgCOD L−1

C SR :

Residual organic material concentration for filtered samples, mgCOD L−1

C ST :

Organic material concentration for unfiltered samples, mgCOD L−1

C TS :

Total solids concentration, mg L−1

C TSS :

Total suspended solids concentration, mg L−1

C TVA :

Total volatile acids concentration, mgHAc L−1

C TVA0 :

Total volatile acids concentration in the influent, mgHAc L−1

C TVAR :

Residual total volatile acids concentration in the reactor, mgHAc L−1

C TVS :

Total volatile solids concentration, mg L−1

C VSS :

Volatile suspended solids concentration, mg L−1

k 1S :

First order apparent kinetic parameter associated with the substrate consumption, h−1

k 1TVA :

First order apparent kinetic parameter associated with the total volatile acids formation, h−1

k 2M :

First order apparent kinetic parameter associated with the methane formation, h−1

k 2TVA :

First order apparent kinetic parameter associated with the total volatile acids consumption, h−1

M TVS :

Total volatile solids mass in the reactor, gTVS

r M :

Methane formation rate, mgCH4 L−1 day−1

r S :

Substrate consumption reaction rate, mgCOD L−1 h−1

r TVA :

TVA formation and consumption rate, mgHAc L−1 h−1

S′TS :

Total solids concentration relative to the immobilized biomass, mgTS g foam−1

S′TVS :

Total volatile solids concentration relative to the immobilized biomass, mgTVS g foam−1

S TS :

Total solids concentration relative to the immobilized biomass, mgTS L reaction volume−1

S TVS :

Total volatile solids concentration relative to the immobilized biomass, mgTVS L reaction volume−1

S TVS/S TS :

Total volatile solids concentration to total solids concentration ratio in the reactor, gTVS gTS−1

t :

Time during a cycle, h

t c :

Cycle time, h

V :

Reaction medium volume of the system, L

V A :

Fed volume or renewed volume per cycle, L

AVOL:

Applied volumetric organic load, gCOD L−1 day−1

ASOL:

Applied specific organic load, mgCOD gTVS−1 day−1

RSOLSF :

Removed specific organic load for filtered effluent samples, mgCOD gTVS−1 day−1

RSOLST :

Removed specific organic load for unfiltered effluent samples, mgCOD gTVS−1 day−1

RVOLSF :

Removed volumetric organic load for filtered effluent samples, gCOD L−1 day−1

RVOLST :

Removed volumetric organic load for unfiltered effluent samples, gCOD L−1 day−1

% CH4 :

Methane molar percentage in the gas phase, %

% CO2 :

Carbonic gas molar percentage in the gas phase, %

Y CH4/COD :

Ratio between the methane concentration in the gas phase and the difference of organic material concentration in the filtered influent and effluent samples, mmolCH4 gCOD−1

ε SF :

Organic material removal efficiency for filtered effluent samples, %

ε ST :

Organic material removal efficiency for unfiltered effluent samples, %

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by the Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo—FAPESP (São Paulo, Brasil), process number 05/51.702-9, and by the Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico—CNPq, process number 471363/2008-1. The authors acknowledge Dr. Baltus C. Bonse for the revision of this paper.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Engenharia Química e de Alimentos, Escola de Engenharia Mauá, Instituto Mauá de Tecnologia (IMT), Praça Mauá 1, CEP 09.580-900, São Caetano do Sul, SP, Brazil

    Giovanna Lovato, Roberto A. Bezerra, José A. D. Rodrigues & Suzana M. Ratusznei

  2. Departamento de Hidráulica e Saneamento, Escola de Engenharia de São Carlos, Universidade de São Paulo (USP), Av. Trabalhador São-Carlense 400, CEP 13.566-590, São Carlos, SP, Brazil

    Marcelo Zaiat

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  1. Giovanna Lovato
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Correspondence to José A. D. Rodrigues.

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Lovato, G., Bezerra, R.A., Rodrigues, J.A.D. et al. Effect of Feed Strategy on Methane Production and Performance of an AnSBBR Treating Effluent from Biodiesel Production. Appl Biochem Biotechnol 166, 2007–2029 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12010-012-9627-6

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