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A novel pilot scale multistage semidry anaerobic digestion reactor to treat food waste and cow manure

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Abstract

An innovative two-stage AD system to treat food waste with cow manure is presented to address the problem of ammonia inhibition and improve the stability of methanogenic reactor. The liquid digestate recirculation in the first phase was adopted to enhance the hydrolysis rate and the solubilization of organic matter. A stable long-term run (80 days) was found. The reactor configuration and the digestate post-treatment with natural zeolite led to a low ammonia concentration in reactor outlet. The biogas production in the methanogenic reactor was very stable and high: The specific biogas production in the second phase was equal to 0.68–0.92 Nm3/kgTVSadded and the average methane concentration was equal to 85%. Good performances were also found for the first-stage digestate, with 75% soluble COD removal efficiency. The high reactor performances were related to two-stage configuration, no ammonia and VFA inhibition.

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Acknowledgements

This research was funded by Regione Calabria through the European Structural Funds, in the framework of the SMARTGRID project (POR Calabria FESR 2007/2013, CCI N° 2007 IT 161 PO 008). Authors express their gratitude to Consorzio Colli Sabini for hosting the prototype during the testing activities.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Atmospheric Pollution Research, National Research Council of Italy, Via Salaria km 29.300, 00015, Monterotondo, Italy

    F. Petracchini, F. Liotta, V. Paolini, M. Perilli & A. Bencini

  2. Social Energy Srl, Via della Tenuta del Cavaliere, 1, 00012, Guidonia, Italy

    D. Cerioni

  3. Unità di Ricerca per l’Ingegneria Agraria, Consiglio per la Ricerca in Agricoltura e l’Analisi dell’Economia Agraria, Via della Pascolare 16, 00015, Monterotondo, Italy

    F. Gallucci & M. Carnevale

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  1. F. Petracchini
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  2. F. Liotta
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  3. V. Paolini
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  4. M. Perilli
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  5. D. Cerioni
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  6. F. Gallucci
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  7. M. Carnevale
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  8. A. Bencini
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Correspondence to F. Petracchini.

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Editorial responsibility: M. Abbaspour.

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Petracchini, F., Liotta, F., Paolini, V. et al. A novel pilot scale multistage semidry anaerobic digestion reactor to treat food waste and cow manure. Int. J. Environ. Sci. Technol. 15, 1999–2008 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13762-017-1572-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13762-017-1572-z

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