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Biogas Plasticization Coupled Anaerobic Digestion: The Anaerobic Pump Stoichiometry

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Abstract

This paper presents the stoichiometry section of a bioenergetics investigation into the biogas plasticization of wastewater sludge using the Anaerobic Pump (TAP). Three residue samples, an input substrate and two residual products, were collected from two side by side operated AD systems, a conventional continuous flow and stirred reactor, and TAP, and submitted for elemental and calorimetric analyses. The elemental compositions of the residues were fitted to a heterotrophic metabolism model [1] for both systems. To facilitate balanced stoichiometric models, a simple “cell” correction computation separates measured residual composites into “real” residual composition and cell growth (C5H7NO2) components. The elemental data and model results show that the TAP stage II residual composition (C1H0.065O0.0027N0.036) was nearly devoid of hydrogen and oxygen, leaving only fixed carbon and cells grown as the composition of the remaining mass. This quantitative evidence supports prior measurements of very high methane yields from TAP stage II reactor during steady-state experiments [2]. All performance parameters derived from the stoichiometric model(s) showed good agreement with measured steady-state averaged values. These findings are strong evidence that plasticization–disruption (TAP) cycle is the mechanism responsible for the observed increases in methane yield. The accuracy achieved by the stoichiometry models qualifies them for thermodynamic analysis to obtain potentials and bioconversion efficiencies. How applied pressure causes matrix conformation changes triggered by a functional consequence (plasticization and disruption) is this study’s essential focus.

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Abbreviations

AE:

Available electrons transferrable during the biological oxidation of organic material

GW:

Global warming

GWP:

Global warming potential

CHP:

Combined heat and power

B1 :

AD performance parameter liters CH4 per gram of VS added to the system

B:

AD performance parameter liters CH4 per gram of COD added to the system

ICUCF:

Ion-containing, unit-carbon formula

ICUCFW:

Ion-containing unit carbon formula weight

C-mol:

Carbon mol mass (C1)

ICC-mol:

Ion-containing carbon mol mass

Da:

Dalton unit or universal mass unit (grams per mole—replaces amu.)

s′:

n-fw which is fraction of C n converted to CO2 in the particulate pCOD calculation

r :

0.5 (a-fx-(3(c-fz))) which is 1/2 hydrogen mass balance in the particulate pCOD calculation

R f :

Refractory coefficient that represents the fraction of particulate COD (pCOD) that is non-biodegradable at infinite digestion time; computed using Eq. 2

S o :

The initial biodegradable COD (or pCOD) concentration at time t = 0 (grams COD liter−1)

S t :

Total COD (or pCOD) concentration at any time t (grams COD liter−1)

S Bo :

Biologically available COD (or pCOD) concentration (grams COD liter−1)

S To :

Total chemical oxygen demand (TCOD or pCOD) concentration in (grams COD liter−1)

S :

Effluent biodegradable TCOD (or pCOD) concentration out (grams COD liter−1)

T p :

Cycle period time (hours)

T g :

Glass transition temperature (°C), temperature at which an organic substance transitions from the amorphous (glassy) to a rubbery state

Q :

The flow rate into an AD reactor

S i :

concentration of solid pCOD of recycle + influent mixture

Q r :

Recycle rate for TAP = 40 l/day for the project (all TAP steady states)

α :

Q r/Q = the recycle ratio

X :

In reactor cell concentration (grams per liter) with an assumed composition of C5H7NO2

L :

Ligand (substrate) concentration (grams per liter) of elemental composition CnHaObNc (s)

V :

Reactor volume (liters)

P :

Pressure (force/unit area)

Y :

Cell yield (grams of organisms grown per gram of substrate COD consumed)

‘:

Superscript indicating a biological process taking place in an aqueous environment under non-standard conditions at 298.15 K and 1 atm (1 atm = 101.325 kPa)

∆G A :

G A o − G A, change in Gibbs free energy pure absorbent (A) and absorbent in equilibrium with sorbed solvent (calories or kilojoules per gram of absorbent)

∆f G o ∆f H o ∆f S o :

Gibbs free energy, enthalpy, or entropy of formation, respectively, of a specified quantity of a pure substance in its standard state at 298.15 K and 1 atm

∆f G′ ∆f H′ ∆f S′:

Free energy, enthalpy, or entropy of formation, respectively, of a specified quantity of an impure substance in aqueous solution or suspension, not at a standard state at 298.15 K and 1 atm. An example of this would be living cells, a biological process or dissolved substances at a concentration of other than 1 M

VS:

Volatile solids concentration, direct measurement, grams liter−1

VS (percent remaining):

Volatile solids remaining expressed as a percentage of the initial S o, calculated as 100(VS/VSo)

TCOD:

Total oxygen demand (grams oxygen per liter−1 or mole substrate−1)

sCOD:

Soluble oxygen demand (grams oxygen per liter−1 or mole substrate−1)

pCOD:

Particulate oxygen demand (grams oxygen per liter−1 or mole substrate−1)

T :

Temperature (degree Celsius)

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    Keith A. Schimel

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Glossary

C

Carbon

H

Hydrogen

O

Oxygen

N

Nitrogen

P

Phosphorus

S

Sulphur

n

Moles of carbon

a

Moles of hydrogen

b

Moles of oxygen

c

Moles of nitrogen

d

Moles of sulfur

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Schimel, K.A. Biogas Plasticization Coupled Anaerobic Digestion: The Anaerobic Pump Stoichiometry. Appl Biochem Biotechnol 172, 2227–2252 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12010-013-0558-7

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