• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
• /
• v.7 no.3
• /
• pp.1-11
• /
• 1987

Comprehensive laboratory experiments including digestion failures were conducted to identify differences between mesophilic and thermophilic digestion. Critical HRT was found to be near 10days for mesophilic and near 5days for thermophilic digestion. Inhibition occurred rapidly when operated below critical HRT. However, inhibition at mesophilic condition was much greater than that at thermophilic condition. Although digester performances were similar above critical HRT of mesophilic digestion, thermophilic digestion was considerably advantageous below this HRT. Thermophilic digestion produced smaller amount of sludges which had significantly higher settling velocity and lower specific resistance. Reaction rates also clearly demonstrated temperature and HRT effects on digestion. It was also found that gas production rates increased linearly with increasing reaction rates regardless of temperature and their relationships were almost identical at mesophilic and thermophilic temperature.

• Journal of the Korea Organic Resources Recycling Association
• /
• v.24 no.3
• /
• pp.35-43
• /
• 2016

COD properties of waste activated sludge (WAS) were investigated for various solubilization rate of mechanical pretreatment method in anaerobic digestion process. Inert COD was 37.0% of total COD in untreated WAS. Particulate biodegradable COD was converted to soluble biodegradables and particulate unbiodegradables as solubilization was processed. Particulate unbiodegradable portion of COD in WAS can be increased as particulate biodegradable portion is decreased in case of relatively long SRT of biological treatment. Thus, COD properties of WAS should be investigated in case of relatively low particulate biodegradable COD, because of possible low effect of solubilization. COD removal rate in anaerobic digester was enhanced as much as 2.1% and 15.1% for solubilization rate 5% and 35% due to pretreatment, respectively. COD removal rate was increased from 25% to 40%, and methane gas generation was increased from $607m^3/d$ to $907m^3/d$ as particulate COD of WAS was solubilized to 35% in pretreatment facilities.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
• /
• v.37 no.2
• /
• pp.128-136
• /
• 2021

It is generally known that a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) consumes immense energy even if it can produce energy. With an aim to increase the energy independence rate of WWTP from 3.5% in 2010 to 50% in 2030, the Korean government has invested enormous research funds. In this study, cost-effective operating alternatives were investigated by analyzing the energy efficiency and economic feasibility for biogas and power generation using new and renewable energy. Based on the US EPA Energy Conservation Measures and Korea ESCO projects, energy production and independence rate were also analyzed. The main energy consumption equipment in WWTP is the blower for aeration, discharge pump for effluent, and pump for influent. Considering the processes of WWTP, the specific energy consumption rate of the process using media and MBR was the lowest (0.549 kWh/㎥) and the highest (1.427 kWh/㎥), respectively. Energy-saving by enhancing anaerobic digester efficiency was turned out to be efficient when in conjunction with stable wastewater treatment. The result of economic analysis (B/C ratio) was 2.5 for digestive gas power generation, 0.86 for small hydropower, 0.49 for solar energy, and 0.15 for wind energy, respectively. Furthermore, it was observed that the energy independence rate could be enhanced by installing energy production facilities such as solar and small hydropower and reducing energy consumption via the replacement of high-efficiency operating.

• Journal of the Korea Organic Resources Recycling Association
• /
• v.29 no.4
• /
• pp.67-76
• /
• 2021

Biogasification is a technology that produces environmentally friendly fuel using methane gas generated in the process of stably decomposing and processing organic waste. Biogasification is the most used method for energy conversion of organic waste with high moisture content, and is a useful method for organic waste treatment following the prohibition of direct landfill (2005) and marine dumping (2013). Due to African Swine Fever (ASF), which recently occurred in Korea, recycling of wet feed is prohibited, and consumers such as dry feed and compost are negatively recognized, making it difficult to treat food waste. Accordingly, biogasification is attracting more attention for the treatment and recycling of food waste. Korea's energy consumption amounted to 268.41 106toe, ranking 9th in the world. However, it is an energy-poor country that depends on foreign imports for about 95.8% of its energy supply. Therefore, in Korea, the Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard (RPS) is being introduced. The domestic RPS system sets the weight of the new and renewable energy certificate (REC, Renewable energy certificate) of waste energy lower than that of other renewable energy. Therefore, an additional incentive system is required for the activation of waste-to-energy. In this study, the operation of an anaerobic digester that treats food waste, food waste Leachate and various organic wastes was confirmed. It was intended to be used as basic data for preparing the waste-to-energy incentive system through precise monitoring for a certain period of time. Four sites that produce biogas from organic waste and use them for power generation and heavy gas were selected as target facilities, and field surveys and sampling were conducted. Basic properties analysis was performed on the influent sample of organic waste and the effluent sample according to the treatment process. As a result of the analysis of the properties, the total solids of the digester influent was an average of 12.11%, and the volatile solids of the total solids were confirmed to be 85.86%. BOD and CODcr removal rates were 60.8% and 64.8%. The volatile fatty acids in the influent averaged 55,716 mg/L. It can be confirmed that most of the volatile fatty acids were decomposed and removed with an average reduction rate of 92.3% after anaerobic digestion.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
• /
• v.34 no.3
• /
• pp.214-222
• /
• 2012

Several acidogenesis batch tests, and BMP (Biochemical Methane Potential) with food waste leachate was tested at various organic loading rates (OLRs) on the mesophilic ($35^{\circ}C$) and thermophilic ($55^{\circ}C$) conditions. In acidogenesis batch test, VS removal efficiencies were 27.3% and 30.6% at $35^{\circ}C$ and $55^{\circ}C$, respectively. Removal efficiency of VS at $55^{\circ}C$ was higher than that at $35^{\circ}C$. With decrease in VS, SCOD increased as reaction time increased. Solubilization efficiency of VS were 27.4% and 33.4% at each reaction temperature within 4 days acid fermentation. Methane yield were 461 and 413 $mLCH_4/gVS$ at mesophilic and thermophilic BMP test, respectively. SCOD solubilizations in the themophilic acid fermenter showed 8~17% higher than those in the mesophilic fermenter. COD removal efficiency showed higher in the mesophilic acid fermenter at low organic loading rate. While at high organic loading rate, it was higher in the thermophilic acid fermenter. VS removal efficiency was higher at the mesophilic temperature, however, it decreased at OLR higher than 6 kg $COD/m^3{\cdot}day$. On the contrary, VS removal efficiency did not decrease but maintain at thermophilic temperature. The amount of methane gas generated from mesophilic methanogenesis digester was 12.6, 21.6, 27.4 L/day at OLR of 4, 5, 6 $COD/m^3{\cdot}day$, respectively. The amount of methane gas generated from themophilic methanogenesis digester was 14.3, 20.6, 25.2 L/day at each OLR, respectively, which is about 15~20 L/day lower than those generated at mesophilic digester.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
• /
• v.31 no.11
• /
• pp.997-1006
• /
• 2009

Organic removal efficiency and methane production rate, a feasibility of power generation from biogas, and the optimum conditions for membrane operation were evaluated for the pilot scale (5 tons/day) two-phase anaerobic digestion coupled with ultra filtration (TPADUF) system fed with garbage leachate. The TPADUF system is consisted of a thermophilic acidogenic reactor, a mesophilic methanogenic reactor, and an UF membrane. When garbage leachate with 150 g/L of TCOD was fed to the TPADUF up to organic loading rate (OLR) of 11.1 g COD/L/d, the effluent TCOD was lower than 6 g/L and the average removal efficiencies of TCOD and SCOD were higher than 95%. The methane composition of the gas was 65%, and the methane yield was 39 $m^3/m^3$ garbage leachatefed, 260 $m^3$/tons $COD_{added}$, or 270 $m^3$/tons $COD_{removed}$, even there was some gas leak. The power production per consumed gas was 0.96 kWh/$m^3$ gas or 1.49 kWh/$m^3$ methane. This lower power production efficiency mainly due to the small capacity of gas engine (15 kW class). The membrane was operated at the average flux of 10 L/$m^2$/hr. When the flux decreased, washing with water and chemical (NaOCl) was conducted to restore the flux. In the TPADUF system, optimum pH could be maintained without alkali addition by recycling the membrane concentrate or mixed liquor of the methanogenic digester to the acidogenic reactor. Also, partial production of methane in the acidogenic reactor had a positive effect on lowering the OLR of the methanogenic reactor.

• Journal of the Korea Organic Resources Recycling Association
• /
• v.26 no.2
• /
• pp.95-103
• /
• 2018

As a guideline for desulfurization and dehumidification pretreatment facility for optimizing utilization of biogas, the $H_2S$ concentration is set at 150 % which can be treated with iron salts, dehumidification is the optimum value for generator operation, and the relative humidity applied at the utilization of biogas in EU is set at 60 %. We have set up the generator facility guidelines to optimize utilization of biogas. The appropriate amount of biogas should be at least 90 % of the total gas generation, and the capacity of generator facility should be set at 20~30 %. In order to equalize the pressure of the incoming gas the generator, a gas equalization tank should be installed and the generator room average temperature should be kept at $45^{\circ}C$ or less. Since the gas is not produced at a certain methane concentration in the digester, the efficiency is lowered. Therefore, it is required to install an air fuel ratio control system according to the change in methane concentration. Therefore, it is necessary to compensate for the disadvantages of biogasification facilities of organic waste resources and optimize utilization of biogas and improve operation of facilities. This study was conducted to optimize biogas utilization of type of organic waste(containing sewage sludge and food waste, animal manure), investigate the facilities problem and propose design, operation guidelines such as pre-treatment facilities and generators.