• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.164-170
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• 2007

The Tancheon wastewater treatment plant(WWTP) in Seoul using anaerobic digestion to reduce the outlet sludge produces anaerobic digester gas which contains 65% $CH_4$ and 35% $CO_2$. The gas purification equipment was installed and operated to use Anaerobic Digester Gas(ADG) as a fuel for molten carbonate fuel cell(MCFC). The processes consist of the desulfurizer and the adsorption tower to remove $H_2S$ and siloxane in the gas. The gas purification equipment removed virtually over 95% of $H_2S$ and over 99% of siloxane. Results has demonstrated that the fuel cell can produce electrical output and hot water with negligible air emissions of CO, NOx and $SO_2$. The site provides the first opportunity in Korea for demonstrating Molten carbonate fuel cell(MCFC) which the digester gas was applied to the fuel gas.

• Journal of Biosystems Engineering
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.53-63
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• 2010

The performance of two serial completely stirred tank reactors (CSTRs) for treatment of swine manure (SM) with Chinese cabbage silage (CCS) was studied. The two CSTRs of 41 liters each were connected in series and first reactor was fed swine manure with Chinese cabbage silage in 3:1 proportion by VS basis. The FOS/TAC, methane content (%) and pH were utilized as the parameters for the digester stability control. The FOS/TAC value was found to be effective indicator for instant digester condition. The stability of reactors can be obtained with the FOS/TAC value up to 1.0 with accumulation of FOS value below 10,000 mg/L. Material exchange method was effective in transferring the excess volatile fatty acids (VFA) from the first reactor to the second one and maintaining stability in both the reactors. The biogas yield and the methane yield was 0.55-0.61 and 0.41-0.42 L/g VS fed, respectively, at organic loading rate (OLR) of 2.2-2.6 g VS/L with total HRT of 32 days.

• Journal of the Korea Organic Resources Recycling Association
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.53-61
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• 2018

Anaerobic digestion (AD) is one of the most widely used process that can convert the organic fraction of waste activated sludge (WAS) into biogas. However, most researched actual methane yields of anaerobic digester (AD) on lab scale is lower than theoretical ones. Bioelectrochemical, anaerobic digester was used to increase methane yield from waste activated sludge. The influence of anaerobic digestion sludge and raw sludge mixing ratio (3:7, 5:5) on methane yield and organic matter removal efficiency were explored. As a result, when the mixing ratio of bioelectrochemical anaerobic sludge was 5:5 compared with 3:7, the highest methane yields were 294.2 mL $CH_4/L$ (0.63 times increase) and 52.5% (7.5% increase), the bioelectrochemical anaerobic digester(5:5) was more stable in the pH, t otal alkalinity and VFAs, respectively. These results showed that the increase in the mixing ratio of anaerobic digestion sludge was found to be effective for maintaining the stable performance of bioelectrochemical anaerobic digester.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Gas
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• v.15 no.5
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• pp.25-30
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• 2011

Biogas obtained from the biodegradable organic wastes in an anaerobic digester consists of $CH_4$ and inert gases such as $CO_2$ and $N_2$. Since the composition of biogas varies by anaerobic digester conditions and the origin of wastes, it is necessary to respond to these variations so as to make stable combustion and accomplish high efficiency when it is used as a fuel for power generating SI engines. In this study, efforts have been made to investigate the effect of changes in the calorific values of biogas on the engine performance and exhaust characteristics. The biogas was simulated by supplying of $CH_4$ with $N_2$ dilution of various ratios, and ECM was developed to achieve accurate control of ignition and combustion. The results show that as the $CH_4$ concentration of the biogas decreases, the optimal spark timing is advanced due to the elevated thermal capacity and lowered $O_2$ concentration of the in-cylinder charge. Furthermore, since combustion temperature was reduced by increased inert gas, $NO_x$ emissions decreased, whereas THC emissions increased.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.754-760
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• 2010

This study was carried out not only to evaluate optimal operating condition to increase biogas production, but also to estimate feasibility of renewable energy from anaerobic digester of sewage sludge. Semi- continuous Fed and Mixed Reactors (SCFMRs) were operated in various condition to quantify the reactor variables. The result of SCFMR operation showed that the biogas productivity and total volatile solids (TVS) removal of total solids (TS) 4% reactor at hydraulic retention time (HRT) 20 days with Organic Loading Rate (OLR) of $1.45kg/m^3-d$ were $0.39m^3/m^3-d$ and 26.7%, respectively which was two times higher than that of TS 2.5% reactor. Consequently the daily biogas production of $20,000m^3$ would be possible from the total volume of $52,000m^3$ of anaerobic digesters of the municipal wastewater treatment plant in D city. In feasibility study for the Biogas utilization, combined heat and power system (CHP) and CNG gasification were examined. In case of CHP, the withdrawal period of capital cost for gas-engine (GE) and micro gas-turbine (MGT) were 7.7 years and 9.1 years respectively. biogas utilization as Clean Natural Gas (CNG) shows lower capital cost and higher profit than that of CHP system. CNG gasificaion after biogas purification is likely the best alternative for Biogas utilization which have more economic potential than CHP system. The withdrawal period of capital cost appeared to be 2.3 years.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.586-593
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• 2016

A new methanogen was isolated from an anaerobic digester using pig slurry in South Korea. Only one strain, designated KOR-1, was characterized in detail. Cells of KOR-1 were straight or crooked rods, non-motile, 5 to $15{\mu}m$ long and $0.7{\mu}m$ wide. They stained Gram-positive and produced methane from $H_2+CO_2$ and formate. Strain KOR-1 grew optimally at $38^{\circ}C$. The optimum pH for growth was 7.0. The strain grew at 0.5% to 3.0% NaCl, with optimum growth at 2.5% NaCl. The G+C content of genomic DNA of strain KOR-1 was 41 mol%. The strain tolerated ampicillin, penicillin G, kanamycin and streptomycin but tetracycline inhibited cell growth. A large fragment of the 16S rRNA gene (~1,350 bp) was obtained from the isolate and sequenced. Comparison of 16S rRNA genes revealed that strain KOR-1 is related to Methanobacterium formicicum (98%, sequence similarity), Methanobacterium bryantii (95%) and Methanobacterium ivanovii (93%). Phylogenetic analysis of the deduced mcrA gene sequences confirmed the closest relative as based on mcrA gene sequence analysis was Methanobacterium formicicum strain (97% nucleic acid sequence identity). On the basis of physiological and phylogenetic characteristics, strain KOR-1 is proposed as a new strain within the genus Methanobacterium, Methanobacterium formicicum KOR-1.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.98-105
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• 2007

The objectives of this study were to demonstrate that enhanced anaerobic digestion could be achieved by adopting ultrasonic cavitation pretreatment on the basis of the biogas production and to compare the simulation results of ADM1 (Anaerobic Digestion Model No. 1) with results of the experimentally operated digester the ultrasonic pretreatment of sewage sludge showed the hindered effect on the dewaterbility and the increase of SCOD production. In this study, four sets of lab-scale anaerobic digester were operated with untreated(control), 30 min, 60 min and 90 min ultrasonic pretreated sludge. TCOD removal efficiencies in digesters of control, 30, 60, 90 min sonicated sludge were 31.9%, 37.9, 38.5% and42.2%, and 75 removal were 15.9%, 20.8%, 21.5%, 24.1% respectively. Also more biogas was produced gradually with the increased sludge loading and the pretreatment time. Overall the simulation results had a correspondence tendency with the experimental efficiencies.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.24 no.11
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• pp.1484-1489
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• 2014

A novel esterase gene, est01, was successfully unearthed from a biogas digester microbiota metagenomic library. The 1,194 bp est01 gene encodes a protein of 44,804 Da (designated Est01). The amino acid sequence of Est01 shows only moderate (33%) identity to a lipase/esterase. Phylogenetic analysis and biochemical characterization confirmed that Est01 is a new member of family VIII esterases. The purified Est01 from recombinant Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3) showed high hydrolytic activity against short-chain fatty acid esters, suggesting that it is a typical carboxylesterase rather than a lipase. Furthermore, the Est01 was even active at $10^{\circ}C$ (43% activity remained), with the optimal temperature at $20^{\circ}C$, and had a broad pH range from 5.0 to 10.0, with the optimal pH of 8.0. These properties suggest that Est01 is a cold-adaptive esterase and could have good potential for low-temperature hydrolysis application.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.325-335
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• 1985

Biogas production from agricultural wastes were summarized as follows: 1. Biogas Generation Characteristics of Various Manures and Residues a. Gas yield from crop residues like rice straw, rice hull, corn stalk and coconut husk can be improved by addition of animal manures. b. Gas yield from coconut husk can be improved through aerobic fermentation for at least one week before loading in the digester. c. Gas yield from fresh rice straw is better than from pre-fermented one, whether alone or in combination with animal manures. d. Initial study has shown that fresh azolla can be substituted for animal manures in manurerice straw combinations and gas yield derived based on unit volatile solids loaded is actually better than for manure-residue combinations. e. Gas production is highly sensitive to substrate pH and becomes almost nil at a pH of below 6. 2. Effect of ambient conditions and other factors on biogas production in a house hold-size digester. a. Results showed that compaction of rice straw in straw-manure combination can reduce gas yield compared with loosely mixed straw. b. The effective gas production period extended to 70 days using freshly threshed rice straw and fresh cattle manure as feed material. c. Underground and above ground digesters with shade have relatively more stable substrate temperature than aboveground exposed digesters. This relative temperature instability may likely be the reason for lower gas yield for the exposed aboveground digester loaded with loose straw-cattle manure substrate, compared with the underground digester with the same substrate. 3. Economic Analysis a. Based on prevailing costs of fuel, materials, and labor in the Philippines, biogas produced from the household size system is cheaper than either LPG or kerosene. b. If other benefits like organic fertilizer, pollution control and convenience are considered, biogas will surely be the best alternative fuel source.

• Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.41-46
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• 2012

In this study, the performance of new digestion system (NDS) for the treatment of food waste leachate was evaluated. The food waste leachate was fed intermittently to an anaerobic reactor at increasing steps of 3.3 L/day (hydraulic retention time [HRT] = 30 day), 5 L/day (HRT = 20 day), and finally 10 L/day (HRT = 10 day). In the anaerobic reactor, the pH and alkalinity were maintained at 7.6 to 8.2 and 8,940-14,400 mg/L, respectively. Maximum methane yield determined to be 0.686L $CH_4$/g volatile solids (VS) containing HRT over 20 day. In the digester, 102,328 mg chemical oxygen demand (COD)/L was removed to produce 350 L/day (70% of the total) of biogas, but in the digested sludge reduction (DSR) unit, only 3,471 mg COD/L was removed with a biogas production of 158 L/day. Without adding any chemicals, 25% of total nitrogen (TN) and 31% of total phosphorus (TP) were removed after the DSR, while only 48% of TN and 32% of TP were removed in the nitrogen, phosphorus, and heavy metals (NPHM) removal unit. Total removal of TN was 73% and total removal of TP was 63%.