Abstract
The role of total solids (TS) content in anaerobic digestion of selected complex organic matter, e.g. rice straw and food waste, was investigated. A range of TS from wet (4.5%) to dry (23%) was evaluated. A modified version of the Anaerobic Digestion Model No.1 for a complex organic substrate is proposed to take into account the effect of the TS content on anaerobic digestion. A linear function that correlates the kinetic constants of three specific processes (i.e. disintegration, acetate and propionate up-take) was included in the model. Results of biomethanation and volatile fatty acids production tests were used to calibrate the proposed model. Model simulations showed a good agreement between numerical and observed data.
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank the European Commission for providing financial support through the Erasmus Mundus Joint Doctorate Programme ETeCoS3 (Environmental Technologies for Contaminated Solids, Soils and Sediments) under the grant agreement [FPA n° 2010-0009]. This research is also in the framework of the project ‘Integrated system to treat buffalo slurry, aimed to recover water and safe energy’ – STABULUM – funded, in agreement with the Decision of the European Commission No C(2010) 1261, 2 March 2010, by the Agriculture Department of the Campania Region in the context of the Programme of Rural Development 2007–2013, Measure 124 ‘Cooperation for development of new products, processes and technologies in the agriculture and food sectors'.