Pilot scale study of anaerobic treatment of food waste using ambient and solar heated digesters

Figures & data

Figure 1. Schematic representation of (a) VUT-1000C biogas pilot plant coupled to an electricity generator and (b) STH-1000A digester (Khune 2021).

Table 1. Characteristics of CD and FW (Khune 2021).

Parameter	Cow dung	Food waste
MC (%)	53	85
TS (%)	47	15
VS (%)	16	14
VS/TS %	35	95
pH	7.3	4

Figure 2. Daily (a) and cumulative (b) biogas production, biogas composition (c), and digester pH (d) during VUT-1000C biodigester start-up (Khune 2021).

Figure 3. (a) Biogas and (b) methane hourly production rate, and cumulative (c) biogas and (d) methane production during anaerobic digestion of food waste at different organic loading rates (kgVS/m³/day) (Khune 2021).

Figure 4. Specific biogas and methane yields during food waste at different organic loadings in VUT-1000C (Khune 2021).

Figure 5. Daily biogas and methane production during food waste treatment using VUT-1000C (a) and STH-1000A (b) bioreactors at optimum conditions (Khune 2021).

Figure 6. Digester temperature during food waste digestion using VUT-1000C (a) and STH-1000A (b) (Khune 2021).

Table 2. Power consumption of equipment used in biogas production and biogas use.

Component	Power rating (kW)	Hours running per day	Usage (kWh)
VUT-1000C
Digestate circulation pump	0.18	6	1.080
Hot water circulation pump	0.008	3	0.024
Solar geyser water level controller	0.005	3	0.015
Hot water circulation controller	0.003	3	0.009
Food blender	0.373	0.16	0.060
Biogas blower	0.016	2	0.032
Total			1.220
STH-1000A
Digestate circulation pump	0.25	6	1.500
Food blender	0.373	0.16	0.060
Biogas blower	0.016	2	0.032
Total			1.592

Khune, S. M. 2021. “Biogas Production from Solid Food Waste and Its Use for Electricity Production.” Dissertation Submitted in Fulfilment of the Requirements for the Degree of Magister Technologiae in Chemical Engineering In the Faculty of Engineering and Technology. http://digiresearch.vut.ac.za/handle/10352/543.

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