Fundamental Study of Inhibition Factors in Anaerobic Digestion at a Biogas Plant for Food Waste.

Abstract

In this study, biochemical methane potential (BMP) and digestion inhibition phenomena were evaluated for nine samples (supplements, furikake, cookies, soft candy, BBQ sauce, processed cheese, mascarpone, palm oil, and margarine) by a 30-day mesophilic digestion batch tests. In addition, semi-continuous reactor tests (mesophilic conditions) with a residence time of 40 days and parameter fitting of ADM1 based on the results of the tests were conducted to evaluate the maximum input amounts of processed cheese and palm oil. The batch test results showed that wastes with higher lipid content tended to cause digestion inhibition and had high BMP. On the other hand, margarine with high fat content showed relatively low digestion inhibition despite its high BMP. The semi-continuous reactor tests showed no digestion inhibition when the process cheese and palm oil were mixed with 3.3% of the Plant K waste input. The methane gas production rate in the palm oil was simulated by ADM1.