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Currently Head of Projects and Sustainability. Operations Coordinator. +8 years of experience in the industrial sector. PhD student in Production and Computer Engineering, MSc, Eng. D., EUR-ING
High-solid and solid-state anaerobic digestion are technologies capable of achieving high reactor productivity. The high organic load admissible for this type of configuration makes these technologies an ideal ally in the conversion of waste into bioenergy. However, there are still several factors associated with these technologies that result in low performance. The economic model based on a linear approach is unsustainable, and changes leading to the development of a low-carbon model with a high degree of circularity are necessary. Digestion technology may represent a key driver leading these changes but it is undeniable that the profitability of these plants needs to be increased. In the present review, the digestion process under high-solid-content configurations is analyzed and the different strategies for increasing reactor productivity that have been studied in recent years are described. Percolating reactor configurations and the use of low-cost adsorbents, nanoparticles and micro-aeration seem the most suitable approaches to increase volumetric production and reduce initial capital investment costs.
Marcos Ellacuriaga; José García Cascallana; Rubén González; Xiomar Gómez. High-Solid Anaerobic Digestion: Reviewing Strategies for Increasing Reactor Performance. Environments 2021, 8, 80 .
AMA StyleMarcos Ellacuriaga, José García Cascallana, Rubén González, Xiomar Gómez. High-Solid Anaerobic Digestion: Reviewing Strategies for Increasing Reactor Performance. Environments. 2021; 8 (8):80.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMarcos Ellacuriaga; José García Cascallana; Rubén González; Xiomar Gómez. 2021. "High-Solid Anaerobic Digestion: Reviewing Strategies for Increasing Reactor Performance." Environments 8, no. 8: 80.
Anaerobic digestion is traditionally used for treating organic materials. This allows the valorization of biogas and recycling of nutrients thanks to the land application of digestates. However, although this technology offers a multitude of advantages, it is still far from playing a relevant role in the energy market and from having significant participation in decarbonizing the economy. Biogas can be submitted to upgrading processes to reach methane content close to that of natural gas and therefore be compatible with many of its industrial applications. However, the high installation and operating costs of these treatment plants are the main constraints for the application of this technology in many countries. There is an urgent need of increasing reactor productivity, biogas yields, and operating at greater throughput without compromising digestion stability. Working at organic solid contents greater than 20% and enhancing hydrolysis and biogas yields to allow retention times to be around 15 days would lead to a significant decrease in reactor volume and therefore in initial capital investments. Anaerobic digestion should be considered as one of the key components in a new economy model characterized by an increase in the degree of circularity. The present manuscript reviews the digestion process analyzing the main parameters associated with digestion performance. The novelty of this manuscript is based on the link established between operating reactor conditions, optimizing treatment capacity, and reducing operating costs that would lead to unlocking the potential of biogas to promote bioenergy production, sustainable agronomic practices, and the integration of this technology into the energy grid.
Marcos Ellacuriaga; José García-Cascallana; Xiomar Gómez. Biogas Production from Organic Wastes: Integrating Concepts of Circular Economy. Fuels 2021, 2, 144 -167.
AMA StyleMarcos Ellacuriaga, José García-Cascallana, Xiomar Gómez. Biogas Production from Organic Wastes: Integrating Concepts of Circular Economy. Fuels. 2021; 2 (2):144-167.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMarcos Ellacuriaga; José García-Cascallana; Xiomar Gómez. 2021. "Biogas Production from Organic Wastes: Integrating Concepts of Circular Economy." Fuels 2, no. 2: 144-167.