Adolfo Le Pera

Dr. Adolfo Le Pera


Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

3Years (2024-Present)

(Calculated once Scilit publication data is synced: current year − year of first publication + 1)

Representative Publications

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24 November 2024 in Fermentation
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
Carlo LimontiCarlo Limonti
Carlo Limonti
APAdolfo Le Pera
Adolfo Le Pera
MSMiriam Sellaro
Miriam Sellaro
GGGiulia Grande
Giulia Grande
Giulia Maria CurcioGiulia Maria Curcio
Giulia Maria Curcio
Alessio SicilianoAlessio Siciliano
Alessio Siciliano
This study aimed to assess the efficacy of anaerobic digestion (AD) in the co-digestion of the organic fraction of municipal solid waste (OFMSW) and municipal dehydrated sewage sludge (DSS). The experiments were conducted in batch and continuous mode under mesophilic conditions (T = 37 ± 2 °C). The results of batch tests indicated that the use of DSS in co-digestion with OFMSW led to a biomethane production of 422 NmLCH4/gVS with a production yield of 450 NmLCH4/gVSremoved. Nevertheless, the findings of the tests conducted with OFMSW alone demonstrated superior performance. A pilot plant reactor with a volume of approximately 2 m3 was employed in the continuous tests. The results corroborated the trends observed in the batch tests. In particular, the specific methane production yields decreased from 0.47 Nm3/kgVS when OFMSW was the sole substrate to 0.44 Nm3/kgVS when DSS was introduced, with a DSS/OFMSW ratio (RDO) of 0.1. Despite the reduction in methane production yield observed in both batch and continuous tests, a techno-economic assessment of the process indicated the potential profitability of DSS in co-digestion with OFMSW. Notably, the estimated profit from utilizing DSS in a percentage of 10% (RDO = 0.1) is 108 EUR/ton, compared to 102 EUR/ton when only OFMSW is employed.