Documenti di Didattica
Documenti di Professioni
Documenti di Cultura
a,
, David E. Brune
Received 6 June 2005; received in revised form 11 November 2005; accepted 12 November 2005
Available online 4 January 2006
Abstract
The unbalanced nutrients of algal sludge (low C/N ratio) were regarded as an important limitation factor to anaerobic digestion process. Adding high carbon content of waste paper in algal sludge feedstock to have a balanced C/N ratio was undertaken in this study. The
results showed adding 50% (based on volatile solid) of waste paper in algal sludge feedstock increased the methane production rate to
1170 75 ml/l day, as compared to 573 28 ml/l day of algal sludge digestion alone, both operated at 4 g VS/l day, 35 C and 10 days
HRT. The maximum methane production rate of 1607 17 ml/l day was observed at a combined 5 g VS/l day loading rate with 60% (VS
based) of paper adding in algal sludge feedstock. Results suggested an optimum C/N ratio for co-digestion of algal sludge and waste
paper was in the range of 2025/1.
2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Keywords: Anaerobic digestion; Co-digestion; C/N; Methane; Algal sludge
1. Introduction
The recently patented Partitioned Aquaculture System (PAS) has been proven to be able to increase aquaculture production capacity by improving pond waste nutrient
treatment (Brune et al., 2001). In the PAS, algae play a dual
role, as both an oxygen supplier to the Wsh and as a waste
nutrient cleaner. The capacity of Wsh production in the PAS
has been demonstrated to be four times greater than that of
conventional aquaculture and also at the same time the
wastewater discharges are signiWcantly decreased. However
concentrated algal sludge production from the PAS must
be continually removed from the ponds to control algal
density and water column respiration. The large amount of
algal sludge represents a potential source of fuel and recovered N and P fertilizer (Mulbry et al., 2005). Anaerobic
digestion of algal sludge produced from the PAS can not
*
Corresponding author. Tel.: +886 4 235 90 262x209; fax: +886 4 235 90
009.
E-mail address: hwyen@thu.edu.tw (H.-W. Yen).
0960-8524/$ - see front matter 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
doi:10.1016/j.biortech.2005.11.010
131
132
Table 1
Methane production rates, VFAs, and TAN (SD) in algal sludge digestion operated at diVerent loading rates and 10 days HRT
Loading rate (g VS/l day)
VFAs (mg/l)
TAN (mg/l)
2
4
6
180 8
573 28
818 96
72 5
258 15
384 44
1305 148
4978 635
5862 1769
589 86
837 65
998 29
Table 2
Methane production rates, VFAs and TAN concentrations (SD) in co-digestion of algal sludge and waste paper at loading rate 4 g VS/l day (with diVerent waste paper fractions) and 10 days HRT
Feedstock
C/N
VFAs (mg/l)
TAN (mg/l)
Algal sludge
(25%) of waste paper + algal sludge
(50%) of waste paper + algal sludge
(75%) of waste paper + algal sludgea
(100%) of waste paperb
6.7
11.8
18.0
36.4
21.5
573 28
968 73
1170 75
317 114
452 36
258 15
556 37
769 49
277 82
278 22
4978 635
3480 679
3912 1290
10,848 713
7350 1259
837 65
697 51
524 24
65 10
629 51
a
b
3.5
Cellulase activity
3
133
2.5
2
1.5
1
0.5
0
25%
50%
75%
100%
Table 3
Methane and carbon dioxide production rates, VFAs and TAN concentrations (SD) in digesters at 2 g VS/l day of algal sludge loading and varying loadings of waste paper (0, 1, 2, 3, 4 g VS/l day) and 10 days HRT
Combined loading (g VS/l day)
C/N
VFAs (mg/l)
TAN (mg/l)
2
3
4
5
6
6.7
13.3
18.0
22.6
27.2
180 34
823 16
1170 75
1607 17
856 40
72 5
397 14
769 49
1080 21
561 23
1305 147
3780 458
3912 1290
5220 855
6228 685
589 86
541 2
524 24
396 8
175 7
134
300
250
200
150
100
paper + NH4
50
0
0
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
C/N
Fig. 2. Methane yield vs. C/N ratio in digesters with algal sludge and paper
loading at combined loading rates of 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 g VS/l day and 10 days
HRT.
4. Conclusions
Co-digestion of algal sludge and waste paper was useful
and oVered two beneWts: (1) a balance of C/N ratio. The
optimized C/N range for the co-digestion was 2025/1; (2)
increase in cellulase activity. The increase in cellulase activity might be helpful in the biodegradation of algal sludge,
which could provide nutrients in the digester, which Wnally
would improve methane production rate.
References
APHA, 1995. Standard methods for the examination of water and wastewater. In: Eaton, A.D., Clesceri, L.S., Greenberg, A.E., (Eds.), Washington, DC.