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Rapid urbanisation in Ghana has resulted in individuals expanding the cities for abodes without considerations of the negative externalities these may have on the environment. One of the major challenges with rapid urbanisation is the formation of urban slums associated with lack of basic sanitation facilities. This has led to recurrent outbreak of cholera and typhoid fever. The use of a single-stage solar-supported hyper-thermophilic anaerobic biogas digester for the treatment of black water has not been investigated, hence this study. The performance of three seeding sludge under three different hyper-thermophilic temperatures (60°C, 65°C and 70°C) were tested in batch tests. The three seeding sludge were sewage sludge, sludge from maize silage and cow manure. The results from the batch tests showed cow manure at 65°C as the preferred seeding sludge and optimal hyper-thermophilic temperature.
A 50 L single-stage laboratory-scale hyper-thermophilic continuous stirred tank reactor (HT-CSTR) was operated to treat only black water for 10 weeks using cow manure at 65°C as the seeding sludge and optimal hyper-thermophilic temperature. Afterwards, co-digestion of blended kitchen food waste and black water was also practised for 12 weeks. With a mean hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 23.3 days, a mean total COD removal of 86.3 % was achieved. The reactor had an average COD volumetric loading rate of 6.22 kgCOD/(m3.d) and remained uninhibited. It also had organic loading rate of 0.3 kgVS/(m3.d) and a degradation performance (R) of 5.43 kgCOD/(m3.d). Treatment of only black water produced biogas with less methane content of 34.9 % even though a stable pH of 6.9 was recorded both in the reactor and in the effluent. Co-digestion with kitchen food waste increased the percentage content of methane in the biogas by 77 % from 34.9 % to 61.8 %.
The effectiveness of the HT-CSTR to hygienise the effluent for agricultural purpose was assessed by spiking the reactor with 200 ml each of 2 x 109 CFU/ml Salmonella senftenbergensis and 8 x 108 CFU/ml Escherichia coli. The HT-CSTR was able to hygienise all bacteria of Salmonella senftenbergensis and E. coli. A simulation test confirmed that between 30 minutes and 1 hour, all the cells of Salmonella senftenbergensis and E. coli in the treatment system were killed at 65 °C. Eubacteria, Methanosarcina spp., Methanomicrobium spp. and Methanococcus spp. were identified in the seeding sludge at the hyper-thermophilic temperature of 65°C. The design, construction and performance of a pilot-scale reactor in Terterkessim slum in Elmina, Ghana was based on results from the laboratory-scale HT-CSTR. It achieved 97 % removal of influent total COD and could produce about 2.52 Nm³CH₄/(kgCOD.d) which could be burned for
at least 8 hours. The effluent cannot be used for cultivation of leafy vegetables such as cabbage since it had some concentrations of pathogens like Salmonella spp. and E. coli but can be used for cotton crop.
Aim of this study
The aim of this research is to develop batch scale and continuous reactor systems to evaluate technical and practical feasibility of sequential hydrogen and methane from food waste by two step dark fermentation process.
Methodology
The effects of limiting factors, like pH, temperature, as well as inoculum sources and pretreatment methods on H₂ yields were studies in batch assays. In addition, the feasibility of sequencing producing H₂+CH₄ via two stage dark fermentation process was evaluated in lab-scale tests based on batch assay results. Three kinds of Acid producing reactor, like CSTR, semi-percolator, and ASBR had been tested for bioH₂ production and well inoculated ASBR methane was used for further degradation of volatile organic acids produced in these acid producing reactor which acts as by-products of bioH₂. Different limiting factors on fermentation process have been investigated in each reactor type for optimum energy recovery. Monodigestion of food waste for methane production was also studied and used as reference value for energy recovery from food waste.
Main results and technical application from this study
Hydrogen production results from food waste were shown to be possible with aerated inoculum in batch assays in thermophilic range, with highest H₂ yields of 19.72L/(kg oTS) from food waste. The inoculated HPB (Hydrogen producing bacterial) sludge taken from ASBR acid producing reactor was proved the optimum H₂ yields with the value of 61.41 L/(kg oTS) in this batch test. Inoculum to substrates ratio at 3 was found the best situ for H₂ yields in batch test. Even H₂ productivity at hyperthermophilic range has been confirmed with faster and higher performance, thermophilic fermentation process was taken in continuously lab-scale investigation due to too high process requirements in hyperthermophilic process.
Two-stage sequencing producing H₂+CH₄ was shown the potential in H₂ yields in the first acid producing phase. Methane yields from monodigestion in ASBR methane reactor with OLR of 3.88 kg oTS/(m3.d) and average CH₄ yields at 312.71L/kg oTS were achieved and act as reference value for total energy recovery.
In CSTR+ASBRMe system, the max. hydrogen yields of 69.15 L/(kg oTS) and CH₄ yields at 291.77. L/(kg oTS) were achieved; In semi-Percolator+ASBRMe system, the max. hydrogen yields of 77.34 L/kg oTS and average CH₄ yields at 293.87 L/(kg oTS) were achieved; In ASBR+ASBRMe system, the max. hydrogen yields of 196.85L/(kg oTS) and average CH₄ yields at 293.87 L/(kg oTS) were achieved. The max. H₂ concentration in hydrolysis gas was got in ASBR acid producing reactor at 54%.
The experimental results indicated that food wastes can be considered as suitable substrates for BioH₂ and CH₄ sequencing production. Moreover, the less production cost for H₂ due to higher OLR and shorting HRT.
Aim of the study In this thesis, the recovery of biogas from Unsorted Municipal Solid Waste with high methane content was investigated. Special attention was given to unsorted municipal solid waste since its management is posing a big challenge for solid waste management authorities especially in developing countries (e.g. Accra, Ghana). Common solid waste management practice in most of the communities involves having the entire components of the waste mixed together and deposited in bins or on a bare ground at locations within communities and subsequently hauled to the dumpsite by the waste authority. In a laboratory study, a simulated waste was developed representing the real waste situation in Accra, Ghana to leach out the biodegradable organic fraction and subsequent biogas recovery. Method of investigation In order to optimize the biodegradation of Unsorted Municipal Solid Waste, the double-stage anaerobic digester with optimum design capability and with both intra and inter liquid recirculation, and microaerophilic hydrolysis conditions was employed. In order to biomethanize the waste, the following hypotheses were tested: · Effect of water flow rate (dilutions) on the extent of hydrolysis/ liquefaction. · Solid retention time and biodegradation. · Temperature on the extent of hydrolysis. · Effect of preprocessed feeding material on hydrolysis and gas yield. Results and technical applicability The results indicate that the various conditions tested are effective in determining the biogas production from the Unsorted Municipal Solid Waste. Following several runs for the optimization process, volume and mass reduction of 30±19% and 42±13% was achieved respectively. Importantly, almost 42% of the organic total solids reduction with equivalent of methane yield of 232±66 l CH4/kg OTS was obtained. A concept is developed for the application of the double-stage digester for the biomethanization of Unsorted Municipal Solid Waste. This concept involves the appropriate optimum conditions required for the biodegradation process. Finally the potential of using Unsorted Municipal Solid Waste for commercial biogas production was emphasized.