Enhancement of Biogas Production from Cattle Manure in a Combined Microbial Electrolysis Cell and Anaerobic Digestion System At Short Hydraulic Retention Time

Abstract

Abstract The aim of study was to enhance the biogas production from cattle manure in a combined microbial electrolysis cell and anaerobic digestion system (MEC + AD). The MEC + AD reactor were operated on semi continuous mode under different voltage applications and different organic loading rates ranging from 6 g VS/L.d to 30 g VS/L.d. The study was carried out in two parts. In the first part, MEC + AD and conventional anaerobic reactors were compared in terms of biogas production. In the second part, MEC + AD reactor was operated under different voltage applications (0.3, 0.6, and 1.0 V) and organic loading rates. MEC + AD system exhibited 28–52% better biogas production performances (2.03 L/L/d; CH 4 :75.5% vs 1.43 L/L/d; CH 4 : 70.4%) compared to control reactor in all sets due to voltage application. In the second part, biogas productions of MEC + AD reactor changed between 3.08 L/L/d and 5.13 L/L/d (75–77.8% CH 4 ) depending on the organic loading rates and applied voltages. Higher voltages (0.6 and 1.0 V) showed better methane production performances especially at high OLRs with respect to lower voltages. Consequently, MEC + AD reactor could be operated efficiently at extreme operational conditions (HRT of 2 days and OLR of 30 g VS/L/d) that conventional anaerobic reactors can not be operated.

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Identifiers

DOI

10.21203/rs.3.rs-1501290/v1

Journal

Research Square

Year

2022