Description
The objective of this project is to study at pilot scale the effect of thermal hydrolysis (TH) on the anaerobic biodegradability of the organic fraction of municipal solid waste. The aim is to maximize biogas production and minimize the amount of final waste in the anaerobic digestion of organic fraction of municipal solid waste. This objective includes, optimize operating parameters of the thermal hydrolysis process, characterize the currents generated and demonstrate the technical and economic feasibility of the process integrating pre-treatment, thermal hydrolysis and anaerobic digestion. This project will help to improve the solid waste management in industrial facilities and will provide a higher quantity of energy through this technology from them. The Norwegian partner CAMBI contributes with technology solutions for the study.
Summary of project results
In order to accelerate hydrolysis process when digesting solid wastes, pretreatments are applied before anaerobic digestion. These technologies, hardly studied so far for their implementation in waste treatment plants have a direct influence on the process kinetics and methane potential of the substrates, leading to lower retention times in digesters and higher biogas productions, at the same time of improving digestate properties. The objective of this project was to study the effect of optimized thermal hydrolysis (TH) on the anaerobic biodegradability of the organic fraction of municipal solid waste (OFMSW) for maximizing biogas production and minimizing the amount of final waste in the anaerobic digestion. The methodology was focused on the integrated use, at pilot scale, of a rotary tube, a TH plant and an anaerobic digestor. Positive efficiencies were quantified by methanogenic potential tests (BMP test) and mathematical models, using the standard ADM1.
Summary of bilateral results
TUC-Tel Tek (Norway) has carried out the processing and modelling of the data obtained from the different biochemical methane potential tests (BMP) that URBASER has performed within the project.