Biogas from Nitrogen-Rich Biomass as an Alternative to Animal Manure Co-Substrate in Anaerobic Co-Digestion Processes

Abstract

Nitrogen-rich biomass can be suitable for utilization as a substrate in anaerobic co-digestion (AC-D) instead of animal manure. This biomass combined with other substrates could replace animal waste in certain cases in which animal waste cannot be used to obtain methane gas. Methane is the majority component of the biogas produced in AC-D used as an energy source. In this research, a comparative study has been developed between leguminous plant biomass and pig manure in AC-D in a semicontinuous regime at different Organic Load Rate (OLR) values (1.2–1.8 g VS LD−1 d−1). The most elevated methane yield (494 NL CH4 kg VS−1) belongs to assays developed with nitrogen-rich biomass at 1.4 g VS LD−1 d−1. Methane-yield results of nitrogen-rich biomass are higher than pig manure results for all OLR studied values. The digestate obtained in the AC-D is a fertilizer of interest due to its nitrogen content and ability to save energy by replacing mineral fertilizers.

Pretreatment and Nanoparticles as Catalysts for Biogas Production Reactions in Pepper Waste and Pig Manure

“…An expected, direct interaction is presented in alkalinity when the OLR is increased; this means that the process stability is increasing until 1.88 g VS L D −1 d −1 for the three assays developed. This behavior was found in a work carried out by Parralejo et al [27], where the AC-D process in semicontinuous assays was evaluated for OLR ranged 1.2-1.8 g VS L D −1 d −1 for different mixtures of animal manure or nitrogen-rich biomass. However, the VS parameter evolution with OLR shows a light decrease in the second period (and small increases in methane yield (Table 3)).…”