Characterizing the variability of food waste quality: A need for efficient valorisation through anaerobic digestion

Fisgativa, Henry; Trémier, Anne; Dabert, Patrick

doi:10.1016/j.wasman.2016.01.041

Cited by 258 publications

(126 citation statements)

References 34 publications

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“…In this case, the volume ratio was 1:3 (pre-digester: digester). As food waste is known to be a highly variable feedstock (Fisgativa et al, 2016), this represents a useful advantage to the micro-scale application.…”

Section: Analysis Of the Pre-digester Tankmentioning

confidence: 99%

Assessment of micro-scale anaerobic digestion for management of urban organic waste: A case study in London, UK

et al. 2017

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This paper describes the analysis of an AD plant that is novel in that it is located in an urban environment, built on a micro-scale, fed on food and catering waste, and operates as a purposeful system. The plant was built in 2013 and continues to operate to date, processing urban food waste and generating biogas for use in a community café. The plant was monitored for a period of 319 days during 2014, during which the operational parameters, biological stability and energy requirements of the plant were assessed. The plant processed 4574 kg of food waste during this time, producing 1008 m 3 of biogas at average 60.6 % methane. The results showed that the plant was capable of stable operation despite large fluctuations in the rate and type of feed. Another innovative aspect of the plant was that it was equipped with a pre-digester tank and automated feeding, which reduced the effect of 2 feedstock variations on the digestion process. Towards the end of the testing period, a rise in the concentration of volatile fatty acids and ammonia was detected in the digestate, indicating biological instability, and this was successfully remedied by adding trace elements. The energy balance and coefficient of performance (COP) of the system were calculated, which concluded that the system used 49% less heat energy by being housed in a greenhouse, achieved a net positive energy balance and potential COP of 3.16 and 5.55 based on electrical and heat energy, respectively. Greenhouse gas emissions analysis concluded that the most important contribution of the plant to the mitigation of greenhouse gases was the avoidance of on-site fossil fuel use, followed by the diversion of food waste from landfill and that the plant could result in carbon reduction of 2.95 kg CO2eq kWh -1 electricity production or 0.741 kg CO2eq kg -1 waste treated. Highlights A micro-scale AD plant was built and operated reliably in London, UK  The system produced 0.596 m 3 CH4 kg -1 VS from locally-collected mixed organic waste  GHG reduction of the system was 0.741 kg CO2eq kg -1 waste treated cf. landfilling  The system advantageously included a pre-digestion tank to buffer the feed variations  Biological ammonia inhibition was mitigated by trace element supplementation

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Section: Analysis Of the Pre-digester Tankmentioning

confidence: 99%

Assessment of micro-scale anaerobic digestion for management of urban organic waste: A case study in London, UK

et al. 2017

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“…Methane fermentation is widely used because of the wide range of substrates, including food waste [Voelklein et al 2017, Fisgativa et al 2016. In Poland there are about 100 agricultural biogas plants, but this number is steadily increasing ].…”

Section: In-oil Project Concepcionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Concept of in-Oil Project Based on Bioconversion of by-Products From Food Processing Industry

Czekała¹

2017

J. Ecol. Eng.

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More than 30% of the world's food production is wasted. Organic waste and residues are produced in a variety of sectors, including agriculture, food industry and forestry. Residues and waste are generated throughout the entire food production and use cycle: surplus food production, processing and distribution, and consumption. Some food that has not been consumed should be managed. Bioconversion using insects provides the opportunity to produce feed and energy using by-products of the agro-food industry. The aim of the work was to present the concept of "IN OIL: an innovative method for the bioconversion of by-products from food processing industry" under the project LIDER VII (co-financed by the National Centre for Research and Development). Project IN OIL is being implemented at the Poznań University of Life Sciences. IN-OIL's main assumption is combining two ideas -waste into energy and waste into feed. The developed method will reduce the adverse impact of unused food on the environment by using ReFood products in insect feeding (Hermetia illucens). H. illucens (Black Soldier Fly) is a Diptera characterized by a very high index of growth, and rich source of fats and proteins. The main assumption of the project is based on the introduction of by-products from the food processing industry to feeding with larvae of H. illucens. Biomass of insect larvae will then be processed into products that will be used for feed and energy purposes.

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“…In comparison with incineration or landfilling, anaerobic digestion does not represent a potentially polluting process when the produced biogas is adequately used [16,18] and in many cases the costs are relatively lower than aerobic treatment [12]. Actually, anaerobic digestion is a promising and sustainable process for the treatment of organic waste [19][20][21]. When processing the biogas properly, there is a net reduction in the methane discharges into the atmosphere, thus decreasing greenhouse emissions, and smells and the sanitary disadvantages of landfills are avoided [22,23].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Process control needs complex analysis because it is sensible to different waste composition affecting kinetics [19][20][21]. Another main issue related to the anaerobic digestion is the uncertainty on OFMSW conferred to the plant.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Energy Recovery from the Organic Fraction of Municipal Solid Waste: A Real Options-Based Facility Assessment

et al. 2018

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During the last years, due to the strict regulations on waste landfilling, anaerobic digestion (AD) of the organic fraction of municipal solid waste (OFMSW) is increasingly considered a sustainable alternative for waste stabilization and energy recovery. AD can reduce the volume of OFMSW going to landfill and produce, at the same time, biogas and compost, all at a profit. The uncertainty about the collected quantity of organic fraction, however, may undermine the economic-financial sustainability of such plants. While the flexibility characterizing some AD technologies may prove very valuable in uncertain contexts since it allows adapting plant capacity to changing environments, the investment required for building flexible systems is generally higher than the investment for dedicated equipment. Hence, an adequate justification of investments in these flexible systems is needed. This paper presents the results of a study aimed at investigating how different technologies may perform from technical, economic and financial standpoints, in presence of an uncertain organic fraction quantity to be treated. Focusing on two AD treatment plant configurations characterized by a technological process with different degree of flexibility, a real options-based model is developed and then applied to the case of the urban waste management system of the Metropolitan Area of Bari (Italy). Results show the importance of pricing the flexibility of treatment plants, which becomes a critical factor in presence of an uncertain organic fraction. Hence, it has to be taken into consideration in the design phase of these plants.

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Characterizing the variability of food waste quality: A need for efficient valorisation through anaerobic digestion

Cited by 258 publications

References 34 publications

Assessment of micro-scale anaerobic digestion for management of urban organic waste: A case study in London, UK

Assessment of micro-scale anaerobic digestion for management of urban organic waste: A case study in London, UK

Concept of in-Oil Project Based on Bioconversion of by-Products From Food Processing Industry

Energy Recovery from the Organic Fraction of Municipal Solid Waste: A Real Options-Based Facility Assessment

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