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Updated: Dec 24, 2025
11:31
Continuously-stirred Anaerobic Digester to Convert Organic Wastes into Biogas: System Setup and Basic Operation
Published on: July 13, 2012
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Study of the digestion process at a full-scale solid-state biogas plant by using ORWARE: Model modification and
Sandra Carlos-Pinedo1, Zhao Wang1, Ola Eriksson1
1Department of Building Engineering, Energy Systems and Sustainability Science, University of Gävle, SE-801 76 Gävle, Sweden.
Waste Management (New York, N.Y.)
|April 14, 2020
Summary
The modified ORware model accurately simulates solid-state anaerobic digestion (SS-AD), showing it offers higher energy turnover than liquid anaerobic digestion (L-AD), especially under thermophilic conditions.
Area of Science:
- Biotechnology
- Environmental Engineering
- Renewable Energy
Background:
- Reactor configuration significantly impacts anaerobic digestion efficiency and product yields.
- Factors like biogas production/loss rates are critical, particularly in high-solid configurations.
- Existing models needed adaptation for studying solid-state anaerobic digestion (SS-AD).
Purpose of the Study:
- To modify the ORware anaerobic digestion model for simulating SS-AD using a plug-flow reactor.
- To validate the updated model against operational data for methane yield, digestate yield, and energy turnover.
- To compare the energy turnover of SS-AD with liquid anaerobic digestion (L-AD) under various conditions.
Main Methods:
- Adaptation of the ORware anaerobic digestion sub-model to incorporate plug-flow reactor dynamics for SS-AD.
- Simulation of SS-AD and L-AD processes.
- Validation of model outputs (methane yield, digestate yield, energy turnover) against experimental data.
- Sensitivity analysis of the model to feedstock composition, process temperature, and retention time.
Main Results:
- The updated ORware model demonstrated good agreement with operational data for SS-AD.
- Model sensitivity was higher to feedstock composition changes than to temperature or retention time.
- Liquid anaerobic digestion (L-AD) at mesophilic conditions with 25 days retention time showed superior energy turnover among L-AD cases.
- Solid-state anaerobic digestion (SS-AD) at thermophilic conditions yielded approximately 10% higher average energy turnover compared to L-AD, even with similar methane production.
Conclusions:
- The modified ORware model is a reliable tool for studying SS-AD.
- SS-AD, particularly under thermophilic conditions, presents a more favorable energy turnover compared to L-AD.
- Optimizing reactor configuration and operating conditions is crucial for maximizing biogas production and energy recovery from organic waste.
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