Current Advances In Anaerobic Digestion Technology

Anaerobic digestion (AD) is one of the oldest biotechnological processes and originally referred to biomass degradation under anoxic conditions in both natural and engineered systems. It has been used for decades to treat various waste streams and to produce methane-rich biogas as an important energy carrier, and it has become a major player in electrical power production. AD is a popular, mature technology, and our knowledge about the influencing process parameters as well as about the diverse microbial communities involved in the process has increased dramatically over the last few decades. To avoid competition with food and feed production, the AD feedstock spectrum has constantly been extended to waste products either rich in recalcitrant lignocellulose or containing inhibitory substances such as ammonia, which requires application of various pre-treatments or specific management of the microbial resources. Extending the definition of AD, it can also convert gases rich in hydrogen and carbon dioxide into methane that can substitute natural gas, which opens new opportunities by a direct link to traditional petrochemistry. Furthermore, AD can be coupled with emerging biotechnological applications, such as microbial electrochemical technologies or the production of medium-chain fatty acids by anaerobic fermentation. Ultimately, because of the wide range of applications, AD is still a very vital field in science. This Special Issue highlights some key topics of this research field.

Anaerobic digestion (AD) is one of the oldest biotechnological processes and originally referred to biomass degradation under anoxic conditions in both natural and engineered systems. It has been used for decades to treat various waste streams and to produce methane-rich biogas as an important energy carrier, and it has become a major player in electrical power production. AD is a popular, mature technology, and our knowledge about the influencing process parameters as well as about the diverse microbial communities involved in the process has increased dramatically over the last few decades. To avoid competition with food and feed production, the AD feedstock spectrum has constantly been extended to waste products either rich in recalcitrant lignocellulose or containing inhibitory substances such as ammonia, which requires application of various pre-treatments or specific management of the microbial resources. Extending the definition of AD, it can also convert gases rich in hydrogen and carbon dioxide into methane that can substitute natural gas, which opens new opportunities by a direct link to traditional petrochemistry. Furthermore, AD can be coupled with emerging biotechnological applications, such as microbial electrochemical technologies or the production of medium-chain fatty acids by anaerobic fermentation. Ultimately, because of the wide range of applications, AD is still a very vital field in science. This Special Issue highlights some key topics of this research field.

ADVANCED PROCESSES AND TECHNOLOGIES FOR ENHANCED ANAEROBIC DIGESTION This book covers almost all the recent advancements in the industry starting from the emerging feed stocks to resource recovery of digestate; providing sufficient details on theories and practices, technologies and technology suppliers: - ADVANCEMENT IN FEED COMPOSITIONS: - Emerging feed stocks - Various co-digestion fed stocks and their characteristics - Feed stocks energy values, ways to evaluate feed stocks' biogas potential, etc. FEED PRE-TREATMENT CATEGORIES AND RELATED TECHNOLOGIES: - Information on different feed pre-treatment technologies and commercial suppliers that sell them - Specific information on food waste and source separated organic waste pre-treatment with examples from existing plants and technology suppliers. ENHANCED ANAEROBIC DIGESTION PROCESS CONSIDERATION, CONFIGURATION, AND TECHNOLOGY SELECTION: - Process considerations for optimal performance - Process selection and configurations for enhancing digestion such as feeding mode, reactor stages and configurations, enhancing solid loading and recirculation, different digester types and their performance requirements, etc. - Special focus on co-digestion process consideration, and its specific operating conditions and challenges. BIOGAS CLEANING, UPGRADING AND UTILIZATION: - Information on different biogas cleaning and upgrading technologies and suppliers - Different biogas utilization options and related benefits DIGESTATE TREATMENT AND RESOURCE RECOVERY: - Different digestate treatment and enhancement options like drying, dewatering, evaporation, pyrolysis, gasification, etc. and their related technologies - Emerging resource recovery options and end uses of digestate.

This book covers almost all the recent advancements in the industry starting from the emerging feed stocks to resource recovery of digestate; providing sufficient details on theories and practices, technologies and technology suppliers:-ADVANCEMENT IN FEED COMPOSITIONS:- Emerging feed stocks- Various co-digestion fed stocks and their characteristics- Feed stocks energy values, ways to evaluate feed stocks' biogas potential, etc.FEED PRE-TREATMENT CATEGORIES AND RELATED TECHNOLOGIES:- Information on different feed pre-treatment technologies and commercial suppliers that sell them- Specific information on food waste and source separated organic waste pre-treatment with examples from existing plants and technology suppliers.ENHANCED ANAEROBIC DIGESTION PROCESS CONSIDERATION, CONFIGURATION, AND TECHNOLOGY SELECTION:- Process considerations for optimal performance- Process selection and configurations for enhancing digestion such as feeding mode, reactor stages and configurations, enhancing solid loading and recirculation, different digester types and their performance requirements, etc.- Special focus on co-digestion process consideration, and its specific operating conditions and challenges.BIOGAS CLEANING, UPGRADING AND UTILIZATION:- Information on different biogas cleaning and upgrading technologies and suppliers- Different biogas utilization options and related benefitsDIGESTATE TREATMENT AND RESOURCE RECOVERY:- Different digestate treatment and enhancement options like drying, dewatering, evaporation, pyrolysis, gasification, etc. and their related technologies- Emerging resource recovery options and end uses of digestate.

This book presents new application processes in the context of anaerobic digestion (AD), such as phosphorus recovery, microbial fuel cells (MFCs), and seaweed digestion. In addition, it introduces a new technique for the modeling and optimization of AD processes. Chapters 1 and 2 review AD as a technique for converting a range of organic wastes into biogas, while Chapter 3 discusses the recovery of phosphorus from anaerobically digested liquor. Chapters 4 and 5 focus on new techniques for modeling and optimizing AD. Chapters 6 and 7 then describe the state of the art in AD effluent treatment. The book’s final three chapters focus on more recent developments, including microbial fuel cells (MFCs) (Chapter 8), seaweed production (Chapter 9), and enzyme technologies (Chapter 10).

Anaerobic digestion (AD) is by far the most important technology for providing clean renewable energy to millions in rural areas of many developing countries. AD of biowastes produces both biomethane and anaerobic digestate as a byproduct that can be used further as a biofertilizer. Biowastes including sewage, food processing wastes, animal wastes, and lignocellulosic wastes typically produce biogas containing 55%–70% biomethane. In the context of energy consumption, more than 85% of the total energy consumed currently comes from non-renewable fossil resources. Biogas technology can provide sustainable, affordable, and eco-friendly energy through waste recycling. This book provides basic knowledge and recent research on biogas production, focusing on the enhancement of biomethane and production routes integrated with microalgae cultivation or agriculture.

Recent advances in technology to recover bioenergy from various feedstocks make them suitable alternatives to fossil fuel. This book contains several scientific discussions regarding microbes involved in biogas production, the anaerobic digestion process, their operation, and application for sustainable development. The book provides in-depth information about anaerobic digestion for researchers and graduate students. The editor sincerely thanks all the contributors, whose efforts have brought this book to fruition.

This book focuses on biogas production by anaerobic digestion, which is the most popular bioenergy technology of today. Using anaerobic digestion for the production of biogas is a sustainable approach that simultaneously also allows the treatment of organic waste. The energy contained in the substrate is released in the form of biogas, which can be employed as a renewable fuel in diverse industrial sectors. Although biogas generation is considered an established process, it continues to evolve, e.g. by incorporating modifications and improvements to increase its efficiency and its downstream applications. The chapters of this book review the progress made related to feedstock, system configuration and operational conditions. It also addresses microbial pathways utilized, as well as storage, transportation and usage of biogas. This book is an up-to-date resource for scientists and students working on improving biogas production.