Mass and energy balance around the Ludlow food waste digester

Charles Banks
Bioenergy and Organic Resources Group University of Southampton

25 November 2010

Study period 1st June 2007 to 31st July 2008

 Feedstock
Source segregated food waste from domestic properties
3936 tonnes over the 14-month

Sample measurement and analysis

Quantification of input waste and other materials Weighbridge and water meters Biogas production and composition Gas meter, infrared analyser, STP (273.15 oK and 101.325 kPa) Waste input parameters TS, VS, NPK, metals Digester and digestate parameters TS, VS, Ammonia, VFA, alkalinity, pH, NPK, metals, temperature Power production and utilisation Supply and export meters

Feedstock characteristics
Biowaste input Samples analysed Average DM Min DM Max DM Average ODM Min DM Max DM DM:ODM
Domestic food waste TS and VS, -1 gg

Unit no -1 gg -1 gg -1 gg -1 gg -1 gg -1 gg

Domestic 547 0.277 0.139 0.439 0.244 0.122 0.374 87.9%

Commercial 114 0.278 0.080 0.467 0.243 0.072 0.403 87.5%

0.5 0.4 0.3

TS
0.2 0.1 0.0 0 100 200 Day 300 400

VS 21-day TS 21-day VS

Feedstock nutrient content

Average TKN 8.9, P 1.9, K 3.3 kg tonne-1 wet weight for domestic, commercial similar
12 10 8

Nutrient concentration kg tonne-1 wet weight

6 4 2 0

1 2 1 1 11 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 17 8 -3 - 16 9 -3 - 13 - 14 5 -3 - 14 5 -2 - 15 - 14 6 -3 - 16 9 -3 - 12 6 -3 0 0 1 8 0 0 0 O O Nov No Dec Jan Ja Feb Fe Ma Ap r A p Ma M Jun Ju ct ct r y ay n n b r v

Nitrogen (TKN) Phosphorus (P) Potassium (K)

Digester operational parameters

2.5 kg ODM m-3 day-1 based on digester volume 900 m3
Average HRT 80 days

Digestate characteristics
Some variation, ratio TS:VS constant
Average TS 4.5%, VS 2.9%
0.10

0.08

Digestate DM and ODM, g g-1

0.06

0.04

0.02

0.00 01/06/2007

10/08/2007

19/10/2007

28/12/2007 DM ODM

07/03/2008

16/05/2008

25/07/2008

0 -3 19 16 114 10 -3 16 15 1M ar b Fe 8 -2 15 14 1b Fe 1 -3 15 14 2n Ja n Ja c De 13 1v No 0 -3 19 16 118 v No 0 -3 17 1400 300 200 100 0

M ay

ay

M ril Ap M ar
Chromium (Cr)

Digestate metals

ct O

Lead (Pb)

ct O

Nickel (Ni)

Zinc (Zn)

Copper (Cu)

9
Metal concentration, mg kg-1 dry weight

Digestate nutrients
TKN 5.6, P 0.4, K 2.3 kg tonne-1 wet weight
Mass balance 86.1, 32.8, 96.4%
10

Nutrient concentration kg tonne-1 wet weight

117

18 O ct

-3

116 O ct

19 N ov

-3 0

113 ov

214 ec

15 Ja n

-3 1

Ja n

114

15 Fe b

-2 8

115 Fe b

16 M ar

-3 0

1111 16 14 16 9-3 0 Ju Ap M M M ay ne ril ar ay

Nitrogen (TKN)

Phosphorus (P)

Potassium (K)

10

Biogas output
15000

Weekly gas production m 3

10000

biogas CH4 CO2

5000

0 0

85 75

100

200

Day

300

400

CH4 %

65 55 45 0 100 200 Day 300 400

Daily CH4 Average CH4

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Biogas output
Gas production parameters during mass and energy balance period Item Unit Value Methane m3 STP 385,488 3 Carbon dioxide m STP 229,984 Biogas m3 STP 615,472 Food waste input kg WW 3,936,504 kg VS 959,209 Specific biogas yield m3 tonne-1 WW 156 3 -1 m tonne VS 642 Specific methane yield m3 tonne-1 WW 98 3 -1 m tonne VS 402 a 3 -3 Volumetric biogas yield m m reactor 1.59 a 3 -3 Volumetric methane yield m m reactor 1.00 a Based on volume of digester only % 62.6 37.4 100.0 -

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Digestion parameters
pH 7.24 8.64, average 8.13
IA: PA ratio average 0.4, maximum 2.74 Ammonia maximum 5000 mg l-1 VFA maximum 15000 mg l-1 Propionic acid 11500mg l-1

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VFA profiles
20000

Total VFA mg l -1

15000

10000

5000

0
0 Acetic Propionic 100 Iso-Butyric 200 Day 300 Iso-Valeric 400 Valeric Total

n-Butyric

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pH and alkalinity
9.0 8.5

pH

8.0 7.5

7.0 20000 0
PA and IA mg CaCO 3 l -1
15000

3.0

100

200 Day

300

400
2.5 2.0

10000

1.5 1.0

5000 0.5 0 0 Partial 100 Intermediate 200 IA/PA Day 300 400 0.0

IA/PA

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Mass balance
Calculated in 2 ways: wet weight and volatile solids basis
Wet weight Water additions for both process and facilities supplies Methane and CO2 corrected to STP Stored materials based on tank volumes and estimated fibre quantities stored on site

No account of evaporative loss from gas mixing system

No account of fugitive emissions (gas or liquid) from site
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Cumulative mass balance (wet weight)

6000 5000 4000 3000 2000 1000 0 -1000 0 100 200 Day input output output + change in storage balance 300 400

Cumulative wet tonnes

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Wet weight mass balance

Mass balance for study period (wet weight) Parameter Unit Value Food waste input kg 3,936,504 Water input (washwater) kg 1,490,000 Total input kg 5,426,504 Methane kg 275,177 Carbon Dioxide kg 451,473 Water vapour kg 12,526 a Digestate kg 3,969,080 a Fibre kg 39,240 All waste leaving site kg 35,820 Total output kg 4,783,315 Wet tanks kg 92,433 Stored material kg 30,000 Total storage kg 122,433 Balance accounted for kg 520,756 % 90.4% a Any liquid digestate produced is recirculated through the process and leaves the site as whole digestate

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Mass balance
Volatile solids
VS taken from average of lab determinations VS of reject stream assumed equal to incoming food waste Stored materials based on tank volumes and VS assumed equal to that in digestate storage No account of volatiles lost in VS determination (VFA, ammonia)

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Mass balance for study period (VS) Parameter Unit Food waste input kg WW Food waste VS kg VS kg-1 WW Total input kg VS Methane kg VS Carbon Dioxide kg VS Digestate (includes kg WW separated and whole kg VS kg-1 digestate) WW kg VS Fibre kg WW kg VS kg-1 WW kg VS Reject kg WW kg VS kg-1 WW kg VS Total output kg VS Wet tanks kg WW kg VS kg-1 WW kg VS Stored material kg WW kg VS kg-1 WW kg VS Total storage kg VS Balance kg VS %

Value 3,936,504 0.244 959,209 275,177 451,473 3,969,080 0.029 115,521 39,240 0.179 7,040 35,820 0.244 8,728 857,938 92,433 0.029 2,690 30,000 0.179 5,382 8,072 93,198 90.3%

VS mass balance
If volatile losses are taken into account, mass balance is 95.7%

Electrical and heat balance from CHP

Parameter CHP gross energy
a

Unit kWh kWh kWh kWh kWh kWh kWh

CHP gross electrical output CHP parasitic electrical requirement CHP net electrical output CHP gross heat output CHP recoverable heat output CHP waste heat
a

Value 2,781,48 1 890,074 37,728 852,346 1,891,40 7 1,474,18 5 417,222

% 100.0% 32.0% 1.4% 30.6% 68.0% 53.0% 15.0%

Calculated as electrical output divided by conversion efficiency taken as 32%

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Process energy requirements

Parameter CHP electrical parasitic Rest of plant parasitic Total electrical parasitic a % of gross electrical output Heat requirement to raise feedstock temperature Heat requirement for pasteurisation Heat requirement to maintain tank temperatures Total parasitic heat requirement % of recoverable heat
a

Unit kWh kWh kWh kWh kWh kWh kWh

Value 37,728 232,694 270,422 30.4% 202,674 150,709 92,951 446,334 30.3%

Total electrical parasitic, divided by CHP gross electrical output from Table 4

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Overall energy balance

Parameter CHP net electrical output Parasitic electrical requirement of process plant Net energy output as electricity Recoverable heat output from CHP Parasitic heat requirement of plant Net energy output as heat CHP natural gas used Energy required for digestate use Total potentially recoverable energy (heat and electricity) a Total potentially recoverable energy per wet tonne of food waste
a

Unit kWh kWh kWh kWh kWh kWh kWh kWh kWh kWh

Value 852,346 232,694 619,652 1,474,185 446,334 1,027,851 18,413 34,350 1,594,740 405

Includes heat energy gener ated but not used at the time of the study

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Conclusions
Specific methane yield of food waste was 98 m3 tonne-1 wet weight or 402 m3 tonne-1 ODM, and productivity remained high throughout the study period. Nitrogen content led to high ammonia concentrations that buffered VFA accumulation. Net recoverable energy 405 kWh tonne-1 wet weight, including digestate transport and utilisation. Mass balance 90.4% (wet weight), and 95.7% (VS basis) allowing for loss of volatile components. Since study ended the plant has continued in successful commercial operation and provides a sustainable route for recovery of products from domestic food waste.
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Further information
Banks C. J., Chesshire M, Heaven S., Arnold R, (2010). "Anaerobic digestion of source segregated domestic food waste: performance assessment by mass and energy balance." Bioresource Technology DOI: doi:10.1016/j.biortech.2010.08.005
Arnold, R., Banks C.J., Chesshire, M., Foxall, M., Stoker, A. (2010). Defra Demonstration Project: Biocycle South Shropshire Biowaste Digester. Defra New Technologies Programme. www.defra.gov.uk/environment/waste/residual/newtech/d emo/documents/Biocycle-final.pdf.
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Acknowledgements
Funding for this project was provided by Advantage West Midlands and by Defra from the New Technologies Demonstrator Programme.
The support and assistance of Biocycle South Shropshire Ltd is gratefully acknowledged, with especial thanks to coauthors Michael Chesshire, Rebecca Arnold and Sonia Heaven.

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