Charcoal as a bacteriological adherent for biomethanation of organic wastes

• Published in: Energy (Oxford) Vol. 179; pp. 336 - 342
• Main Authors: Sánchez-Sánchez, Consolación, González-González, Almudena, Cuadros-Salcedo, Francisco, Gómez-Serrano, Vicente, Cuadros-Blázquez, Francisco
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 15-07-2019; Elsevier BV
• Subjects: Animal wastes; Bacteriological adherent; Biogas; Biomethanation; Calcium; Charcoal; Cheese; Chemical reactions; Dairy products; Electropositivity; Environmental performance; Fixed beds; Hydrogen sulfide; Metals; Methanogenesis; Organic chemistry; Organic wastes; Reactors; Reduction; Renewable energy; Sheep; Sheep manure; Sulfate reduction; Waste materials; Weight; Whey; Biomethanation; Renewable energy; Bacteriological adherent; Charcoal
• ISSN: 0360-5442; 1873-6785
• DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2019.04.192

This paper analyses the improved energy and environmental performance of the biomethanation of a mixture of sheep manure (20% by weight) and cheese whey (80% by weight) in a reactor of 2 L capacity containing 2 g of charcoal in the form of a fixed bed with respect to the same process but without the charcoal in the reactor (control experiment). The results show an increased methane production of 27.05% and a reduction of the H2S content in the biogas of 34.7%, over those obtained in the control experiment. These marked improvements of the biomethanation process are attributable to the content of highly electropositive metals such as K and Ca in the charcoal which, because chemical reactions, can increase the pH of the medium and thus favour the processes of methanogenesis and sulphate reduction. Charcoal would act as a bacteriological adherent promoting the biomethanation of the organic waste materials used in the study.
•The biomethanation of sheep manure and cheese whey is studied.•Charcoal is used as a bacteriological adherent in the biomethanation.•Bioreactions are carried out for 168 days without inhibition.•The production of CH4 increases by 27.05%.•The content of H2S in the biogas is reduced by 34.7%.