Effect of structural carbohydrates and lignin content on the anaerobic digestion of paper and paper board materials by anaerobic granular sludge.

PubMed

Gonzalez-Estrella, Jorge; Asato, Caitlin M; Jerke, Amber C; Stone, James J; Gilcrease, Patrick C

2017-05-01

Anaerobic digestion (AD) of lignocellulosic materials is commonly limited by the hydrolysis step. Unlike unprocessed lignocellulosic materials, paper and paper board (PPB) are processed for their fabrication. Such modifications may affect their methane yields and methane production rates. Previous studies have investigated the correlation between lignin and biomethane yields of unprocessed lignocellulosic materials; nevertheless, there is limited knowledge regarding the relationship between the AD kinetic parameters and composition of PPB. This study evaluated correlations of methane yields and Monod and Gompertz kinetic parameters with structural carbohydrates, lignin, and ash concentration of five types of PPBs. All components were used as single and combined independent variables in linear regressions to predict methane yield, maximum specific methanogenic activity (SMA max ), saturation constant (K s ), and lag phase (λ). Additionally, microbial community profiles were obtained for each PPB assay. Results showed methane yields ranging from 69.2 ± 8.61 to 97.2 ± 2.29% of PPB substrates provided. The highest correlation coefficients were obtained for SMA max as function of hemicellulose/(lignin + ash) (R 2  = 0.86) and for λ as a function of lignin + cellulose (R 2  = 0.85). All other parameters exhibited weaker correlations (R 2  ≤ 0.77). Relative abundance analyses revealed no major changes in the community profile for each of the substrates evaluated. The overall findings of this study are: (i) combinations of structural carbohydrates, lignin, and ash used as ratios of degradable to either non-degradable or slowly degradable fractions predict AD kinetic parameters of PPB materials better than single independent variables; and (ii) other components added during their fabrication may also influence both methane yield and kinetic parameters. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2017;114: 951-960. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Kinetic modelling of methane production during bio-electrolysis from anaerobic co-digestion of sewage sludge and food waste.

PubMed

Prajapati, Kalp Bhusan; Singh, Rajesh

2018-05-10

In present study batch tests were performed to investigate the enhancement in methane production under bio-electrolysis anaerobic co-digestion of sewage sludge and food waste. The bio-electrolysis reactor system (B-EL) yield more methane 148.5 ml/g COD in comparison to reactor system without bio-electrolysis (B-CONT) 125.1 ml/g COD. Whereas bio-electrolysis reactor system (C-EL) Iron Scraps amended yield lesser methane (51.2 ml/g COD) in comparison to control bio-electrolysis reactor system without Iron scraps (C-CONT - 114.4 ml/g COD). Richard and Exponential model were best fitted for cumulative methane production and biogas production rates respectively as revealed modelling study. The best model fit for the different reactors was compared by Akaike's Information Criterion (AIC) and Bayesian Information Criterion (BIC). The bioelectrolysis process seems to be an emerging technology with lesser the loss in cellulase specific activity with increasing temperature from 50 to 80 °C. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Dynamic effect of leachate recirculation on batch mode solid state anaerobic digestion: Influence of recirculated volume, leachate to substrate ratio and recirculation periodicity.

PubMed

Degueurce, Axelle; Trémier, Anne; Peu, Pascal

2016-09-01

Performances of batch mode solid state anaerobic digestion (SSAD) were investigated through several leachate recirculation strategies. Three parameters were shown to particularly influence methane production rates (MPR) and methane yields: the length of the interval between two recirculation events, the leachate to substrate (L:S) ratio and the volume of leachate recirculated. A central composite factor design was used to determine the influence of each parameter on methane production. Results showed that lengthening the interval between two recirculation events reduced methane yield. This effect can be counteracted by recirculating a large volume of leachate at a low L:S ratio. Steady methane production can be obtained by recirculating small amounts of leachate, and by lengthening the interval between two recirculations, regardless of the L:S ratio. However, several combinations of these parameters led to similar performances meaning that leachate recirculation practices can be modified as required by the specific constraints SSAD plants configurations. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The methane production of poultry slaughtering residues and effects of pre-treatments on the methane production of poultry feather.

PubMed

Salminen, E; Einola, J; Rintala, J

2003-09-01

The biological methane production rate and yield of different poultry slaughtering residues were studied. Poultry offal, blood, and bonemeal were rich in proteins and lipids and showed high methane yields, 0.7-0.9, 0.5, and 0.6-0.7 m3 kg(-1) volatile solids(added), respectively (270-340, 100, and 150-170 m3 ton(-1) wet weight). Blood and bonemeal produced methane rapidly, whereas the methane production of offal was more delayed probably due to long-chain fatty acid inhibition. The length of delay depended on the source and concentration of inoculum and incubation temperature, sewage sludge at 35 degrees C having the shortest delay of a few days, while granular sludge did not produce methane within 94 days of incubation. Feather showed a somewhat lower methane yield, 0.21 m3 kg(-1) volatile solids(added) (50 m3 ton(-1) wet weight). Combined thermal (120 degrees C, 5 min) and enzymatic (commercial alkaline endopeptidase, 2-10 g l(-1)) pre-treatments increased its methane yield by 37 to 51%. Thermal (70-120 degrees C, 5-60 min), chemical (NaOH 2-10 g l(-1), 2-24 h), and enzymatic pre-treatments were less effective, with methane yield increasing by 5 to 32%. Based on the present results, anaerobic digestion of the studied poultry slaughtering residues appears a promising possibility because of the high methane yield and nitrogen content of these residues (8 to 14% N of total solids), whereas pre-treatments were shown to improve the methane production of feather.

Addressing case specific biogas plant tasks: industry oriented methane yields derived from 5L Automatic Methane Potential Test Systems in batch or semi-continuous tests using realistic inocula, substrate particle sizes and organic loading.

PubMed

Kolbl, Sabina; Paloczi, Attila; Panjan, Jože; Stres, Blaž

2014-02-01

The primary aim of the study was to develop and validate an in-house upscale of Automatic Methane Potential Test System II for studying real-time inocula and real-scale substrates in batch, codigestion and enzyme enhanced hydrolysis experiments, in addition to semi-continuous operation of the developed equipment and experiments testing inoculum functional quality. The successful upscale to 5L enabled comparison of different process configurations in shorter preparation times with acceptable accuracy and high-through put intended for industrial decision making. The adoption of the same scales, equipment and methodologies in batch and semi-continuous tests mirroring those at full scale biogas plants resulted in matching methane yields between the two laboratory tests and full-scale, confirming thus the increased decision making value of the approach for industrial operations. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Methane yield in source-sorted organic fraction of municipal solid waste.

PubMed

Davidsson, Asa; Gruvberger, Christopher; Christensen, Thomas H; Hansen, Trine Lund; Jansen, Jes la Cour

2007-01-01

Treating the source-separated organic fraction of municipal solid waste (SS-OFMSW) by anaerobic digestion is considered by many municipalities in Europe as an environmentally friendly means of treating organic waste and simultaneously producing methane gas. Methane yield can be used as a parameter for evaluation of the many different systems that exist for sorting and pre-treating waste. Methane yield from the thermophilic pilot scale digestion of 17 types of domestically SS-OFMSW originating from seven full-scale sorting systems was found. The samples were collected during 1 year using worked-out procedures tested statistically to ensure representative samples. Each waste type was identified by its origin and by pre-sorting, collection and pre-treatment methods. In addition to the pilot scale digestion, all samples were examined by chemical analyses and methane potential measurements. A VS-degradation rate of around 80% and a methane yield of 300-400Nm(3) CH(4)/ton VS(in) were achieved with a retention time of 15 days, corresponding to approximately 70% of the methane potential. The different waste samples gave minor variation in chemical composition and thus also in methane yield and methane potential. This indicates that sorting and collection systems in the present study do not significantly affect the amount of methane produced per VS treated.

Factors controlling headspace pressure in a manual manometric BMP method can be used to produce a methane output comparable to AMPTS.

PubMed

Himanshu, H; Voelklein, M A; Murphy, J D; Grant, J; O'Kiely, P

2017-08-01

The manual manometric biochemical methane potential (mBMP) test uses the increase in pressure to calculate the gas produced. This gas production may be affected by the headspace volume in the incubation bottle and by the overhead pressure measurement and release (OHPMR) frequency. The biogas and methane yields of cellulose, barley, silage and slurry were compared with three incubation bottle headspace volumes (50, 90 and 180ml; constant 70ml total medium) and four OHPMR frequencies (daily, each third day, weekly and solely at the end of experiment). The methane yields of barley, silage and slurry were compared with those from an automated volumetric method (AMPTS). Headspace volume and OHPMR frequency effects on biogas yield were mediated mainly through headspace pressure, with the latter having a negative effect on the biogas yield measured and relatively little effect on methane yield. Two mBMP treatments produced methane yields equivalent to AMPTS. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Dry anaerobic co-digestion of cow dung with pig manure for methane production.

PubMed

Li, Jianzheng; Jha, Ajay Kumar; Bajracharya, Tri Ratna

2014-07-01

The performance of dry anaerobic digestions of cow dung, pig manure, and their mixtures into different ratios were evaluated at 35 ± 1 °C in single-stage batch reactors for 63 days. The specific methane yields were 0.33, 0.37, 0.40, 0.38, 0.36, and 0.35 LCH4/gVSr for cow dung to pig manure ratios of 1:0, 4:1, 3:2, 2:3, 1:4, and 0:1, respectively, while volatile solid (VS) and chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal efficiencies were 48.59, 50.79, 53.20, 47.73, 46.10, and 44.88 % and 55.44, 57.96, 60.32, 56.96, 53.32, and 50.86 %, respectively. The experimental results demonstrated that the co-digestions resulted in 5.10-18.01 % higher methane yields, 2.03-12.95 % greater VS removals, 2.98-12.52 % greater COD degradation and so had positive synergism. The various mixtures of pig manure with cow dung might persuade a better nutrient balance and dilution of high ammonia concentration in pig manure and therefore enhanced digester performance efficiency and higher biogas yields. The dry co-digestion of 60 % cow dung and 40 % pig manure achieved the highest methane yield and the greatest organic materials removal efficiency than other mixtures and controls.

Anaerobic slurry co-digestion of poultry manure and straw: effect of organic loading and temperature

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

In order to obtain basic design criteria for anaerobic digestion of a mixture of poultry manure and wheat straw, the effects of different temperatures and organic loading rates on the biogas yield and methane contents were evaluated. Since poultry manure is a poor substrate, in term of the availability of the nutrients, external supplementation of carbon has to be regularly performed, in order to achieve a stable and efficient process. The complete-mix, pilot-scale digester with working volume of 70 L was used. The digestion operated at 25°C, 30°C and 35°C with organic loading rates of 1.0, 2.0, 2.5, 3.0, 3.5 and 4.0 kg Volatile solid/m3d and a HRT of 15 days. At a temperature of 35°C, the methane yield was increased by 43% compared to 25°C. Anaerobic co-digestion appeared feasible with a loading rate of 3.0 kg VS/m3d at 35°C. At this state, the specific methane yield was calculated about 0.12 m3/kg VS with a methane content of 53–70.2% in the biogas. The volatile solid (VS) removal was 72%. As a result of volatile fatty acid accumulation and decrease in pH, when the loading rate was less than 1 or greater than 4 kg VS/m3d, the process was inhibited or overloaded, respectively. Both the lower and higher loading rates resulted in a decline in the methane yield. PMID:24502409

Feasibility of biogas production from anaerobic co-digestion of herbal-extraction residues with swine manure.

PubMed

Li, Yan; Yan, Xi-Luan; Fan, Jie-Ping; Zhu, Jian-Hang; Zhou, Wen-Bin

2011-06-01

The objective of this work was to examine the feasibility of biogas production from the anaerobic co-digestion of herbal-extraction residues with swine manure. Batch and semi-continuous experiments were carried out under mesophilic anaerobic conditions. Batch experiments revealed that the highest specific biogas yield was 294 mL CH(4) g(-1) volatile solids added, obtained at 50% of herbal-extraction residues and 3.50 g volatile solids g(-1) mixed liquor suspended solids. Specific methane yield from swine manure alone was 207 mL CH(4) g(-1) volatile solid added d(-1) at 3.50 g volatile solids g(-1) mixed liquor suspended solids. Furthermore, specific methane yields were 162, 180 and 220 mL CH(4) g (-1) volatile solids added d(-1) for the reactors co-digesting mixtures with 10%, 25% and 50% herbal-extraction residues, respectively. These results suggested that biogas production could be enhanced efficiently by the anaerobic co-digestion of herbal-extraction residues with swine manure. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Improvement of methane production from waste paper by pretreatment with rumen fluid.

PubMed

Baba, Yasunori; Tada, Chika; Fukuda, Yasuhiro; Nakai, Yutaka

2013-01-01

Cellulose hydrolysis is the rate-limiting step in anaerobic digestion. In the present study, waste paper was used as a model of cellulosic biomass and was pretreated with rumen fluid prior to methane production. To achieve a high methane yield, the reaction time of the pretreatment was examined. Waste paper was soaked with rumen fluid for 6 and 24h at 37 °C. Various volatile fatty acids, especially acetate, were produced by the pretreatment. Semicontinuous methane production was carried out over a 20-day period. The best daily methane yield was obtained by the 6-h pretreatment. The amount was 2.6 times higher than that of untreated paper, which resulted in 73.4% of the theoretical methane yield. During methane production, the cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin degradabilities were improved by the pretreatment. Pretreatment by rumen fluid is therefore a powerful method to accelerate the methane yield from a cellulosic biomass. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Sequential ultrasound and low-temperature thermal pretreatment: Process optimization and influence on sewage sludge solubilization, enzyme activity and anaerobic digestion.

PubMed

Neumann, Patricio; González, Zenón; Vidal, Gladys

2017-06-01

The influence of sequential ultrasound and low-temperature (55°C) thermal pretreatment on sewage sludge solubilization, enzyme activity and anaerobic digestion was assessed. The pretreatment led to significant increases of 427-1030% and 230-674% in the soluble concentrations of carbohydrates and proteins, respectively, and 1.6-4.3 times higher enzymatic activities in the soluble phase of the sludge. Optimal conditions for chemical oxygen demand solubilization were determined at 59.3kg/L total solids (TS) concentration, 30,500kJ/kg TS specific energy and 13h thermal treatment time using response surface methodology. The methane yield after pretreatment increased up to 50% compared with the raw sewage sludge, whereas the maximum methane production rate was 1.3-1.8 times higher. An energy assessment showed that the increased methane yield compensated for energy consumption only under conditions where 500kJ/kg TS specific energy was used for ultrasound, with up to 24% higher electricity recovery. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A model based on feature objects aided strategy to evaluate the methane generation from food waste by anaerobic digestion.

PubMed

Yu, Meijuan; Zhao, Mingxing; Huang, Zhenxing; Xi, Kezhong; Shi, Wansheng; Ruan, Wenquan

2018-02-01

A model based on feature objects (FOs) aided strategy was used to evaluate the methane generation from food waste by anaerobic digestion. The kinetics of feature objects was tested by the modified Gompertz model and the first-order kinetic model, and the first-order kinetic hydrolysis constants were used to estimate the reaction rate of homemade and actual food waste. The results showed that the methane yields of four feature objects were significantly different. The anaerobic digestion of homemade food waste and actual food waste had various methane yields and kinetic constants due to the different contents of FOs in food waste. Combining the kinetic equations with the multiple linear regression equation could well express the methane yield of food waste, as the R 2 of food waste was more than 0.9. The predictive methane yields of the two actual food waste were 528.22 mL g -1  TS and 545.29 mL g -1  TS with the model, while the experimental values were 527.47 mL g -1  TS and 522.1 mL g -1  TS, respectively. The relative error between the experimental cumulative methane yields and the predicted cumulative methane yields were both less than 5%. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Fugitive Methane Emission Identification and Source Attribution: Ethane-to-Methane Analysis Using a Portable Cavity Ring-Down Spectroscopy Analyzer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim-Hak, D.; Fleck, D.

2017-12-01

Natural gas analysis and methane specifically have become increasingly important by virtue of methane's 28-36x greenhouse warming potential compared to CO2 and accounting for 10% of total greenhouse gas emissions in the US alone. Additionally, large uncontrolled leaks, such as the recent one from Aliso Canyon in Southern California, originating from uncapped wells, storage facilities and coal mines have increased the total global contribution of methane missions even further. Determining the specific fingerprint of methane sources by quantifying the ethane to methane (C2:C1) ratios provides us with means to understand processes yielding methane and allows for sources of methane to be mapped and classified through these processes; i.e. biogenic or thermogenic, oil vs. gas vs. coal gas-related. Here we present data obtained using a portable cavity ring-down spectrometry analyzer weighing less than 25 lbs and consuming less than 35W that simultaneously measures methane and ethane in real-time with a raw 1-σ precision of <30 ppb and <10 ppb, respectively at <1 Hz. These precisions allow for a C2:C1 ratio 1-σ measurement of <0.1% above 10 ppm in a single measurement. Furthermore, a high precision methane only mode is available for surveying and locating leakage with a 1-σ precision of <3 ppb. Source discrimination data of local leaks and methane sources using this analysis method are presented. Additionally, two-dimensional plume snapshots are constructed using an integrated onboard GPS in order to visualize horizontal plane gas propagation.

Oxidative coupling of methane using inorganic membrane reactor

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ma, Y.H.; Moser, W.R.; Dixon, A.G.

1995-12-31

The goal of this research is to improve the oxidative coupling of methane in a catalytic inorganic membrane reactor. A specific target is to achieve conversion of methane to C{sub 2} hydrocarbons at very high selectivity and relatively higher yields than in fixed bed reactors by controlling the oxygen supply through the membrane. A membrane reactor has the advantage of precisely controlling the rate of delivery of oxygen to the catalyst. This facility permits balancing the rate of oxidation and reduction of the catalyst. In addition, membrane reactors minimize the concentration of gas phase oxygen thus reducing non selective gasmore » phase reactions, which are believed to be a main route for formation of CO{sub x} products. Such gas phase reactions are a cause for decreased selectivity in oxidative coupling of methane in conventional flow reactors. Membrane reactors could also produce higher product yields by providing better distribution of the reactant gases over the catalyst than the conventional plug flow reactors. Modeling work which aimed at predicting the observed experimental trends in porous membrane reactors was also undertaken in this research program.« less

Improving the methane yield of maize straw: Focus on the effects of pretreatment with fungi and their secreted enzymes combined with sodium hydroxide.

PubMed

Zhao, Xiaoling; Luo, Kai; Zhang, Yue; Zheng, Zehui; Cai, Yafan; Wen, Boting; Cui, Zongjun; Wang, Xiaofen

2018-02-01

In order to improve the methane yield, the alkaline and biological pretreatments on anaerobic digestion (AD) were investigated. Three treatments were tested: NaOH, biological (enzyme and fungi), and combined NaOH with biological. The maximum reducing sugar concentrations were obtained using Enzyme T (2.20 mg/mL) on the 6th day. The methane yield of NaOH + Enzyme A was 300.85 mL/g TS, 20.24% higher than the control. Methane yield obtained from Enzyme (T + A) and Enzyme T pretreatments were 277.03 and 273.75 mL/g TS, respectively, which were as effective as 1% NaOH (276.16 mL/g TS) in boosting methane production, and are environmentally friendly and inexpensive biological substitutes. Fungal pretreatment inhibited methane fermentation of maize straw, 15.68% was reduced by T + A compared with the control. The simultaneous reduction of DM, cellulose and hemicellulose achieved high methane yields. This study provides important guidance for the application of enzymes to AD from lignocellulosic agricultural waste. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Sequential parametric optimization of methane production from different sources of forest raw material

PubMed Central

Matsakas, Leonidas; Rova, Ulrika; Christakopoulos, Paul

2015-01-01

The increase in environmental problems and the shortage of fossil fuels have led to the need for action in the development of sustainable and renewable fuels. Methane is produced through anaerobic digestion of organic materials and is a biofuel with very promising characteristics. The success in using methane as a biofuel has resulted in the operation of several commercial-scale plants and the need to exploit novel materials to be used. Forest biomass can serve as an excellent candidate for use as raw material for anaerobic digestion. During this work, both hardwood and softwood species—which are representative of the forests of Sweden—were used for the production of methane. Initially, when untreated forest materials were used for the anaerobic digestion, the yields obtained were very low, even with the addition of enzymes, reaching a maximum of only 40 mL CH4/g VS when birch was used. When hydrothermal pretreatment was applied, the enzymatic digestibility improved up to 6.7 times relative to that without pretreatment, and the yield of methane reached up to 254 mL CH4/g VS. Then the effect of chemical/enzymatic detoxification was examined, where laccase treatment improved the methane yield from the more harshly pretreated materials while it had no effect on the more mildly pretreated material. Finally, addition of cellulolytic enzymes during the digestion improved the methane yields from spruce and pine, whereas for birch separate saccharification was more beneficial. To achieve high yields in spruce 30 filter paper units (FPU)/g was necessary, whereas 15 FPU/g was enough when pine and birch were used. During this work, the highest methane yields obtained from pine and birch were 179.9 mL CH4/g VS and 304.8 mL CH4/g VS, respectively. For mildly and severely pretreated spruce, the methane yields reached 259.4 mL CH4/g VS and 276.3 mL CH4/g VS, respectively. We have shown that forest material can serve as raw material for efficient production of methane. The initially low yields from the untreated materials were significantly improved by the introduction of a hydrothermal pretreatment. Moreover, enzymatic detoxification was beneficial, but mainly for severely pretreated materials. Finally, enzymatic saccharification increased the methane yields even further. PMID:26539186

Performance of sorghum cultivars for biomass quality and biomethane yield grown in semi-arid area of Pakistan.

PubMed

Hassan, Muhammad Umair; Chattha, Muhammad Umer; Mahmood, Athar; Sahi, Shahbaz Talib

2018-05-01

Biomass is a promising renewable energy source and its significance is escalating in the context of climate change and depletion of fossil foils. This study was conducted for two consecutive years 2016 and 2017, using five sorghum cultivars, i.e., JS-263, Jawar-2011, Hagari, JS-2002, and YS-2016, in order to determine the best cultivars in terms of dry matter yield, chemical composition, and biomethane yield grown under semi-arid conditions in Pakistan. The results revealed that sorghum cultivars responded differently in terms of growth, biomass yield, chemical composition, and methane yield. Cultivars Jawar-2011 produced maximum leaf area index, leaf area duration, crop growth rate, plant height, and leaves per plant, however, they were comparable with Sorghum-2016, whereas cultivar JS-2002 performed poorly among the tested cultivars. Similarly, cultivar Jawar-2011 produced maximum dry matter yield (16.37 t ha -1 ) similar to that of YS-2016, further cultivar JS-2002 performed poorly and gave lower dry matter yield (12.87 t ha -1 ). The maximum protein concentration (10.95), neutral detergent fibers (61.20), and lignin contents (5.55) found in Jawar-2011 were comparable with those in YS-2016, while the lowest neutral detergent fiber and lignin contents were found in JS-2002. Although JS-2002 produced the highest specific methane yield per kilogram of volatile solids, it was overcompensated by Jawar-2011 owing to higher dry matter yield per hectare. These results suggested that cultivar Jawar-2011 can be grown successfully in semi-arid conditions of Pakistan in order to get good biomass yield along with higher methane yield.

Rumen metagenome and metatranscriptome analyses of low methane yield sheep reveals a Sharpea-enriched microbiome characterised by lactic acid formation and utilisation.

PubMed

Kamke, Janine; Kittelmann, Sandra; Soni, Priya; Li, Yang; Tavendale, Michael; Ganesh, Siva; Janssen, Peter H; Shi, Weibing; Froula, Jeff; Rubin, Edward M; Attwood, Graeme T

2016-10-19

Enteric fermentation by farmed ruminant animals is a major source of methane and constitutes the second largest anthropogenic contributor to global warming. Reducing methane emissions from ruminants is needed to ensure sustainable animal production in the future. Methane yield varies naturally in sheep and is a heritable trait that can be used to select animals that yield less methane per unit of feed eaten. We previously demonstrated elevated expression of hydrogenotrophic methanogenesis pathway genes of methanogenic archaea in the rumens of high methane yield (HMY) sheep compared to their low methane yield (LMY) counterparts. Methane production in the rumen is strongly connected to microbial hydrogen production through fermentation processes. In this study, we investigate the contribution that rumen bacteria make to methane yield phenotypes in sheep. Using deep sequence metagenome and metatranscriptome datasets in combination with 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing from HMY and LMY sheep, we show enrichment of lactate-producing Sharpea spp. in LMY sheep bacterial communities. Increased gene and transcript abundances for sugar import and utilisation and production of lactate, propionate and butyrate were also observed in LMY animals. Sharpea azabuensis and Megasphaera spp. act as important drivers of lactate production and utilisation according to phylogenetic analysis and read mappings. Our findings show that the rumen microbiome in LMY animals supports a rapid heterofermentative growth, leading to lactate production. We postulate that lactate is subsequently metabolised mainly to butyrate in LMY animals, producing 2 mol of hydrogen and 0.5 mol of methane per mol hexose, which represents 24 % less than the 0.66 mol of methane formed from the 2.66 mol of hydrogen produced if hexose fermentation was directly to acetate and butyrate. These findings are consistent with the theory that a smaller rumen size with a higher turnover rate, where rapid heterofermentative growth would be an advantage, results in lower hydrogen production and lower methane formation. Together with previous methanogen gene expression data, this builds a strong concept of how animal traits and microbial communities shape the methane phenotype in sheep.

Rumen metagenome and metatranscriptome analyses of low methane yield sheep reveals a Sharpea-enriched microbiome characterised by lactic acid formation and utilisation

DOE PAGES

Kamke, Janine; Kittelmann, Sandra; Soni, Priya; ...

2016-10-19

Enteric fermentation by farmed ruminant animals is a major source of methane and constitutes the second largest anthropogenic contributor to global warming. Reducing methane emissions from ruminants is needed to ensure sustainable animal production in the future. Methane yield varies naturally in sheep and is a heritable trait that can be used to select animals that yield less methane per unit of feed eaten. We previously demonstrated elevated expression of hydrogenotrophic methanogenesis pathway genes of methanogenic archaea in the rumens of high methane yield (HMY) sheep compared to their low methane yield (LMY) counterparts. Methane production in the rumen ismore » strongly connected to microbial hydrogen production through fermentation processes. In this study, we investigate the contribution that rumen bacteria make to methane yield phenotypes in sheep. Using deep sequence metagenome and metatranscriptome datasets in combination with 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing from HMY and LMY sheep, we show enrichment of lactate-producing Sharpea spp. in LMY sheep bacterial communities. Increased gene and transcript abundances for sugar import and utilisation and production of lactate, propionate and butyrate were also observed in LMY animals. Sharpea azabuensis and Megasphaera spp. act as important drivers of lactate production and utilisation according to phylogenetic analysis and read mappings. Our findings show that the rumen microbiome in LMY animals supports a rapid heterofermentative growth, leading to lactate production. We postulate that lactate is subsequently metabolised mainly to butyrate in LMY animals, producing 2 mol of hydrogen and 0.5 mol of methane per mol hexose, which represents 24 % less than the 0.66 mol of methane formed from the 2.66 mol of hydrogen produced if hexose fermentation was directly to acetate and butyrate. These findings are consistent with the theory that a smaller rumen size with a higher turnover rate, where rapid heterofermentative growth would be an advantage, results in lower hydrogen production and lower methane formation. Together with previous methanogen gene expression data, this builds a strong concept of how animal traits and microbial communities shape the methane phenotype in sheep.« less

Rumen metagenome and metatranscriptome analyses of low methane yield sheep reveals a Sharpea-enriched microbiome characterised by lactic acid formation and utilisation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kamke, Janine; Kittelmann, Sandra; Soni, Priya

Enteric fermentation by farmed ruminant animals is a major source of methane and constitutes the second largest anthropogenic contributor to global warming. Reducing methane emissions from ruminants is needed to ensure sustainable animal production in the future. Methane yield varies naturally in sheep and is a heritable trait that can be used to select animals that yield less methane per unit of feed eaten. We previously demonstrated elevated expression of hydrogenotrophic methanogenesis pathway genes of methanogenic archaea in the rumens of high methane yield (HMY) sheep compared to their low methane yield (LMY) counterparts. Methane production in the rumen ismore » strongly connected to microbial hydrogen production through fermentation processes. In this study, we investigate the contribution that rumen bacteria make to methane yield phenotypes in sheep. Using deep sequence metagenome and metatranscriptome datasets in combination with 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing from HMY and LMY sheep, we show enrichment of lactate-producing Sharpea spp. in LMY sheep bacterial communities. Increased gene and transcript abundances for sugar import and utilisation and production of lactate, propionate and butyrate were also observed in LMY animals. Sharpea azabuensis and Megasphaera spp. act as important drivers of lactate production and utilisation according to phylogenetic analysis and read mappings. Our findings show that the rumen microbiome in LMY animals supports a rapid heterofermentative growth, leading to lactate production. We postulate that lactate is subsequently metabolised mainly to butyrate in LMY animals, producing 2 mol of hydrogen and 0.5 mol of methane per mol hexose, which represents 24 % less than the 0.66 mol of methane formed from the 2.66 mol of hydrogen produced if hexose fermentation was directly to acetate and butyrate. These findings are consistent with the theory that a smaller rumen size with a higher turnover rate, where rapid heterofermentative growth would be an advantage, results in lower hydrogen production and lower methane formation. Together with previous methanogen gene expression data, this builds a strong concept of how animal traits and microbial communities shape the methane phenotype in sheep.« less

Bioelectrochemical enhancement of methane production from highly concentrated food waste in a combined anaerobic digester and microbial electrolysis cell.

PubMed

Park, Jungyu; Lee, Beom; Tian, Donjie; Jun, Hangbae

2018-01-01

A microbial electrolysis cell (MEC) is a promising technology for enhancing biogas production from an anaerobic digestion (AD) reactor. In this study, the effects of the MEC on the rate of methane production from food waste were examined by comparing an AD reactor with an AD reactor combined with a MEC (AD+MEC). The use of the MEC accelerated methane production and stabilization via rapid organic oxidation and rapid methanogenesis. Over the total experimental period, the methane production rate and stabilization time of the AD+MEC reactor were approximately 1.7 and 4.0 times faster than those of the AD reactor. Interestingly however, at the final steady state, the methane yields of both the reactors were similar to the theoretical maximum methane yield. Based on these results, the MEC did not increase the methane yield over the theoretical value, but accelerated methane production and stabilization by bioelectrochemical reactions. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Formation temperatures of thermogenic and biogenic methane

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stolper, D.A.; Lawson, M.; Davis, C.L.; Ferreira, A.A.; Santos Neto, E. V.; Ellis, G.S.; Lewan, M.D.; Martini, Anna M.; Tang, Y.; Schoell, M.; Sessions, A.L.; Eiler, J.M.

2014-01-01

Methane is an important greenhouse gas and energy resource generated dominantly by methanogens at low temperatures and through the breakdown of organic molecules at high temperatures. However, methane-formation temperatures in nature are often poorly constrained. We measured formation temperatures of thermogenic and biogenic methane using a “clumped isotope” technique. Thermogenic gases yield formation temperatures between 157° and 221°C, within the nominal gas window, and biogenic gases yield formation temperatures consistent with their comparatively lower-temperature formational environments (<50°C). In systems where gases have migrated and other proxies for gas-generation temperature yield ambiguous results, methane clumped-isotope temperatures distinguish among and allow for independent tests of possible gas-formation models.

Methane production by anaerobic digestion of Bermuda grass

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Klass, D.L.; Ghosh, S.

1981-01-01

Bermuda grass (Cynodon dactylon) is one of the high-yield warm-season grasses that has been suggested as a promising raw material for conversion to methane. Experimental work performed with laboratory digesters to study the anaerobic digestion of Coastal Bermuda grass harvested in Louisiana and having a C/N ratio of 24 is described. Methane yields of about 1.9 SCF/lb of volatile solids (VS) added were observed under conventional mesophilic high-rate conditions. When supplemental nitrogen additions were made, the methane yields increased. This observation along with the compositional data compiled on the grass used in this work indicated that the nitrogen content ofmore » the unsupplemented grass was insufficient to sustain high-rate digestion at the higher yield level. However, as the C/N ratio was reduced by addition of ammonium chloride, the methane yield continually increased up to 3.5 SCF/lb added at the lowest C/N ratio examined (6.3) even after relatively high concentrations of ammonium nitrogen were measured in the effluent. It appears that the added nutrient had a stimulatory effect on methane production above the point where nitrogen was not limiting. Thermophilic digestion with supplemental nitrogen additions afforded methane yields of about 2.7 SCF/lb VS added. Carbon and energy balances were calculated and the relative biodegradabilities of the organics were estimated. It was concluded from this work that Coastal Bermuda grass can be converted to high-methane gas under conventional anaerobic digestion conditions. The performance of the particular lot of grass studied was substantially improved by supplemental nitrogen additions. (Refs. 12).« less

Methane production potential of leachate generated from Korean food waste recycling facilities: a lab-scale study.

PubMed

Lee, Dae Hee; Behera, Shishir Kumar; Kim, Ji Won; Park, Hung-Suck

2009-02-01

This paper examines the applicability of food waste leachate (FWL) in bioreactor landfills or anaerobic digesters to produce methane as a sustainable solution to the persisting leachate management problem in Korea. Taking into account the climatic conditions in Korea and FWL characteristics, the effect of key parameters, viz., temperature, alkalinity and salinity on methane yield was investigated. The monthly average moisture content and the ratio of volatile solids to total solids of the FWL were found to be 84% and 91%, respectively. The biochemical methane potential experiment under standard digestion conditions showed the methane yield of FWL to be 358 and 478 ml/g VS after 10 and 28 days of digestion, respectively, with an average methane content of 70%. Elemental analysis showed the chemical composition of FWL to be C(13.02)H(23.01)O(5.93)N(1). The highest methane yield of 403 ml/g VS was obtained at 35 degrees C due to the adaptation of seed microorganisms to mesophilic atmosphere, while methane yields at 25, 45 and 55 degrees C were 370, 351 and 275 ml/g VS, respectively, at the end of 20 days. Addition of alkalinity had a favorable effect on the methane yield. Dilution of FWL with salinity of 2g/l NaCl resulted in 561 ml CH(4)/g VS at the end of 30 days. Considering its high biodegradability (82.6%) and methane production potential, anaerobic digestion of FWL in bioreactor landfills or anaerobic digesters with a preferred control of alkalinity and salinity can be considered as a sustainable solution to the present emergent problem.

Short communication: Genetic study of methane production predicted from milk fat composition in dairy cows.

PubMed

van Engelen, S; Bovenhuis, H; Dijkstra, J; van Arendonk, J A M; Visker, M H P W

2015-11-01

Dairy cows produce enteric methane, a greenhouse gas with 25 times the global warming potential of CO2. Breeding could make a permanent, cumulative, and long-term contribution to methane reduction. Due to a lack of accurate, repeatable, individual methane measurements needed for breeding, indicators of methane production based on milk fatty acids have been proposed. The aim of the present study was to quantify the genetic variation for predicted methane yields. The milk fat composition of 1,905 first-lactation Dutch Holstein-Friesian cows was used to investigate 3 different predicted methane yields (g/kg of DMI): Methane1, Methane2, and Methane3. Methane1 was based on the milk fat proportions of C17:0anteiso, C18:1 rans-10+11, C18:1 cis-11, and C18:1 cis-13 (R(2)=0.73). Methane2 was based on C4:0, C18:0, C18:1 trans-10+11, and C18:1 cis-11 (R(2)=0.70). Methane3 was based on C4:0, C6:0, and C18:1 trans-10+11 (R(2)=0.63). Predicted methane yields were demonstrated to be heritable traits, with heritabilities between 0.12 and 0.44. Breeding can, thus, be used to decrease methane production predicted based on milk fatty acids. Copyright © 2015 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Carbon monoxide and methane adsorption of crude oil refinery using activated carbon from palm shells as biosorbent

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yuliusman; Afdhol, M. K.; Sanal, Alristo

2018-03-01

Carbon monoxide and methane gas are widely present in oil refineries. Off-potential gas is used as raw material for the petrochemical industry. In order for this off-gas to be utilized, carbon monoxide and methane must be removed from off-gas. This study aims to adsorb carbon monoxide and methane using activated carbon of palm shells and commercial activated carbon simultaneously. This research was conducted in 2 stages: 1) Preparation and characterization of activated carbon, 2) Carbon monoxide and methane adsorption test. The activation experiments using carbon dioxide at a flow rate of 150 ml/min yielded a surface area of 978.29 m2/g, Nitrogen at flow rate 150 ml/min yielded surface area 1241.48 m2/g, and carbon dioxide and nitrogen at a flow rate 200 ml/min yielded a surface area 300.37 m2/g. Adsorption of carbon monoxide and methane on activated carbon of palm shell systems yielded results in the amount of 0.5485 mg/g and 0.0649 mg/g and using commercial activated carbon yielded results in the amount of 0.5480 mg/g and 0.0650 mg/g

Effect of biochar addition on hydrogen and methane production in two-phase anaerobic digestion of aqueous carbohydrates food waste.

PubMed

Sunyoto, Nimas M S; Zhu, Mingming; Zhang, Zhezi; Zhang, Dongke

2016-11-01

Effect of biochar addition on hydrogen and methane production in two-phase anaerobic digestion of aqueous carbohydrates was studied using bench-scale bioreactors. The cultures with biochar additions were placed in 100ml reactors and incubated at 35°C and pH 5 for hydrogen production. The residual cultures were then used for methane production, incubated at 35°C and pH 7. Daily yields of hydrogen and methane and weekly yield of volatile fatty acids (VFA) were measured. The hydrogen and methane production potentials, rate and lag phases of the two phases were analysed using the Gompertz model. The results showed that biochar addition increased the maximum production rates of hydrogen by 32.5% and methane 41.6%, improved hydrogen yield by 31.0% and methane 10.0%, and shortened the lag phases in the two phases by 36.0% and 41.0%, respectively. Biochar addition also enhanced VFA generation during hydrogen production and VFA degradation in methane production. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Genomic heritabilities and genomic estimated breeding values for methane traits in Angus cattle.

PubMed

Hayes, B J; Donoghue, K A; Reich, C M; Mason, B A; Bird-Gardiner, T; Herd, R M; Arthur, P F

2016-03-01

Enteric methane emissions from beef cattle are a significant component of total greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture. The variation between beef cattle in methane emissions is partly genetic, whether measured as methane production, methane yield (methane production/DMI), or residual methane production (observed methane production - expected methane production), with heritabilities ranging from 0.19 to 0.29. This suggests methane emissions could be reduced by selection. Given the high cost of measuring methane production from individual beef cattle, genomic selection is the most feasible approach to achieve this reduction in emissions. We derived genomic EBV (GEBV) for methane traits from a reference set of 747 Angus animals phenotyped for methane traits and genotyped for 630,000 SNP. The accuracy of GEBV was tested in a validation set of 273 Angus animals phenotyped for the same traits. Accuracies of GEBV ranged from 0.29 ± 0.06 for methane yield and 0.35 ± 0.06 for residual methane production. Selection on GEBV using the genomic prediction equations derived here could reduce emissions for Angus cattle by roughly 5% over 10 yr.

Anaerobic co-digestion of chicken manure and microalgae Chlorella sp.: Methane potential, microbial diversity and synergistic impact evaluation.

PubMed

Li, Ruirui; Duan, Na; Zhang, Yuanhui; Liu, Zhidan; Li, Baoming; Zhang, Dongming; Dong, Taili

2017-10-01

Anaerobic digestion (AD) is a promising alternative for livestock manure management. This paper presents the experimental results obtained through a batch experiment by using chicken manure (CM) and microalgae Chlorella sp. as co-substrates. The effect of co-digestion was evaluated by varying CM to Chlorella sp. ratios (0:10, 2:8, 4:6, 6:4, 8:2, 10: 0 based on the volatile solids (VS)). The major objective of this study is to evaluate the feasibility and synergistic impact of co-digestion of CM and Chlorella sp. Enhanced 14.20% and 76.86% methane production than CM and Chlorella sp. mono-digestion respectively was achieved in co-digestion at the ratio 8:2. In addition, the co-digestion at the ratio 8:2 showed significantly higher methane yield than the weighted average of the individual substrates' specific methane yield (WSMY), indicating strong synergy effect. The Illumina Miseq sequencing analysis showed that the AD process suppressed the acetoclastic methanogenesis Methanosaeta content; but partly enhanced hydrogenotrophic methanogenesis Methanosarcina, Methanospirillum and Methanobacterium, which was responsible for the methane production. The pre-treated microalgae was then introduced at the optimal ratio 8:2 to estimate the effect of pre-treatment of microalgae on AD process. However, the pre-treatment exhibited no positive effect. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Kinetics of anaerobic degradation of screened dairy manure by upflow fixed bed digesters: effect of natural zeolite addition.

PubMed

Nikolaeva, S; Sánchez, E; Borja, R; Raposo, F; Colmenarejo, M F; Montalvo, S; Jiménez-Rodríguez, A M

2009-02-01

The effect of the hydraulic retention time (HRT) on the performance of two up-flow anaerobic fixed bed digesters (UFAFBDs) packed with waste tire rubber (D1) and waste tire rubber and zeolite (D2) as micro-organism immobilization supports was studied. It was found that a first-order kinetic model described well the experimental results obtained. The kinetic constants for COD, BOD5, total solids (TS) and volatile solids (VS) removal were determined to be higher in digester D2 than in digester D1 or control. Specifically, they were 0.28 +/- 0.01, 0.32 +/- 0.02, 0.16 +/- 0.01 and 0.24 +/- 0.01 d(- 1) respectively for D1 and 0.33 +/- 0.02, 0.40 +/- 0.02, 0.21 +/- 0.01 and 0.28 +/- 0.01 d(- 1) respectively for D2. This was significant at the 95% confidence level. In addition, the first-order model was also adequate for assessing the effect of the HRT on the removal efficiency and methane production. Maximum methane yield and the first-order constant for methane production were determined and the results obtained were comparable with those obtained by other authors but operating at higher HRTs. Maximum methane yields and the kinetic constant for methane production were 11.1% and 29.4% higher in digester D2 than in D1.

Bioconversion of water hyacinth-Coastal Bermuda grass-MSW-sludge blends to methane

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ghosh, S.; Henry, M.P.; Klass, D.L.

1979-01-01

Continuous operation of a biomethanation plant could be acheved more readily if mixtures of biomass and organic wastes could be utilized as feedstock. The research reported in this paper was directed to a laboratory evaluation of a blend of terrestrial and aquatic biomass with organic wastes as an anaerobic digester feed. Specifically, a blend of water hyacinth, Coastal Bermuda grass, the combustible fraction of municipal solid waste, and a small quantity of sludge was digested under standard, high-rate mesophilic conditions. Good methane production was achieved without the addition of external nutrients. As expected, biodegradabilities in decreasing order were hemicellulose, cellulose,more » crude protein, and lignin. The digester effluent was easily dewatered by filtration without chemical conditioning. Pretreatment of the feed slurry with 3 wt % sodium hydroxide solution under ambient conditions improved methane yield about 20% over that of the fresh untreated feed. A kinetic analysis of the experimental data indicated that hydrolysis or acidification was the rate limiting step of digestion of the biomass-waste blend. It was concluded from this work that biomass-waste blends of the type studied in this work can sustain anaerobic digestion under conventional conditions for long periods with little difficulty. Substantial improvements in methane yield should be possible, however, by use of advanced digestion techniques because methane recovery efficiencies in this work ranged up to about 46%.« less

Enhancing the solid-state anaerobic digestion of fallen leaves through simultaneous alkaline treatment.

PubMed

Liew, Lo Niee; Shi, Jian; Li, Yebo

2011-10-01

Previous studies have shown that alkali pretreatment prior to anaerobic digestion (AD) can increase the digestibility of lignocellulosic biomass and methane yield. In order to simplify the process and reduce the capital cost, simultaneous alkali treatment and anaerobic digestion was evaluated for methane production from fallen leaves. The highest methane yield of 82 L/kg volatile solids (VS) was obtained at NaOH loading of 3.5% and substrate-to-inoculum (S/I) ratio of 4.1. The greatest enhancement in methane yield was achieved at S/I ratio of 6.2 with NaOH loading of 3.5% which was 24-fold higher than that of the control (without NaOH addition). Reactors at S/I ratio of 8.2 resulted in failure of the AD process. In addition, increasing the total solid (TS) content from 20% to 26% reduced biogas yield by 35% at S/I ratio of 6.2 and NaOH loading of 3.5%. Cellulose and hemicellulose degradation and methane yields are highly related. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Methane production by anaerobic digestion of Bermuda grass

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Klass, D.L.; Ghosh, S.

1979-01-01

Bermuda grass (Cynodon dactylon) is one of the high-yield warm-season grasses that has been suggested as a promising raw material for conversion to methane. Experimental work performed with laboratory digesters to study the anaerobic digestion of Coastal Bermuda grass harvested in Louisiana and having a C/N ratio of 24 is described. Methane yields of about 1.9 SCF/lb of volatile solids( VS) added were observed under conventional mesophilic high-rate conditions. When supplemental nitrogen additions were made, the yields increased up to 3.5 SCF/lb of VS added indicating that the nitrogen content of the grass examined was insufficient to sustain high-rate digestionmore » at the higher yield level. Thermophilic digestion with supplemental nitrogen additions afforded methane yields of about 2.7 SCF/lb VS added. Carbon and energy balances were calculated and the relative biodegradabilities of the organics were estimated.« less

Pretreatment of Cottage Cheese to Enhance Biogas Production

PubMed Central

Salgaonkar, Bhakti; Mutnuri, Srikanth

2014-01-01

This study evaluated the possibility of pretreating selected solid fraction of an anaerobic digester treating food waste to lower the hydraulic retention time and increase the methane production. The study investigated the effect of different pretreatments (thermal, chemical, thermochemical and enzymatic) for enhanced methane production from cottage cheese. The most effective pretreatments were thermal and enzymatic. Highest solubilisation of COD was observed in thermal pretreatment, followed by thermochemical. In single enzyme systems, lipase at low concentration gave significantly higher methane yield than for the experiments without enzyme additions. The highest lipase dosages decreased methane yield from cottage cheese. However, in case of protease enzyme an increase in concentration of the enzyme showed higher methane yield. In the case of mixed enzyme systems, pretreatment at 1 : 2 ratio of lipase : protease showed higher methane production in comparison with 1 : 1 and 2 : 1 ratios. Methane production potentials for different pretreatments were as follows: thermal 357 mL/g VS, chemical 293 mL/g VS, and thermochemical 441 mL/g VS. The average methane yield from single enzyme systems was 335 mL/g VS for lipase and 328 mL/g VS for protease. Methane potentials for mixed enzyme ratios were 330, 360, and 339 mL/g VS for 1 : 1, 1 : 2, and 2 : 1 lipase : protease, respectively. PMID:24995288

Decreasing methane yield with increasing food intake keeps daily methane emissions constant in two foregut fermenting marsupials, the western grey kangaroo and red kangaroo.

PubMed

Vendl, Catharina; Clauss, Marcus; Stewart, Mathew; Leggett, Keith; Hummel, Jürgen; Kreuzer, Michael; Munn, Adam

2015-11-01

Fundamental differences in methane (CH4) production between macropods (kangaroos) and ruminants have been suggested and linked to differences in the composition of the forestomach microbiome. Using six western grey kangaroos (Macropus fuliginosus) and four red kangaroos (Macropus rufus), we measured daily absolute CH4 production in vivo as well as CH4 yield (CH4 per unit of intake of dry matter, gross energy or digestible fibre) by open-circuit respirometry. Two food intake levels were tested using a chopped lucerne hay (alfalfa) diet. Body mass-specific absolute CH4 production resembled values previously reported in wallabies and non-ruminant herbivores such as horses, and did not differ with food intake level, although there was no concomitant proportionate decrease in fibre digestibility with higher food intake. In contrast, CH4 yield decreased with increasing intake, and was intermediate between values reported for ruminants and non-ruminant herbivores. These results correspond to those in ruminants and other non-ruminant species where increased intake (and hence a shorter digesta retention in the gut) leads to a lower CH4 yield. We hypothesize that rather than harbouring a fundamentally different microbiome in their foregut, the microbiome of macropods is in a particular metabolic state more tuned towards growth (i.e. biomass production) rather than CH4 production. This is due to the short digesta retention time in macropods and the known distinct 'digesta washing' in the gut of macropods, where fluids move faster than particles and hence most likely wash out microbes from the forestomach. Although our data suggest that kangaroos only produce about 27% of the body mass-specific volume of CH4 of ruminants, it remains to be modelled with species-specific growth rates and production conditions whether or not significantly lower CH4 amounts are emitted per kg of meat in kangaroo than in beef or mutton production. © 2015. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

Determination of biogas generation potential as a renewable energy source from supermarket wastes.

PubMed

Alkanok, Gizem; Demirel, Burak; Onay, Turgut T

2014-01-01

Fruit, vegetable, flower waste (FVFW), dairy products waste (DPW), meat waste (MW) and sugar waste (SW) obtained from a supermarket chain were anaerobically digested, in order to recover methane as a source of renewable energy. Batch mesophilic anaerobic reactors were run at total solids (TS) ratios of 5%, 8% and 10%. The highest methane yield of 0.44 L CH4/g VS(added) was obtained from anaerobic digestion of wastes (FVFW+DPW+MW+SW) at 10% TS, with 66.4% of methane (CH4) composition in biogas. Anaerobic digestion of mixed wastes at 5% and 8% TS provided slightly lower methane yields of 0.41 and 0.40 L CH4/g VS(added), respectively. When the wastes were digested alone without co-substrate addition, the highest methane yield of 0.40 L CH4/g VS(added) was obtained from FVFW at 5% TS. Generally, although the volatile solids (VS) conversion percentages seemed low during the experiments, higher methane yields could be obtained from anaerobic digestion of supermarket wastes. A suitable carbon/nitrogen (C/N) ratio, proper adjustment of the buffering capacity and the addition of essential trace nutrients (such as Ni) could improve VS conversion and biogas production yields significantly. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Co-digestion of cattle manure with food waste and sludge to increase biogas production

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Maranon, E., E-mail: emara@uniovi.es; Castrillon, L.; Quiroga, G.

2012-10-15

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Small increase in methane production was observed applying sonication pretreatment. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Biogas productions between 720 and 1100 mL/Lreactor day were achieved. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Volatile solids removal efficiencies ranged between 53% and 60%. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Lower methane yields were obtained when operating under thermophilic conditions. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Optimum OLR in lab-scale CSTR was 1.2-1.3 g VS/L day (HRT: 20 days). - Abstract: Anaerobic co-digestion strategies are needed to enhance biogas production, especially when treating certain residues such as cattle/pig manure. This paper presents a study of co-digestion of cattle manure with food waste and sewage sludge. With the aim of maximising biogasmore » yields, a series of experiments were carried out under mesophilic and thermophilic conditions using continuously stirred-tank reactors, operating at different hydraulic residence times. Pretreatment with ultrasound was also applied to compare the results with those obtained with non-pretreated waste. Specific methane production decreases when increasing the OLR and decreasing HRT. The maximum value obtained was 603 LCH{sub 4}/kg VS{sub feed} for the co-digestion of a mixture of 70% manure, 20% food waste and 10% sewage sludge (total solid concentration around 4%) at 36 Degree-Sign C, for an OLR of 1.2 g VS/L day. Increasing the OLR to 1.5 g VS/L day led to a decrease of around 20-28% in SMP. Lower methane yields were obtained when operating at 55 Degree-Sign C. The increase in methane production when applying ultrasound to the feed mixtures does not compensate for the energy spent in this pretreatment.« less

Effect of liquid hot water pre-treatment on sugarcane press mud methane yield.

PubMed

López González, Lisbet Mailin; Pereda Reyes, Ileana; Dewulf, Jo; Budde, Jörn; Heiermann, Monika; Vervaeren, Han

2014-10-01

Sugarcane press mud was pretreated by liquid hot water (LHW) at different temperatures (140-210 °C) and pre-treatment times (5-20 min) in order to assess the effects on the chemical oxygen demand (COD) solubilisation, inhibitors formation and methane yield. The experimental results showed that a high degree of biomass solubilisation was possible using LHW. Higher methane yields were obtained at lower severities (log(Ro) = 2.17-2.77) with (i) mild temperatures (140-150 °C) and long contact times (12.5 min, 20 min) or (ii) mild temperatures (175 °C) with short contact time (2 min). The highest increase in methane yield (up to 63%) compared to the untreated press mud was found at 150 °C for 20 min. At temperatures of 200 °C and 210 °C, low methane efficiency was attributed to the possible formation of refractory compounds through the Maillard reaction. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Investigation of effect of particle size and rumen fluid addition on specific methane yields of high lignocellulose grass silage.

PubMed

Wall, D M; Straccialini, B; Allen, E; Nolan, P; Herrmann, C; O'Kiely, P; Murphy, J D

2015-09-01

This work examines the digestion of advanced growth stage grass silage. Two variables were investigated: particle size (greater than 3 cm and less than 1cm) and rumen fluid addition. Batch studies indicated particle size and rumen fluid addition had little effect on specific methane yields (SMYs). In continuous digestion of 3 cm silage the SMY was 342 and 343 L CH4 kg(-1)VS, respectively, with and without rumen fluid addition. However, digester operation was significantly affected through silage floating on the liquor surface and its entanglement in the mixing system. Digestion of 1cm silage with no rumen fluid addition struggled; volatile fatty acid concentrations rose and SMYs dropped. The best case was 1cm silage with rumen fluid addition, offering higher SMYs of 371 L CH4 kg(-1)VS and stable operation throughout. Thus, physical and biological treatments benefited continuous digestion of high fibre grass silage. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Biomethanation potential of macroalgae Ulva spp. and Gracilaria spp. and in co-digestion with waste activated sludge.

PubMed

Costa, J C; Gonçalves, P R; Nobre, A; Alves, M M

2012-06-01

Biochemical methane potential of four species of Ulva and Gracilaria genus was assessed in batch assays at mesophilic temperature. The results indicate a higher specific methane production (per volatile solids) for one of the Ulva sp. compared with other macroalgae and for tests running with 2.5% of total solids (196±9 L CH(4) kg(-1)VS). Considering that macroalgae can potentially be a post treatment of municipal wastewater for nutrients removal, co-digestion of macroalgae with waste activated sludge (WAS) was assessed. The co-digestion of macroalgae (15%) with WAS (85%) is feasible at a rate of methane production 26% higher than WAS alone without decreasing the overall biodegradability of the substrate (42-45% methane yield). The use of anoxic marine sediment as inoculum had no positive effect on the methane production in batch assays. The limiting step of the overall anaerobic digestion process was the hydrolysis. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Determination of biogas generation potential as a renewable energy source from supermarket wastes

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Alkanok, Gizem; Demirel, Burak, E-mail: burak.demirel@boun.edu.tr; Onay, Turgut T.

2014-01-15

Highlights: • Disposal of supermarket wastes in landfills may contribute to environmental pollution. • High methane yields can be obtained from supermarket wastes by anaerobic co-digestion. • Fruit and vegetable wastes or dairy products wastes could individually be handled by a two-stage anaerobic process. • Buffering capacity, trace metal and C/N ratio are essential for digestion of supermarket wastes. - Abstract: Fruit, vegetable, flower waste (FVFW), dairy products waste (DPW), meat waste (MW) and sugar waste (SW) obtained from a supermarket chain were anaerobically digested, in order to recover methane as a source of renewable energy. Batch mesophilic anaerobic reactorsmore » were run at total solids (TS) ratios of 5%, 8% and 10%. The highest methane yield of 0.44 L CH{sub 4}/g VS{sub added} was obtained from anaerobic digestion of wastes (FVFW + DPW + MW + SW) at 10% TS, with 66.4% of methane (CH{sub 4}) composition in biogas. Anaerobic digestion of mixed wastes at 5% and 8% TS provided slightly lower methane yields of 0.41 and 0.40 L CH{sub 4}/g VS{sub added}, respectively. When the wastes were digested alone without co-substrate addition, the highest methane yield of 0.40 L CH{sub 4}/g VS{sub added} was obtained from FVFW at 5% TS. Generally, although the volatile solids (VS) conversion percentages seemed low during the experiments, higher methane yields could be obtained from anaerobic digestion of supermarket wastes. A suitable carbon/nitrogen (C/N) ratio, proper adjustment of the buffering capacity and the addition of essential trace nutrients (such as Ni) could improve VS conversion and biogas production yields significantly.« less

Effect of ensiling and silage additives on biogas production and microbial community dynamics during anaerobic digestion of switchgrass.

PubMed

Zhao, Xiaoling; Liu, Jinhuan; Liu, Jingjing; Yang, Fuyu; Zhu, Wanbin; Yuan, Xufeng; Hu, Yuegao; Cui, Zongjun; Wang, Xiaofen

2017-10-01

Silage processing has a crucial positive impact on the methane yield of anaerobic treated substrates. Changes in the characteristics of switchgrass after ensiling with different additives and their effects on methane production and microbial community changes during anaerobic digestion were investigated. After ensiling (CK), methane yield was increased by 33.59% relative to that of fresh switchgrass (FS). In comparison with the CK treatment, methane production was improved by 17.41%, 13.08% and 8.72% in response to ensiling with LBr+X, LBr and X, respectively. A modified Gompertz model predicted that the optimum treatment was LBr+X, with a potential cumulative methane yield of 178.31mL/g total solids (TS) and a maximum biogas production rate of 44.39mL/g TS·d. Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes were the predominant bacteria in FS and silage switchgrass; however, the switchgrass treated with LBr+X was rich in Synergistetes, which was crucial for methane production. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

High pressure thermal hydrolysis as pre-treatment to increase the methane yield during anaerobic digestion of microalgae.

PubMed

Keymer, Philip; Ruffell, Ian; Pratt, Steven; Lant, Paul

2013-03-01

Anaerobic digestion of algal biomass will be an essential component of algal biofuel production systems, yet the methane yield from digestion of algae is typically much lower than the theoretical potential. In this work, high pressure thermal hydrolysis (HPTH) is shown to enhance methane yield during algae digestion. HPTH pre-treatment was applied to both raw algae and algal residue resulting from lipid extraction. HPTH and even the lipid extraction process itself increased methane yield, by 81% and 33% respectively; in combination they increased yield by 110% over that of the raw algae (18L CH4 gVS(-1) substrate). HPTH had little effect on the rate of anaerobic digestion, however lipid extraction enhanced it by 33% over that for raw algae (0.21day(-1)). Digestion resulted in solubilisation of nitrogen (and phosphorous to a lesser degree) in all cases, showing that there is potential for nutrient recycling for algal growth. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Ensiling of seaweed for a seaweed biofuel industry.

PubMed

Herrmann, Christiane; FitzGerald, Jamie; O'Shea, Richard; Xia, Ao; O'Kiely, Pádraig; Murphy, Jerry D

2015-11-01

Effective biogas production from seaweed necessitates harvest at times of peak quality of biomass and low-loss preservation for year-around supply. Ensiling of five seaweed species and storage up to 90days was investigated as a method to preserve the methane yield potential. Adequate acidification by natural lactic acid fermentation was difficult due to low rapidly fermentable carbohydrate contents, high buffering capacities and low initial numbers of lactic acid bacteria. Nevertheless, products of silage fermentation increased methane yields by up to 28% and compensated for volatile solid losses during ensiling. Preservation of the original methane yield potential was achieved for four of five seaweed species, provided that silage effluent is collected and utilised. 10-28% of the ensiled biomass was released as effluent with methane yields of 218-423LNkg(-1) VS. If further optimised, ensiling represents an effective method of preservation crucial for an efficient seaweed biofuel industry. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Methane Yield Database: Online infrastructure and bioresource for methane yield data and related metadata.

PubMed

Murovec, Boštjan; Kolbl, Sabina; Stres, Blaž

2015-01-01

The aim of this study was to develop and validate a community supported online infrastructure and bioresource for methane yield data and accompanying metadata collected from published literature. In total, 1164 entries described by 15,749 data points were assembled. Analysis of data collection showed little congruence in reporting of methodological approaches. The largest identifiable source of variation in reported methane yields was represented by authorship (i.e. substrate batches within particular substrate class) within which experimental scales (volumes (0.02-5l), incubation temperature (34-40 °C) and % VS of substrate played an important role (p < 0.05, npermutations = 999) as well. The largest fraction of variability, however, remained unaccounted for and thus unexplained (> 63%). This calls for reconsideration of accepted approaches to reporting data in currently published literature to increase capacity to service industrial decision making to a greater extent. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Improving methane production from anaerobic digestion of Pennisetum Hybrid by alkaline pretreatment.

PubMed

Kang, Xihui; Sun, Yongming; Li, Lianhua; Kong, Xiaoying; Yuan, Zhenhong

2018-05-01

Alkaline pretreatment with NaOH was used to improve methane yield from Pennisetum Hybrid. The pretreatments were carried out with different NaOH solutions (2-8% w/w) at three temperatures (35, 55 and 121 °C) for different periods of time (24, 24 and 1 h). All treated and untreated Pennisetum Hybrid were digested under mesophilic conditions (37 °C) to biogas, significant effects of the pretreatments on the yield of methane were observed. Results showed the modified Gompertz equation was reliable (determination coefficients (R 2 ) greater than 0.96) to describe the kinetic behavior of anaerobic digestion of Pennisetum Hybrid. The best result, obtained by the treatment at 35 °C 2% NaOH for 24 h, resulted in the methane yield of 301.7 mL/g VS, corresponding to 21.0% improvement in the methane yield. Compositional, SEM, XRD and FTIR analysis confirmed that lignin removal, structural modification and cellulose crystalline variation were responsible for the improvement. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Estimation of biogas and methane yields in an UASB treating potato starch processing wastewater with backpropagation artificial neural network.

PubMed

Antwi, Philip; Li, Jianzheng; Boadi, Portia Opoku; Meng, Jia; Shi, En; Deng, Kaiwen; Bondinuba, Francis Kwesi

2017-03-01

Three-layered feedforward backpropagation (BP) artificial neural networks (ANN) and multiple nonlinear regression (MnLR) models were developed to estimate biogas and methane yield in an upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor treating potato starch processing wastewater (PSPW). Anaerobic process parameters were optimized to identify their importance on methanation. pH, total chemical oxygen demand, ammonium, alkalinity, total Kjeldahl nitrogen, total phosphorus, volatile fatty acids and hydraulic retention time selected based on principal component analysis were used as input variables, whiles biogas and methane yield were employed as target variables. Quasi-Newton method and conjugate gradient backpropagation algorithms were best among eleven training algorithms. Coefficient of determination (R 2 ) of the BP-ANN reached 98.72% and 97.93% whiles MnLR model attained 93.9% and 91.08% for biogas and methane yield, respectively. Compared with the MnLR model, BP-ANN model demonstrated significant performance, suggesting possible control of the anaerobic digestion process with the BP-ANN model. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of dilution and ash supplement on the bio-methane potential of palm oil mill effluent (POME)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jijai, Sunwanee; Muleng, Saina; Siripatana, Chairat

2017-08-01

This study aimed to evaluate the bio-methane potential of POME at different dilutions (100, 80, 60, 40, and 20 percent of initial POME) and different pH dues to different levels of ash supplement. Five different amounts of ash were added to digesters (0, 2, 4, 6, and 8 grams of ash were added to 170 ml of POME respectively). The digesters were operated in batch anaerobic digestion systems at room temperature (28-30 °C) and the experiments were performed in duplicate manner. The results showed that POME without dilution gave highest cumulative biogas (950 ml). However, 80% dilution from original POME gave the highest methane yield (45.83 mL CH4/ gCODadded or 103.13 mL CH4/ gCODremoved). Finally, the results of experiment 2, this adding ash into POME increased pH as well as enhanced the biogas production. It was found that adding ash at the ash:POME ratio of 2 g: 170 ml gave the highest both the cumulative biogas and methane yield (1,520 mL and 218.79 mL CH4/ gCODremoved respectively). The addition of ash in the raw waste of POME gave the pH in the range of criteria and highest bio-methane potential. The modified Gompertz equation, Schnute as well as Monod kinetic models were used to compare the data from the experiments. It was found that the factors that affected included, the bio-methane production and the kinetic parameters (the maximum specific methane production rates (Rm ml/day) and the methane production potential (P, mL)), initial COD, nutrients, levels of dilution, and initial pH (by adding different level of ash). However, λ (lag phase period) was not affected by initial COD and other factors. While Monod kinetics provides valuable insight in explaining what could happen behind the systematic trends.

Methane Fingerprinting: Isotopic Methane and Ethane-to-Methane Ratio Analysis Using a Cavity Ring-Down Spectrometer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saad, Nabil; Fleck, Derek; Hoffnagle, John

2016-04-01

Emissions of Natural gas, and methane (CH4) specifically, have come under increased scrutiny by virtue of methane's 28-36x greenhouse warming potential compared to carbon dioxide (CO2) while accounting for 10% of the total greenhouse gas emissions in the US. Large uncontrolled leaks, such as the recent Aliso Canyon leak, originating from uncapped wells, coal mines and storage facilities have increased the total global contribution of methane missions even further. Determining the specific fingerprint of methane sources, by quantifying δ13C values and C2:C1 ratios, provides the means to understand methane producing processes and allows for sources of methane to be mapped and classified through these processes; i.e. biogenic vs. thermogenic, wet vs dry. In this study we present a fully developed Cavity Ring-Down Spectrometer (CRDS) that precisely measures 12CH4 concentration and its 13CH4 isotope concentration, yielding δ13C measurements, C2H6 concentration, along with CO2 and H2O. This provides real-time continuous measurements without an upfront separation requirement or multiple analyses to derive the origin of the gas samples. The highly sensitive analyzer allows for measurements of scarce molecules down to sub-ppb 1-σ precision in 5 minutes of measurement: with CH4 <0.1ppb, δ13C <1‰ C2H6 <1ppb and CO2 <1ppm. To complement this work, we provide the analysis of different methane sources providing a 2-dimensional mapping of methane sources as functions of δ13C and C2:C1 ratios, which can be thought of as a modified Bernard Plot. This dual ratio mapping can be used to discriminate between naturally occurring biogenic methane sources, naturally occurring enriched thermogenic sources, and natural gas distribution sources. This also shows future promise in aiding gas and oil exploration, in distinguishing oil vs coal gases, as well as a valuable tool in the development of methane sequestration.

Microbial characteristics analysis and kinetic studies on substrate composition to methane after microbial and nutritional regulation of fruit and vegetable wastes anaerobic digestion.

PubMed

Zhao, Chunhui; Mu, Hui; Zhao, Yuxiao; Wang, Liguo; Zuo, Bin

2018-02-01

This study firstly evaluated the microbial role when choosing the acclimated anaerobic granular sludge (AGS) and waste activated sludge (WAS) as microbial and nutritional regulators to improve the biomethanation of fruit and vegetable wastes (FVW). Results showed that the enriched hydrogenotrophic methanogens, and Firmicutes and Spirochaeta in the AGS were responsible for the enhanced methane yield. A synthetic waste representing the mixture of WAS and FVW was then used to investigate the influences of different substrate composition on methane generations. The optimal mass ratio of carbohydrate/protein/cellulose was observed to be 50:45:5, and the corresponding methane yield was 411mL/g-VS added . Methane kinetic studies suggested that the modified Gompertz model fitted better with those substrates of carbohydrate- than protein-predominated. Parameter results indicated that the maximum methane yield and production rate were enhanced firstly and then reduced with the decreasing carbohydrate and increasing protein percentages; the lag phase time however increased continuously. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Methane hydrate synthesis from ice: Influence of pressurization and ethanol on optimizing formation rates and hydrate yield

USGS Publications Warehouse

Chen, Po-Chun.; Huang, Wuu-Liang; Stern, Laura A.

2010-01-01

Polycrystalline methane gas hydrate (MGH) was synthesized using an ice-seeding method to investigate the influence of pressurization and ethanol on the hydrate formation rate and gas yield of the resulting samples. When the reactor is pressurized with CH4 gas without external heating, methane hydrate can be formed from ice grains with yields up to 25% under otherwise static conditions. The rapid temperature rise caused by pressurization partially melts the granular ice, which reacts with methane to form hydrate rinds around the ice grains. The heat generated by the exothermic reaction of methane hydrate formation buffers the sample temperature near the melting point of ice for enough time to allow for continuous hydrate growth at high rates. Surprisingly, faster rates and higher yields of methane hydrate were found in runs with lower initial temperatures, slower rates of pressurization, higher porosity of the granular ice samples, or mixtures with sediments. The addition of ethanol also dramatically enhanced the formation of polycrystalline MGH. This study demonstrates that polycrystalline MGH with varied physical properties suitable for different laboratory tests can be manufactured by controlling synthesis procedures or parameters. Subsequent dissociation experiments using a gas collection apparatus and flowmeter confirmed high methane saturation (CH 4·2O, with n = 5.82 ± 0.03) in the MGH. Dissociation rates of the various samples synthesized at diverse conditions may be fitted to different rate laws, including zero and first order.

Two-stage anaerobic digestion of sugar beet silage: The effect of the pH-value on process parameters and process efficiency.

PubMed

Kumanowska, Elzbieta; Uruñuela Saldaña, Mariana; Zielonka, Simon; Oechsner, Hans

2017-12-01

The study investigated the influence of the target pH-values 4.5, 5, 5.5 and 6 in the acidification reactor on process parameters, such as substrate-specific methane yield and the intermediates, in the two-stage anaerobic digestion of sugar beet silage. The total specific methane yield (Nlkg -1 CODd -1 ) increased with an increase in the pH (pH 4.5: 140.58±70.08, pH 5: 181.21±55.71, pH 5.5: 218.32±51.01, pH 6: 256.47±28.78). The pH-value also had an effect on the dominant intermediate in hydrolysate. At the pH-value of 4.5, almost no acidification and microbial activity was observed. At pH 5 and 5.5, butyric acid production dominated, guided by H 2 production. At pH 6 acetic acid was the main product. The absence of H 2 and the highest SMY makes it favorable under practical aspects. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Chemical composition and methane potential of commercial food wastes.

PubMed

Lopez, Victoria M; De la Cruz, Florentino B; Barlaz, Morton A

2016-10-01

There is increasing interest in anaerobic digestion in the U.S. However, there is little information on the characterization of commercial food waste sources as well as the effect of waste particle size on methane yield. The objective of this research was to characterize four commercial food waste sources: (1) university dining hall waste, (2) waste resulting from prepared foods and leftover produce at a grocery store, (3) food waste from a hotel and convention center, and (4) food preparation waste from a restaurant. Each sample was tested in triplicate 8L batch anaerobic digesters after shredding and after shredding plus grinding. Average methane yields for the university dining, grocery store, hotel, and restaurant wastes were 363, 427, 492, and 403mL/dry g, respectively. Starch exhibited the most complete consumption and particle size did not significantly affect methane yields for any of the tested substrates. Lipids represented 59-70% of the methane potential of the fresh substrates. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Composition variability of the organic fraction of municipal solid waste and effects on hydrogen and methane production potentials.

PubMed

Alibardi, Luca; Cossu, Raffaello

2015-02-01

The composition of the Organic Fraction of Municipal Solid Waste (OFMSW) strongly depends on the place and time of collection for a specific municipality or area. Moreover synthetic food waste or organic waste from cafeterias and restaurants may not be representative of the overall OFMSW received at treatment facilities for source-separated waste. This work is aimed at evaluating the composition variability of OFMSW, the potential productions of hydrogen and methane from specific organic waste fractions typically present in MSW and the effects of waste composition on overall hydrogen and methane yields. The organic waste fractions considered in the study were: bread-pasta, vegetables, fruits, meat-fish-cheese and undersieve 20mm. Composition analyses were conducted on samples of OFMSW that were source segregated at household level. Batch tests for hydrogen and methane productions were carried out under mesophilic conditions on selected fractions and OFMSW samples. Results indicated that the highest production of hydrogen was achieved by the bread-pasta fraction while the lowest productions were measured for the meat-fish-cheese fraction. The results indicated that the content of these two fractions in organic waste had a direct influence on the hydrogen production potentials of OFMSW. The higher the content of bread-pasta fraction, the higher the hydrogen yields were while the contrary was observed for the meat-fish-cheese fraction. The definition of waste composition therefore represents fundamental information to be reported in scientific literature to allow data comparison. The variability of OFMSW and its effects on hydrogen potentials might also represents a problematic issue in the management of pilot or full-scale plants for the production of hydrogen by dark fermentation. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A new method for the simultaneous enhancement of methane yield and reduction of hydrogen sulfide production in the anaerobic digestion of waste activated sludge.

PubMed

Dai, Xiaohu; Hu, Chongliang; Zhang, Dong; Chen, Yinguang

2017-11-01

The biogas generated from anaerobic digestion (AD) also includes undesirable by-product such as hydrogen sulfide (H 2 S), which must be removed before the biogas can be used as a clean energy source. Therefore, it is necessary to find an appropriate strategy to simultaneously enhance the methane yield and reduce H 2 S production. An efficient strategy-pretreating sludge at pH 10 for 8d and adjusting the system at neutral pH to produce methane for 20d-is reported for the synchronous enhancement of methane production and reduction of H 2 S production during AD. The experimental results showed that the cumulative methane yield was 861.2±6.1mL/g volatile solids (VS) of sludge pretreated at pH 10 in semi-continuous stirred anaerobic reactors for 84d, an increase of 49.6% over the yield in the control. Meanwhile, the cumulative production of H 2 S was 144.1×10 -4 mL/g VS, 54.2% lower than that in the control. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Hydrogen Migration and Vinylidene Pathway for Formation of Methane in the 193 nm Photodissociation of Propene: CH3CH=CH2 and CD3CD=CD2

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zhao, Yi-Lei; Laufer, Allan H.; Halpern, Joshua B.; Fahr, Askar

2007-01-01

Photodissociation channels and the final product yields from the 193 nm photolysis of propene-h6 (CH2=CHCH3) and propene-d6 (CD2=CDCD3) have been investigated, employing gas chromatography, mass spectroscopy, and flame ionization (GC/MS/FID) detection methods. The yields of methane as well as butadiene relative to ethane show considerable variations when propene-h6 or propene-d6 are photolyzed. This suggests significant variances in the relative importance of primary photolytic processes and/or secondary radical reactions, occurring subsequent to the photolysis. Theoretical calculations suggest the potential occurrence of an intramolecular dissociation through a mechanism involving vinylidene formation, accompanied by an ethylenic H-migration through the pi-orbitals. This process affects the final yields of methane-h4 versus methane-d4 with respect to other products. The product yields from previous studies of the 193 nm photolysis of methyl vinyl ketone-h6 and -d6 (CH2=CHCOCH3, CD2=CDCOCD3), alternative precursors for generating methyl and vinyl radicals, are compared with the current results for propene.

Biohydrogen and methane production by co-digestion of cassava stillage and excess sludge under thermophilic condition.

PubMed

Wang, Wen; Xie, Li; Chen, Jinrong; Luo, Gang; Zhou, Qi

2011-02-01

Thermophilic anaerobic hydrogen and methane production by co-digestion of cassava stillage (CS) and excess sludge (ES) was investigated in this study. The improved hydrogen and subsequent methane production were observed by co-digestion of CS with certain amount of ES in batch experiments. Compared with one phase anaerobic digestion, two phase anaerobic digestion offered an attractive alternative with more abundant biogas production and energy yield, e.g., the total energy yield in two phase obtained at VS(CS)/VS(ES) of 3:1 was 25% higher than the value of one phase. Results from continuous experiments further demonstrated that VS(CS)/VS(ES) of 3:1 was optimal for hydrogen production with the highest hydrogen yield of 74 mL/gtotal VS added, the balanced nutrient condition with C/N ratio of 1.5 g carbohydrate-COD/gprotein-COD or 11.9 g C/gN might be the main reason for such enhancement. VS(CS)/VS(ES) of 3:1 was also optimal for continuous methane production considering the higher methane yield of 350 mL/gtotal VS added and the lower propionate concentration in the effluent. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Membrane lipid patterns typify distinct anaerobic methanotrophic consortia

PubMed Central

Blumenberg, Martin; Seifert, Richard; Reitner, Joachim; Pape, Thomas; Michaelis, Walter

2004-01-01

The anaerobic oxidation of methane (AOM) is one of the major sinks of this substantial greenhouse gas in marine environments. Recent investigations have shown that diverse communities of anaerobic archaea and sulfate-reducing bacteria are involved in AOM. Most of the relevant archaea are assigned to two distinct phylogenetic clusters, ANME-1 and ANME-2. A suite of specific 13C-depleted lipids demonstrating the presence of consortia mediating AOM in fossil and recent environments has been established. Here we report on substantial differences in the lipid composition of microbial consortia sampled from distinct compartments of AOM-driven carbonate reefs growing in the northwestern Black Sea. Communities in which the dominant archaea are from the ANME-1 cluster yield internally cyclized tetraether lipids typical of thermophiles. Those in which ANME-2 archaea are dominant yield sn-2-hydroxyarchaeol accompanied by crocetane and crocetenes. The bacterial lipids from these communities are also distinct even though the sulfate-reducing bacteria all belong to the Desulfosarcina/Desulfococcus group. Nonisoprenoidal glycerol diethers are predominantly associated with ANME-1-dominated communities. Communities with ANME-2 yield mainly conventional, ester-linked diglycerides. ANME-1 archaea and associated sulfate-reducing bacteria seem to be enabled to use low concentrations of methane and to grow within a broad range of temperatures. Our results offer a tool for the study of recent and especially of fossil methane environments. PMID:15258285

Using the properties of soil to speed up the start-up process, enhance process stability, and improve the methane content and yield of solid-state anaerobic digestion of alkaline-pretreated poplar processing residues.

PubMed

Yao, Yiqing; Luo, Yang; Li, Tian; Yang, Yingxue; Sheng, Hongmei; Virgo, Nolan; Xiang, Yun; Song, Yuan; Zhang, Hua; An, Lizhe

2014-01-01

Solid-state anaerobic digestion (SS-AD) was initially adopted for the treatment of municipal solid waste. Recently, SS-AD has been increasingly applied to treat lignocellulosic biomass, such as agricultural and forestry residues. However, studies on the SS-AD process are few. In this study, the process performance and methane yield from SS-AD of alkaline-pretreated poplar processing residues (PPRs) were investigated using the properties of soil, such as buffering capacity and nutritional requirements. The results showed that the lignocellulosic structures of the poplar sample were effectively changed by NaOH pretreatment, as indicated by scanning electron microscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectra analysis. The start-up was markedly hastened, and the process stability was enhanced. After NaOH pretreatment, the maximum methane yield (96.1 L/kg volatile solids (VS)) was obtained under a poplar processing residues-to-soil sample (P-to-S) ratio of 2.5:1, which was 29.9% and 36.1% higher than that of PPRs (74.0 L/kg VS) and that of experiments without NaOH pretreatment (70.6 L/kg VS), respectively. During steady state, the increase in the methane content of the experiment with a P-to-S ratio of 2.5:1 was 4.4 to 50.9% higher than that of the PPRs. Degradation of total solids and volatile solids ranged from 19.3 to 33.0% and from 34.9 to 45.9%, respectively. The maximum reductions of cellulose and hemicellulose were 52.6% and 42.9%, respectively, which were in accordance with the maximal methane yield. T 80 for the maximum methane yield for the experiments with NaOH pretreatment was 11.1% shorter than that for the PPRs. Pretreatment with NaOH and addition of soil led to a significant improvement in the process performance and the methane yield of SS-AD of PPRs. The changes in lignocellulosic structures induced by NaOH pretreatment led to an increase in methane yield. For the purpose of practical applications, SS-AD with soil addition is a convenient, economical, and practical technique.

Enhancing ethanol production from thermophilic and mesophilic solid digestate using ozone combined with aqueous ammonia pretreatment.

PubMed

Wang, Dianlong; Xi, Jiang; Ai, Ping; Yu, Liang; Zhai, Hong; Yan, Shuiping; Zhang, Yanlin

2016-05-01

Pretreatment with ozone combined with aqueous ammonia was used to recover residual organic carbon from recalcitrant solid digestate for ethanol production after anaerobic digestion (AD) of rice straw. Methane yield of AD at mesophilic and thermophilic conditions, and ethanol production of solid digestate were investigated. The results showed that the methane yield at thermophilic temperature was 72.2% higher than that at mesophilic temperature under the same conditions of 24days and 17% solid concentration. And also the ethanol production efficiency of solid digestate after thermophilic process was 24.3% higher than that of solid digestate after mesophilic process. In this study, the optimal conditions for integrated methane and ethanol processes were determined as 55°C, 17% solid concentration and 24days. 58.6% of glucose conversion, 142.8g/kg of methane yield and 65.2g/kg of ethanol yield were achieved, and the highest net energy balance was calculated as 6416kJ/kg. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of anaerobic co-digestion of dairy manure with food wastes via bio-methane potential assay and CSTR reactor.

PubMed

Ye, Yulin; Zamalloa, Carlos; Lin, Hongjian; Yan, Mi; Schmidt, David; Hu, Bo

2015-01-01

The introduction of food wastes into anaerobic digestion (AD) brings a promising scenario of increasing feedstock availability and overall energy production from AD. This study evaluated the biodegradability and methane potential from co-digestion of two typical food wastes, kitchen waste and chicken fat, with dairy manure. For single substrate, the bio-methane potential assays showed that kitchen waste had the highest methane yield of 352 L-CH4 kg(-1)-VS added, 92% more than dairy manure alone. Chicken fat at the same Volatile Solid (VS) level (2 g L(-1)) inhibited bio-methane production. Addition of kitchen waste and chicken fat to a VS percentage of up to 40% improved overall methane yield by 44% and 34%, respectively. Synergistic effect was observed when either combining two or three substrates as AD feedstock, possibly as a result of increased biodegradability of organic materials in chicken fat and kitchen waste compared with dairy manure. Addition of chicken fat improved methane yield more than kitchen waste. However, addition of chicken fat VS over 0.8 g L(-1) should be cautiously done because it may cause reactor failure due to decrease in pH. The maximum methane yield was 425 L-CH4 kg(-1)-VS, achieved at a VS ratio of 2:2:1 for kitchen waste, chicken fat, and dairy manure. Results from batch AD experiment demonstrated that supplementing dairy manure to chicken fat and/or kitchen waste improved alkalinity of substrate due to the inclusion of more titratable bases in dairy manure, and therefore stabilized the methanogenesis and substantially improved biogas yield. A mixture of substrates of kitchen waste, chicken fat, and dairy manure at a ratio of 1:1:3 was fed to a continuously stirred tank reactor operated at organic loading rates of 3.28, 6.55, and 2.18 g-COD L(-1)-day (hydraulic retention time of 20, 10, and 30 days, respectively) under mesophilic condition, and methane production rate reached 0.65, 0.95, and 0.34 L-CH4 L(-1)-reactor-day.

Methane-yielding microbial communities processing lactate-rich substrates: a piece of the anaerobic digestion puzzle.

PubMed

Detman, Anna; Mielecki, Damian; Pleśniak, Łukasz; Bucha, Michał; Janiga, Marek; Matyasik, Irena; Chojnacka, Aleksandra; Jędrysek, Mariusz-Orion; Błaszczyk, Mieczysław K; Sikora, Anna

2018-01-01

Anaerobic digestion, whose final products are methane and carbon dioxide, ensures energy flow and circulation of matter in ecosystems. This naturally occurring process is used for the production of renewable energy from biomass. Lactate, a common product of acidic fermentation, is a key intermediate in anaerobic digestion of biomass in the environment and biogas plants. Effective utilization of lactate has been observed in many experimental approaches used to study anaerobic digestion. Interestingly, anaerobic lactate oxidation and lactate oxidizers as a physiological group in methane-yielding microbial communities have not received enough attention in the context of the acetogenic step of anaerobic digestion. This study focuses on metabolic transformation of lactate during the acetogenic and methanogenic steps of anaerobic digestion in methane-yielding bioreactors. Methane-yielding microbial communities instead of pure cultures of acetate producers were used to process artificial lactate-rich media to methane and carbon dioxide in up-flow anaerobic sludge blanket reactors. The media imitated the mixture of acidic products found in anaerobic environments/digesters where lactate fermentation dominates in acidogenesis. Effective utilization of lactate and biogas production was observed. 16S rRNA profiling was used to examine the selected methane-yielding communities. Among Archaea present in the bioreactors, the order Methanosarcinales predominated. The acetoclastic pathway of methane formation was further confirmed by analysis of the stable carbon isotope composition of methane and carbon dioxide. The domain Bacteria was represented by Bacteroidetes , Firmicutes , Proteobacteria , Synergistetes , Actinobacteria , Spirochaetes , Tenericutes , Caldithrix , Verrucomicrobia , Thermotogae , Chloroflexi , Nitrospirae, and Cyanobacteria. Available genome sequences of species and/or genera identified in the microbial communities were searched for genes encoding the lactate-oxidizing metabolic machinery homologous to those of Acetobacterium woodii and Desulfovibrio vulgaris . Furthermore, genes for enzymes of the reductive acetyl-CoA pathway were present in the microbial communities. The results indicate that lactate is oxidized mainly to acetate during the acetogenic step of AD and this comprises the acetotrophic pathway of methanogenesis. The genes for lactate utilization under anaerobic conditions are widespread in the domain Bacteria. Lactate oxidation to the substrates for methanogens is the most energetically attractive process in comparison to butyrate, propionate, or ethanol oxidation.

Benefits of supplementing an industrial waste anaerobic digester with energy crops for increased biogas production

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Nges, Ivo Achu, E-mail: Nges.Ivo_Achu@biotek.lu.se; Escobar, Federico; Fu Xinmei

2012-01-15

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer This study demonstrates the feasibility of co-digestion food industrial waste with energy crops. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Laboratory batch co-digestion led to improved methane yield and carbon to nitrogen ratio as compared to mono-digestion of industrial waste. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Co-digestion was also seen as a means of degrading energy crops with nutrients addition as crops are poor in nutrients. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Batch co-digestion methane yields were used to predict co-digestion methane yield in full scale operation. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer It was concluded that co-digestion led an over all economically viable process and ensured a constant supply of feedstock. - Abstract: Currently, there is increasing competitionmore » for waste as feedstock for the growing number of biogas plants. This has led to fluctuation in feedstock supply and biogas plants being operated below maximum capacity. The feasibility of supplementing a protein/lipid-rich industrial waste (pig manure, slaughterhouse waste, food processing and poultry waste) mesophilic anaerobic digester with carbohydrate-rich energy crops (hemp, maize and triticale) was therefore studied in laboratory scale batch and continuous stirred tank reactors (CSTR) with a view to scale-up to a commercial biogas process. Co-digesting industrial waste and crops led to significant improvement in methane yield per ton of feedstock and carbon-to-nitrogen ratio as compared to digestion of the industrial waste alone. Biogas production from crops in combination with industrial waste also avoids the need for micronutrients normally required in crop digestion. The batch co-digestion methane yields were used to predict co-digestion methane yield in full scale operation. This was done based on the ratio of methane yields observed for laboratory batch and CSTR experiments compared to full scale CSTR digestion of industrial waste. The economy of crop-based biogas production is limited under Swedish conditions; therefore, adding crops to existing industrial waste digestion could be a viable alternative to ensure a constant/reliable supply of feedstock to the anaerobic digester.« less

Effects of co-digestion of cucumber residues to corn stover and pig manure ratio on methane production in solid state anaerobic digestion.

PubMed

Wang, Yaya; Li, Guoxue; Chi, Menghao; Sun, Yanbo; Zhang, Jiaxing; Jiang, Shixu; Cui, Zongjun

2018-02-01

This study investigated the performance of co-digesting cucumber residues, corn stover, and pig manure at different ratios. Microbial community structure was analyzed to elucidate functional microorganism contributing to methane production during co-digestion. Results show that mixing cucumber residues with pig manure and corn stover could significantly improved methane yields 1.27-3.46 times higher than mono-feedstock. The methane yields decreased with the cucumber residues increasing when the pig manure ratio was fixed at 4 and 3, and was opposite at ratio 5. The optimal mixture ratio was T2 with the highest methane yield (305.4 mL/g VS) and co-digestion performance index (1.97). The main microbiological community in T2 was bacteria of Firmicutes (44.6%), Bacteroidetes (32.5%), Synergistetes (3.8%) and archaea of Methanosaeta (37.1%), Methanospirillum (18.2%). The mixture ratios changed the microbial community structures. The adding proportion of cucumber residues changed the community composition of the archaea, especially the proportion of Methanosaeta. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Comparison of solid-state to liquid anaerobic digestion of lignocellulosic feedstocks for biogas production.

PubMed

Brown, Dan; Shi, Jian; Li, Yebo

2012-11-01

Lignocellulosic biomass feedstocks (switchgrass, corn stover, wheat straw, yard waste, leaves, waste paper, maple, and pine) were evaluated for methane production under liquid anaerobic digestion (L-AD) and solid-state anaerobic digestion (SS-AD). No significant difference in methane yield between L-AD and SS-AD, except for waste paper and pine, were found. However, the volumetric productivity was 2- to 7-fold greater in the SS-AD system compared with the L-AD system, except for paper. Methane yields from corn stover, wheat straw, and switchgrass were 2-5 times higher than those from yard waste, maple, and pine biomass. Waste paper had a methane yield of only 15 L/kg VS caused by souring during SS-AD due to organic overloading. Pine also had very low biogas yield of 17 L/kg VS, indicating the need for pretreatment prior to SS-AD. The findings of this study can guide future studies to improve the efficiency and stability of SS-AD of lignocellulosic biomass. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Comparison of high-solids to liquid anaerobic co-digestion of food waste and green waste.

PubMed

Chen, Xiang; Yan, Wei; Sheng, Kuichuan; Sanati, Mehri

2014-02-01

Co-digestion of food waste and green waste was conducted with six feedstock mixing ratios to evaluate biogas production. Increasing the food waste percentage in the feedstock resulted in an increased methane yield, while shorter retention time was achieved by increasing the green waste percentage. Food waste/green waste ratio of 40:60 was determined as preferred ratio for optimal biogas production. About 90% of methane yield was obtained after 24.5 days of digestion, with total methane yield of 272.1 mL/g VS. Based the preferred ratio, effect of total solids (TS) content on co-digestion of food waste and green waste was evaluated over a TS range of 5-25%. Results showed that methane yields from high-solids anaerobic digestion (15-20% TS) were higher than the output of liquid anaerobic digestion (5-10% TS), while methanogenesis was inhibited by further increasing the TS content to 25%. The inhibition may be caused by organic overloading and excess ammonia. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Utilization of vegetable dumplings waste from industrial production by anaerobic digestion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pilarska, Agnieszka A.; Pilarski, Krzysztof; Ryniecki, Antoni; Tomaszyk, Kamila; Dach, Jacek; Wolna-Maruwka, Agnieszka

2017-01-01

This paper provides the analysis of results of biogas and methane yield for vegetable dumplings waste: dough with fat, vegetable waste, and sludge from the clarifier. Anaerobic digestion of food waste used in the experiments was stable after combining the substrates with a digested pulp composed of maize silage and liquid manure (as inoculum), at suitable ratios. The study was carried out in a laboratory scale using anaerobic batch reactors, at controlled (mesophilic) temperature and pH conditions. The authors present the chemical reactions accompanying biodegradation of the substrates and indicate the chemical compounds which may lead to acidification during the anaerobic digestion. An anaerobic digestion process carried out with the use of a dough-and-fat mixture provided the highest biogas and methane yields. The following yields were obtained in terms of fresh matter: 242.89 m3 Mg-1 for methane and 384.38 m3 Mg-1 for biogas, and in terms of volatile solids: 450.73 m3 Mg-1 for methane and 742.40 m3 Mg-1 for biogas. Vegetables and sludge from the clarifier (as fresh matter) provided much lower yields.

Effects of diet forage source and neutral detergent fiber content on milk production of dairy cattle and methane emissions determined using GreenFeed and respiration chamber techniques.

PubMed

Hammond, K J; Jones, A K; Humphries, D J; Crompton, L A; Reynolds, C K

2016-10-01

Strategies to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions from dairy cattle are unlikely to be adopted if production or profitability is reduced. The primary objective of this study was to examine the effects of high maize silage (MS) versus high grass silage (GS) diets, without or with added neutral detergent fiber (NDF) on milk production and methane emission of dairy cattle, using GreenFeed (GF) or respiration chamber (RC) techniques for methane emission measurements. Experiment 1 was 12wk in duration with a randomized block continuous design and 40 Holstein cows (74d in milk) in free-stall housing, assigned to 1 of 4 dietary treatments (n=10 per treatment), according to calving date, parity, and milk yield. Milk production and dry matter intake (DMI) were measured daily, and milk composition measured weekly, with methane yield (g/kg of DMI) estimated using a GF unit (wk 10 to 12). Experiment 2 was a 4×4 Latin square design with 5-wk periods and 4 dairy cows (114d in milk) fed the same 4 dietary treatments as in experiment 1. Measurements of DMI, milk production, and milk composition occurred in wk 4, and DMI, milk production, and methane yield were measured for 2d in RC during wk 5. Dietary treatments for both experiments were fed as total mixed rations offered ad libitum and containing 500g of silage/kg of dry matter composed (DM basis) of either 75:25 MS:GS (MS) or 25:75 MS:GS (GS), without or with added NDF from chopped straw and soy hulls (+47g of NDF/kg of dry matter). In both experiments, compared with high GS, cows fed high MS had a higher DMI, greater milk production, and lower methane yield (24% lower in experiment 1 using GF and 8% lower in experiment 2 using RC). Added NDF increased (or tended to increase) methane yield for high MS, but not high GS diets. In the separate experiments, the GF and RC methods detected similar dietary treatment effects on methane emission (expressed as g/d and g/kg of DMI), although the magnitude of the differences varied between experiments. Overall methane emission and yield were 448g/d and 20.9g/kg of DMI for experiment 1 using GF and 458g/d and 23.8g/kg of DMI for experiment 2 using RC, respectively. Copyright © 2016 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The effects of digestion temperature and temperature shock on the biogas yields from the mesophilic anaerobic digestion of swine manure.

PubMed

Chae, K J; Jang, Am; Yim, S K; Kim, In S

2008-01-01

In order to obtain basic design criteria for anaerobic digesters of swine manure, the effects of different digesting temperatures, temperature shocks and feed loads, on the biogas yields and methane content were evaluated. The digester temperatures were set at 25, 30 and 35 degrees C, with four feed loads of 5%, 10%, 20% and 40% (feed volume/digester volume). At a temperature of 30 degrees C, the methane yield was reduced by only 3% compared to 35 degrees C, while a 17.4% reduction was observed when the digestion was performed at 25 degrees C. Ultimate methane yields of 327, 389 and 403 mL CH(4)/g VS(added) were obtained at 25, 30 and 35 degrees C, respectively; with moderate feed loads from 5% to 20% (V/V). From the elemental analysis of swine manure, the theoretical biogas and methane yields at standard temperature and pressure were 1.12L biogas/g VS(destroyed) and 0.724 L CH(4)/g VS(destroyed), respectively. Also, the methane content increased with increasing digestion temperatures, but only to a small degree. Temperature shocks from 35 to 30 degrees C and again from 30 to 32 degrees C led to a decrease in the biogas production rate, but it rapidly resumed the value of the control reactor. In addition, no lasting damage was observed for the digestion performance, once it had recovered.

Enhanced coproduction of hydrogen and methane from cornstalks by a three-stage anaerobic fermentation process integrated with alkaline hydrolysis.

PubMed

Cheng, Xi-Yu; Liu, Chun-Zhao

2012-01-01

A three-stage anaerobic fermentation process including H(2) fermentation I, H(2) fermentation II, methane fermentation was developed for the coproduction of hydrogen and methane from cornstalks. Hydrogen production from cornstalks using direct microbial conversion by Clostridium thermocellum 7072 was markedly enhanced in the two-stage thermophilic hydrogen fermentation process integrated with alkaline treatment. The highest total hydrogen yield from cornstalks in the two-stage fermentation process reached 74.4 mL/g-cornstalk. The hydrogen fermentation effluents and alkaline hydrolyzate were further used for methane fermentation by anaerobic granular sludge, and the total methane yield reached 205.8 mL/g-cornstalk. The total energy recovery in the three-stage anaerobic fermentation process integrated with alkaline hydrolysis reached 70.0%. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Semi-continuous anaerobic digestion of solid poultry slaughterhouse waste: effect of hydraulic retention time and loading.

PubMed

Salminen, Esa A; Rintala, Jukka A

2002-07-01

We studied the effect of hydraulic retention time (HRT) and loading on anaerobic digestion of poultry slaughterhouse wastes, using semi-continuously fed, laboratory-scale digesters at 31 degrees C. The effect on process performance was highly significant: Anaerobic digestion appeared feasible with a loading of up to 0.8 kg volatile solids (VS)/m3 d and an HRT of 50-100 days. The specific methane yield was high, from 0.52 to 0.55 m3/kg VS(added). On the other hand, at a higher loading, in the range from 1.0 to 2.1 kg VS/m3 d, and a shorter HRT, in the range from 25 to 13 days, the process appeared inhibited and/or overloaded, as indicated by the accumulation of volatile fatty acids and long-chain fatty acids and the decline in the methane yield. However, the inhibition was reversible. The nitrogen in the feed, ca. 7.8% of total solids (TS), was organic nitrogen with little ammonia present, whereas in the digested material ammonia accounted for 52-67% (up to 3.8 g/l) of total nitrogen. The TS and VS removals amounted to 76% and 64%, respectively. Our results show that on a continuous basis under the studied conditions and with a loading of up to 0.8 kg VS/m3 d metric ton (wet weight) of the studied waste mixture could yield up to 140 m3 of methane.

Co-digestion performance of organic fraction of municipal solid waste with leachate: Preliminary studies.

PubMed

Guven, Huseyin; Akca, Mehmet Sadik; Iren, Erol; Keles, Fatih; Ozturk, Izzet; Altinbas, Mahmut

2018-01-01

The main aim of the study was to evaluate the co-digestion performance of OFMSW with different wastes. Leachate, reverse osmosis (RO) concentrate collected from a leachate treatment facility and dewatered sewage sludge taken from a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) were used for co-digestion in this paper. An extra effort was made to observe the effect of leachate inclusion in the co-digestion. In the study, the mono-digestion of OFMSW, leachate, RO concentrate and sewage sludge as well as digestion of 7 different waste mixtures were carried out for this objective. The experiments were carried out for approximately 50days under mesophilic conditions. The highest methane yield was 785L CH 4 /kg VS added in the reactor, which had only OFMSW. While the methane yield derived from OFMSW was found higher than previous studies, methane yield of leachate was found to be 110L CH 4 /kg VS added , which was lower than findings in the literature. The mono-substrate of OFMSW was followed by the reactor of having waste mixture of leachate+sewage sludge+OFMSW+water (C7) with 391L CH 4 /kg VS added , which was the only combination included water. In order to understand the effect of leachate and water inclusions on co-digestion, two separate waste combinations; leachate+sewage sludge+OFMSW+water (C7) and leachate+sewage sludge+OFMSW (C1) were prepared that had different amounts of leachate but same amounts of other wastes. The methane yield of leachate+sewage sludge+OFMSW+water (C7) indicated that addition of some water instead of leachate could stimulate biogas production. Methane yield of this reactor was found to be 71% higher than the waste combination of leachate+sewage sludge+OFMSW (C1). It could be thought that the high amount of non-biodegradable matters in leachate could be responsible for lower methane yield in leachate+sewage sludge+OFMSW (C1) reactor. Methane yields of the reactors showed that co-digestion of OFMSW and leachate could be a solution not only for treatment of leachate and but also increasing the biogas potential of leachate. Leachate addition could also adjust optimum total solids (TS) content in anaerobic digestion. It was also understood that RO concentrate did not affect the methane yield in a negative way. The similar characterization of leachate and RO concentrate in this study could offer the utilization of RO concentrate instead of leachate. The findings showed that volatile solids (VS) removals were changed from 32% to 61% in the reactors. While the reactor of leachate+RO concentrate+OFMSW (C6) had the highest VS removal, the reactor of the sole substrate leachate had the lowest VS removal. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Catalytic generation of methane at 60-100 °C and 0.1-300 MPa from source rocks containing kerogen Types I, II, and III

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wei, Lin; Schimmelmann, Arndt; Mastalerz, Maria; Lahann, Richard W.; Sauer, Peter E.; Drobniak, Agnieszka; Strąpoć, Dariusz; Mango, Frank D.

2018-06-01

Low temperature (60 and 100 °C) and long-term (6 months to 5 years) heating of pre-evacuated and sterilized shales and coals containing kerogen Types I (Mahogany Shale), II (Mowry Shale and New Albany Shale), and III (Springfield Coal and Wilcox Lignite) with low initial maturities (vitrinite reflectance Ro 0.39-0.62%) demonstrates that catalytically generated hydrocarbons may explain the occurrence of some non-biogenic natural gas accumulations where insufficient thermal maturity contradicts the conventional thermal cracking paradigm. Extrapolation of the observed rate of catalytic methanogenesis in the laboratory suggests that significant amounts of sedimentary organic carbon can be converted to relatively dry natural gas over tens of thousands of years in sedimentary basins at temperatures as low as 60 °C. Our laboratory experiments utilized source rock (shale and coal) chips sealed in gold and Pyrex® glass tubes in the presence of hydrogen-isotopically contrasting waters. Parallel heating experiments applied hydrostatic pressures from 0.1 to 300 MPa. Control experiments constrained the influence of pre-existing and residual methane in closed pores of rock chips that was unrelated to newly generated methane. This study's experimental methane yields at 60 and 100 °C are 5-11 orders of magnitude higher than the theoretically predicted yields from kinetic models of thermogenic methane generation, which strongly suggests a contribution of catalytic methanogenesis. Higher temperature, longer heating time, and lower hydrostatic pressure enhanced catalytic methanogenesis. No clear relationships were observed between kerogen type or total organic carbon content and methane yields via catalysis. Catalytic methanogenesis was strongest in Mowry Shale where methane yields at 60 °C amounted to ∼2.5 μmol per gram of organic carbon after one year of hydrous heating at ambient pressure. In stark contrast to the earlier findings of hydrogen isotopic exchange between water and thermogenic methane in hydrous pyrolysis experiments above 300 °C, the hydrogen isotopic composition of added water exerted limited influence on the δ2H value of methane generated catalytically at low temperatures. We hypothesize that the catalytic sites responsible for methanogenesis are located in hydrophobic microenvironments with limited access to water. The δ13CCH4 values of methane generated catalytically at 60-100 °C range from ∼-57.6 to -41.4‰ and are thus similar to typical thermogenic methane (δ13CCH4 >-50‰) and microbially generated methane (<-55‰). Future studies need to evaluate the possibility that clumped isotope characteristics of catalytically generated methane can diagnose the low-temperature regime of catalytic methanogenesis. Furthermore, testing of freshly cored anoxic rocks is needed to determine whether the use of archived, oxygen-exposed rocks in geochemical maturation/catalysis studies introduces artifacts in experimental hydrocarbon yields.

Ultrasound assisted biogas production from co-digestion of wastewater sludges and agricultural wastes: Comparison with microwave pre-treatment.

PubMed

Aylin Alagöz, B; Yenigün, Orhan; Erdinçler, Ayşen

2018-01-01

This study investigates the effect of ultrasonication and microwave sludge disintegration/pre-treatment techniques on the anaerobic co-digestion efficiency of wastewater sludges with olive and grape pomaces. The effects of both co-digestion and sludge pre-treatment techniques were evaluated in terms of the organic removal efficiency and the biogas production. The "co-digestion" of wastewater sludge with both types of pomaces was revealed to be a much more efficient way for the biogas production compared to the single (mono) sludge digestion. The ultrasonication and microwave pre-treatments applied to the sludge samples caused to a further increase in biogas and methane yields. Based on applied specific energies, ultrasonication pre-treatment was found much more effective than microwave irradiation. The specific energy applied in microwave pre-treatment (87,000kj/kgTS) was almost 9 times higher than that of used in ultrasonication (10,000kj/kgTS), resulting only 10-15% increases in biogas/methane yield. Co-digestion of winery and olive industry residues with pre-treated wastewater sludges appears to be a suitable technique for waste management and energy production. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Co-digestion of solid waste: Towards a simple model to predict methane production.

PubMed

Kouas, Mokhles; Torrijos, Michel; Schmitz, Sabine; Sousbie, Philippe; Sayadi, Sami; Harmand, Jérôme

2018-04-01

Modeling methane production is a key issue for solid waste co-digestion. Here, the effect of a step-wise increase in the organic loading rate (OLR) on reactor performance was investigated, and four new models were evaluated to predict methane yields using data acquired in batch mode. Four co-digestion experiments of mixtures of 2 solid substrates were conducted in semi-continuous mode. Experimental methane yields were always higher than the BMP values of mixtures calculated from the BMP of each substrate, highlighting the importance of endogenous production (methane produced from auto-degradation of microbial community and generated solids). The experimental methane productions under increasing OLRs corresponded well to the modeled data using the model with constant endogenous production and kinetics identified at 80% from total batch time. This model provides a simple and useful tool for technical design consultancies and plant operators to optimize the co-digestion and the choice of the OLRs. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Comparison of methane production potential, biodegradability, and kinetics of different organic substrates.

PubMed

Li, Yeqing; Zhang, Ruihong; Liu, Guangqing; Chen, Chang; He, Yanfeng; Liu, Xiaoying

2013-12-01

The methane production potential, biodegradability, and kinetics of a wide range of organic substrates were determined using a unified and simple method. Results showed that feedstocks that contained high energy density and easily degradable substrates exhibited high methane production potential and biodegradability. Lignocellulosic biomass with high content of fibrous compositions had low methane yield and biodegradability. Feedstocks with high lignin content (≥ 15%, on a TS basis) had low first-order rate constant (0.05-0.06 1/d) compared to others. A negative linear correlation between lignin content and experimental methane yield (or biodegradability) was found for lignocellulosic and manure wastes. This could be used as a fast method to predict the methane production potential and biodegradability of fiber-rich substrates. The findings of this study provided a database for the conversion efficiency of different organic substrates and might be useful for applications of biomethane potential assay and anaerobic digestion in the future. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of preservation methods for improving biogas production and enzymatic conversion yields of annual crops

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background The use of energy crops and agricultural residues is expected to increase to fulfil the legislative demands of bio-based components in transport fuels. Ensiling methods, adapted from the feed sector, are suitable storage methods to preserve fresh crops throughout the year for, for example, biogas production. Various preservation methods, namely ensiling with and without acid addition for whole crop maize, fibre hemp and faba bean were investigated. For the drier fibre hemp, alkaline urea treatment was studied as well. These treatments were also explored as mild pretreatment methods to improve the disassembly and hydrolysis of these lignocellulosic substrates. Results The investigated storage treatments increased the availability of the substrates for biogas production from hemp and in most cases from whole maize but not from faba bean. Ensiling of hemp, without or with addition of formic acid, increased methane production by more than 50% compared to fresh hemp. Ensiling resulted in substantially increased methane yields also from maize, and the use of formic acid in ensiling of maize further enhanced methane yields by 16%, as compared with fresh maize. Ensiled faba bean, in contrast, yielded somewhat less methane than the fresh material. Acidic additives preserved and even increased the amount of the valuable water-soluble carbohydrates during storage, which affected most significantly the enzymatic hydrolysis yield of maize. However, preservation without additives decreased the enzymatic hydrolysis yield especially in maize, due to its high content of soluble sugars that were already converted to acids during storage. Urea-based preservation significantly increased the enzymatic hydrolysability of hemp. Hemp, preserved with urea, produced the highest carbohydrate increase of 46% in enzymatic hydrolysis as compared to the fresh material. Alkaline pretreatment conditions of hemp improved also the methane yields. Conclusions The results of the present work show that ensiling and alkaline preservation of fresh crop materials are useful pretreatment methods for methane production. Improvements in enzymatic hydrolysis were also promising. While all three crops still require a more powerful pretreatment to release the maximum amount of carbohydrates, anaerobic preservation is clearly a suitable storage and pretreatment method prior to production of platform sugars from fresh crops. PMID:21771298

Use of real time gas production data for more accurate comparison of continuous single-stage and two-stage fermentation.

PubMed

Massanet-Nicolau, Jaime; Dinsdale, Richard; Guwy, Alan; Shipley, Gary

2013-02-01

Changes in fermenter gas composition within a given 24h period can cause severe bias in calculations of biogas or energy yields based on just one or two measurements of gas composition per day, as is common in other studies of two-stage fermentation. To overcome this bias, real time recording of gas composition and production were used to undertake a detailed and controlled comparison of single-stage and two-stage fermentation using a real world substrate (wheat feed pellets). When a two-stage fermentation system was used, methane yields increased from 261 L kg(-1)VS using a 20 day HRT, single-stage fermentation, to 359 L kg(-1) VS using a two-stage fermentation with the same overall retention time--an increase of 37%. Additionally a hydrogen yield of 7 L kg(-1) VS was obtained when two-stage fermentation was used. The two-stage system could also be operated at a shorter, 12 day HRT and still produce higher methane yields (306 L kg(-1) VS). Both two-stage fermentation systems evaluated exhibited methane yields in excess of that predicted by a biological methane potential test (BMP) performed using the same feedstock (260 L kg(-1)VS). Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Wood biodegradation in laboratory-scale landfills.

PubMed

Wang, Xiaoming; Padgett, Jennifer M; De la Cruz, Florentino B; Barlaz, Morton A

2011-08-15

The objective of this research was to characterize the anaerobic biodegradability of major wood products in municipal waste by measuring methane yields, decay rates, the extent of carbohydrate decomposition, carbon storage, and leachate toxicity. Tests were conducted in triplicate 8 L reactors operated to obtain maximum yields. Measured methane yields for red oak, eucalyptus, spruce, radiata pine, plywood (PW), oriented strand board (OSB) from hardwood (HW) and softwood (SW), particleboard (PB) and medium-density fiberboard (MDF) were 32.5, 0, 7.5, 0.5, 6.3, 84.5, 0, 5.6, and 4.6 mL CH(4) dry g(-1), respectively. The red oak, a HW, exhibited greater decomposition than either SW (spruce and radiata), a trend that was also measured for the OSB-HW relative to OSB-SW. However, the eucalyptus (HW) exhibited toxicity. Thus, wood species have unique methane yields that should be considered in the development of national inventories of methane production and carbon storage. The current assumption of uniform biodegradability is not appropriate. The ammonia release from urea formaldehyde as present in PB and MDF could contribute to ammonia in landfill leachate. Using the extent of carbon conversion measured in this research, 0-19.9%, predicted methane production from a wood mixture using the Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change waste model is only 7.9% of that predicted using the 50% carbon conversion default.

Comparison of sodium hydroxide and calcium hydroxide pretreatments of giant reed for enhanced enzymatic digestibility and methane production.

PubMed

Jiang, Danping; Ge, Xumeng; Zhang, Quanguo; Zhou, Xuehua; Chen, Zhou; Keener, Harold; Li, Yebo

2017-11-01

NaOH pretreatment with leachate reuse and Ca(OH) 2 pretreatment were compared for improved enzymatic digestibility and biogas production from giant reed, a promising energy crop. The NaOH pretreatment with leachate reuse increased glucose yields during enzymatic hydrolysis by 2.6-fold, and methane yields during anaerobic digestion by 1.4- to 1.6-fold. However, NaOH pretreatment had a negative net benefit (i.e., revenue from increased energy production minus chemical cost). Pretreatment with 7-20% Ca(OH) 2 not only improved glucose yield and methane yield by up to 2.3-fold and 1.4-fold, respectively, but also obtained a net benefit of $1.1-5.8/tonne dry biomass. Thus, Ca(OH) 2 pretreatment was shown to be more feasible than NaOH pretreatment for biogas production from giant reed. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Potential use of the facultative halophyte Chenopodium quinoa Willd. as substrate for biogas production cultivated with different concentrations of sodium chloride under hydroponic conditions.

PubMed

Turcios, Ariel E; Weichgrebe, Dirk; Papenbrock, Jutta

2016-03-01

This project analyses the biogas potential of the halophyte Chenopodium quinoa Willd. In a first approach C. quinoa was grown with different concentrations of NaCl (0, 10 and 20 ppt NaCl) and the crop residues were used as substrate for biogas production. In a second approach, C. quinoa was grown with 0, 10, 20 and 30 ppt NaCl under hydroponic conditions and the fresh biomass was used as substrate. The more NaCl is in the culture medium, the higher the sodium, potassium, crude ash and hemicellulose content in the plant tissue whereas the calcium, sulfur, nitrogen and carbon content in the biomass decrease. According to this study, it is possible to produce high yields of methane using biomass of C. quinoa. The highest specific methane yields were obtained using the substrate from the plants cultivated at 10 and 20 ppt NaCl in both experiments. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Thermochemical Pretreatment for Anaerobic Digestion of Sorted Waste

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hao, W.; Hongtao, W.

2008-02-01

The effect of alkaline hydrothermal pre-treatment for anaerobic digestion of mechanically-sorted municipal solid waste (MSW) and source-sorted waste was studied. Waste was hydrothermally pre-treated in dilute alkali solution. Hydrolysis product was incubated in 500 ml saline bottle to determine methane potential (MP) under mesospheric anaerobic conditions. Optimum reaction condition obtained in the study is 170 °C at the dose of 4 g NaOH/100 g solid for one hour. Soluble COD was 13936 mg/L and methane yield was 164 ml/g VS for 6 days incubation at optimum conditions. More than 50% biogas increase was achieved over the control, and methane conversion ratio on carbon basis was enhanced to 30.6%. The digestion period was less than 6 days when pre-treatment temperature was above 130 °C. The organic part of sorted waste is mainly constituted of kitchen garbage and leaf. Model kitchen garbage was completely liquidized at 130 °C for one hour and the methane yield was 276 ml/g VS. Addition of alkali enhance hydroxylation rate and methane yield slightly. The biogas potential of leaf could be observed by pre-treatment above 150 °C under alkaline condition.

Enhanced Fermentative Hydrogen and Methane Production from an Inhibitory Fruit-Flavored Medium with Membrane-Encapsulated Cells

PubMed Central

Akinbomi, Julius; Wikandari, Rachman; Taherzadeh, Mohammad J.

2015-01-01

This study focused on the possibility of improving fermentative hydrogen and methane production from an inhibitory fruit-flavored medium using polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) membrane-encapsulated cells. Hexanal, myrcene, and octanol, which are naturally produced in fruits such as apple, grape, mango, orange, strawberry, and plum, were investigated. Batch and semi-continuous fermentation processes at 55 °C were carried out. Presence of 5 g/L of myrcene, octanol, and hexanal resulted in no methane formation by fermenting bacteria, while encapsulated cells in the membranes resulted in successful fermentation with 182, 111, and 150 mL/g COD of methane, respectively. The flavor inhibitions were not serious on hydrogen-producing bacteria. With free cells in the presence of 5 g/L (final concentration) of hexanal-, myrcene-, and octanol-flavored media, average daily yields of 68, 133, and 88 mL/g COD of hydrogen, respectively, were obtained. However, cell encapsulation further improved these hydrogen yields to 189, 179, and 198 mL/g COD. The results from this study indicate that the yields of fermentative hydrogen and methane productions from an inhibitory medium could be improved using encapsulated cells. PMID:26501329

Anaerobic digestion of blackwater from vacuum toilets and kitchen refuse in a continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR).

PubMed

Wendland, C; Deegener, S; Behrendt, J; Toshev, P; Otterpohl, R

2007-01-01

The objective of this research was mesophilic anaerobic digestion of blackwater from vacuum toilets (BW) and kitchen refuse (KR) in a CSTR within an ecological sanitation system. A detailed investigation of the BW characteristics was carried out. Research on anaerobic digestion was performed with CSTR of 101 volume at HRT of 10, 15 and 20 days. The digestion of BW at 20 days HRT showed stable performance without inhibition effects, in spite of relatively high ammonium concentrations. The removal of total and particulate COD was 61% and 53%, respectively, and the methane yield 10/CH4/cap/day. The addition of kitchen refuse (KR) improved the performance of the CSTR in terms of COD removal efficiency and methane yield. At 20 days HRT the removal of total and particulate COD increased up to 71% and 67%, respectively, and the methane yield to 27/CH4/cap/day. The results at 15 days HRT showed similar performance. At HRT of 10 days, the anaerobic treatment was limited but reached steady state conditions at higher VFA concentrations in the effluent, with a decrease of COD removal of 30 to 33% and of methane yields of 19 to 21%.

Optimisation of sewage sludge anaerobic digestion through co-digestion with OFMSW: Effect of collection system and particle size

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Silvestre, Gracia; Ainia, Departamento de Medio Ambiente, Bioenergía e Higiene Industrial, Paterna, Valencia; Bonmatí, August

2015-09-15

Highlights: • Methane production rate increased between 56% and 208% during OFMSW–SS codigestion. • The OFMSW particle size reduction from 20 to 8 mm did not affect the methane yield. • OFMSW–SS codigestion promoted β-oxidation and acetoclastic methanogenic activity. • The evolution of specific activity was a feasible tool to control the process. - Abstract: The effect of organic fraction of municipal solid waste (OFMSW) loading rate and particulate size on the sewage sludge (SS) mesophilic anaerobic co-digestion was assessed in continuous stirred tank reactor at hydraulic retention time of 20 days. The SS–OFMSW mixture composed by 54% of themore » volatile solids fed (inlet-VS), at OLR of 3.1 kg{sub COD} m{sup −3} d{sup −1} (1.9 kg{sub VS} m{sup −3} d{sup −1}), showed the highest increment on the volumetric methane production and yield of +200% and +59% respectively, under stable conditions. The effect of particulate size was assessed with the same mixture and same operational conditions but reducing the OFMSW particulate size from 20 mm to 8 mm with the aim to improve the hydrolysis step, but the results showed any influence in the OFMSW particulate size range analysed. In addition, specific biomass activity was assessed at the end of each co-digestion period. Results showed that OFMSW promoted β-oxidation syntrophic acetogens and the acetoclastic methanogens activity; although the last increase of the OFMSW percentage (from 47% to 54% inlet-VS) affected negatively the specific substrate activity, but not inhibitory effect was observed. Therefore, the results obtained in the continuous experiment could be related with some inhibitory or toxic effect and not due to hydrolysis limitation. The specific biomass activity test was demonstrated to be an interesting tool to evaluate and control the co-digestion process, especially when conventional parameters did not explain the behaviour of the biological system.« less

Conversion of (Meth)acrylic acids to methane granular sludge: Initiation by specific anerobic microflora

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Shtarkman, N.B.; Obraztova, A.Y.; Laurinavichyus, K.S.

1995-03-01

The role of a specific anaerobic microflora in the initiation of degradation of (meth)acrylic acids to methane by granular sludge from a UASB reactor was investigated. Associations of anaerobic bacteria isolated from the anaerobic sludge, which was used for a long time for treatment of wastewater from (meth)acrylate production, were able to realize the initial stage of (meth)acrylic acid decomposition, i.e., a conversion of acrylic and methacrylic acids to propionic and isobutyric acids, respectively. When added to granules, these association played a role of an {open_quotes}initiator{close_quotes} of the degradation process, which was then continued by the granular sludge microflora utilizingmore » propionate and isobutyrate. Some characteristics of the granules adapted to propionate or isobutyrate are presented. The rates of propionate and isobutyrate consumption by adapted granules is, respectively, 21 and 53 times higher than the values obtained for nonadapted granules. A combined use of {open_quotes}initiating{close_quotes} bacteria and adapted granules provided degradation of (meth)acrylic acids with a maximum methane yield. The possibility is discussed of employing the granules, which are adapted to short-chain fatty acids, and the {open_quotes}initiating{close_quotes} bacteria, which accomplish the initial steps of the organic material decomposition to lower fatty acids, for the conversion of various chemical compounds to methane. 10 refs., 3 figs., 2 tabs.« less

GM(1,N) method for the prediction of anaerobic digestion system and sensitivity analysis of influential factors.

PubMed

Ren, Jingzheng

2018-01-01

Anaerobic digestion process has been recognized as a promising way for waste treatment and energy recovery in a sustainable way. Modelling of anaerobic digestion system is significantly important for effectively and accurately controlling, adjusting, and predicting the system for higher methane yield. The GM(1,N) approach which does not need the mechanism or a large number of samples was employed to model the anaerobic digestion system to predict methane yield. In order to illustrate the proposed model, an illustrative case about anaerobic digestion of municipal solid waste for methane yield was studied, and the results demonstrate that GM(1,N) model can effectively simulate anaerobic digestion system at the cases of poor information with less computational expense. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Gas production in the radiolysis of Poly(dimethysiloxanes)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

LaVerne, Jay A.; Tratnik, Nicole A. I.; Sasgen, Andrea

2018-01-01

A variety of small poly(dimethyl siloxanes) were irradiated with γ-rays followed by the determination of the production of methane and molecular hydrogen and characterization of spectroscopic changes in the medium. The yields of methane was found to be about twice that of molecular hydrogen indicating that breakage of the C-Si bond occurs at a frequency comparable to the breakage of the C-H bond. Both yields slowly decrease with increasing molecular weight of the medium. The presence of oxygen decreases the yield of both gases suggesting radical precursors to methane and molecular hydrogen, presumably the methyl radical and H atom, respectively. Temperature gravimetric analysis and UV-visible spectroscopy both suggest the formation of higher molecular weight compounds with radiolysis, which agrees with bond loss and formation observed in infrared spectroscopy.

Evaluation of Mediterranean Agricultural Residues as a Potential Feedstock for the Production of Biogas via Anaerobic Fermentation.

PubMed

Nitsos, Christos; Matsakas, Leonidas; Triantafyllidis, Kostas; Rova, Ulrika; Christakopoulos, Paul

2015-01-01

Hydrothermal, dilute acid, and steam explosion pretreatment methods, were evaluated for their efficiency to improve the methane production yield of three Mediterranean agricultural lignocellulosic residues such as olive tree pruning, grapevine pruning, and almond shells. Hydrothermal and dilute acid pretreatments provided low to moderate increase in the digestibility of the biomass samples, whereas steam explosion enabled the highest methane yields to be achieved for almond shells at 232.2 ± 13.0 mL CH4/gVS and olive pruning at 315.4 ± 0.0 mL CH4/gVS. Introduction of an enzymatic prehydrolysis step moderately improved methane yields for hydrothermal and dilute acid pretreated samples but not for the steam exploded ones.

Evaluation of Mediterranean Agricultural Residues as a Potential Feedstock for the Production of Biogas via Anaerobic Fermentation

PubMed Central

Nitsos, Christos; Triantafyllidis, Kostas

2015-01-01

Hydrothermal, dilute acid, and steam explosion pretreatment methods, were evaluated for their efficiency to improve the methane production yield of three Mediterranean agricultural lignocellulosic residues such as olive tree pruning, grapevine pruning, and almond shells. Hydrothermal and dilute acid pretreatments provided low to moderate increase in the digestibility of the biomass samples, whereas steam explosion enabled the highest methane yields to be achieved for almond shells at 232.2 ± 13.0 mL CH4/gVS and olive pruning at 315.4 ± 0.0 mL CH4/gVS. Introduction of an enzymatic prehydrolysis step moderately improved methane yields for hydrothermal and dilute acid pretreated samples but not for the steam exploded ones. PMID:26609521

Low-temperature conversion of methane to methanol on CeO x/Cu 2O catalysts: Water controlled activation of the C–H Bond

DOE PAGES

Zuo, Zhijun; Ramírez, Pedro J.; Senanayake, Sanjaya D.; ...

2016-10-10

Here, an inverse CeO 2/Cu 2O/Cu(111) catalyst is able to activate methane at room temperature producing C, CH x fragments and CO x species on the oxide surface. The addition of water to the system leads to a drastic change in the selectivity of methane activation yielding only adsorbed CH x fragments. At a temperature of 450 K, in the presence of water, a CH 4 → CH 3OH catalytic transformation occurs with a high selectivity. OH groups formed by the dissociation of water saturate the catalyst surface, removing sites that could decompose CH x fragments, and generating centers onmore » which methane can directly interact to yield methanol.« less

Effects of forage type and extruded linseed supplementation on methane production and milk fatty acid composition of lactating dairy cows.

PubMed

Livingstone, K M; Humphries, D J; Kirton, P; Kliem, K E; Givens, D I; Reynolds, C K

2015-06-01

Replacing dietary grass silage (GS) with maize silage (MS) and dietary fat supplements may reduce milk concentration of specific saturated fatty acids (SFA) and can reduce methane production by dairy cows. The present study investigated the effect of feeding an extruded linseed supplement on milk fatty acid (FA) composition and methane production of lactating dairy cows, and whether basal forage type, in diets formulated for similar neutral detergent fiber and starch, altered the response to the extruded linseed supplement. Four mid-lactation Holstein-Friesian cows were fed diets as total mixed rations, containing either high proportions of MS or GS, both with or without extruded linseed supplement, in a 4×4 Latin square design experiment with 28-d periods. Diets contained 500 g of forage/kg of dry matter (DM) containing MS and GS in proportions (DM basis) of either 75:25 or 25:75 for high MS or high GS diets, respectively. Extruded linseed supplement (275 g/kg ether extract, DM basis) was included in treatment diets at 50 g/kg of DM. Milk yields, DM intake, milk composition, and methane production were measured at the end of each experimental period when cows were housed in respiration chambers. Whereas DM intake was higher for the MS-based diet, forage type and extruded linseed had no significant effect on milk yield, milk fat, protein, or lactose concentration, methane production, or methane per kilogram of DM intake or milk yield. Total milk fat SFA concentrations were lower with MS compared with GS-based diets (65.4 vs. 68.4 g/100 g of FA, respectively) and with extruded linseed compared with no extruded linseed (65.2 vs. 68.6 g/100 g of FA, respectively), and these effects were additive. Concentrations of total trans FA were higher with MS compared with GS-based diets (7.0 vs. 5.4 g/100 g of FA, respectively) and when extruded linseed was fed (6.8 vs. 5. 6g/100 g of FA, respectively). Total n-3 FA were higher when extruded linseed was fed compared with no extruded linseed (1.2 vs. 0.8 g/100 g of FA, respectively), whereas total n-6 polyunsaturated FA were higher when feeding MS compared with GS (2.5 vs. 2.1 g/100 g of FA, respectively). Feeding extruded linseed and MS both provided potentially beneficial decreases in SFA concentration of milk, and no significant interactions were found between extruded linseed supplementation and forage type. However, both MS and extruded linseed increased trans FA concentration in milk fat. Neither MS nor extruded linseed had significant effects on methane production or yield, but the amounts of supplemental lipid provided by extruded linseed were relatively small. Copyright © 2015 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effect of Natural Mineral on Methane Production and Process Stability During Semi-Continuous Mono-Digestion of Maize Straw.

PubMed

González-Suárez, A; Pereda-Reyes, I; Pozzi, E; da Silva, A José; Oliva-Merencio, D; Zaiat, M

2016-04-01

The effect of natural mineral on the mono-digestion of maize straw was evaluated in continuously stirred tank reactors (CSTRs) at 38 °C. Different strategies of mineral addition were studied. The organic loading rate (OLR) was varied from 0.5 to 2.5 g volatile solid (VS) L(-1) d(-1). A daily addition of 1 g mineral L(-1) in reactor 2 (R2) diminished the methane production by about 11 % with respect to the initial phase. However, after a gradual addition of mineral, an average methane yield of 257 NmL CH4 g VS(-1) was reached and the methane production was enhanced by 30 % with regard to R1. An increase in the frequency of mineral addition did not enhance the methane production. The archaeal community was more sensitive to the mineral than the bacterial population whose similarity stayed high between R1 and R2. Significant difference in methane yield was found for both reactors throughout the operation.

Biogas by semi-continuous anaerobic digestion of food waste.

PubMed

Zhang, Cunsheng; Su, Haijia; Wang, Zhenbin; Tan, Tianwei; Qin, Peiyong

2015-04-01

The semi-continuous anaerobic digestion of food waste was investigated in 1-L and 20-L continuously stirred tank reactors (CSTRs), to identify the optimum operation condition and the methane production of the semi-continuous anaerobic process. Results from a 1-L digester indicated that the optimum organic loading rate (OLR) for semi-continuous digestion is 8 g VS/L/day. The corresponding methane yield and chemical oxygen demand (COD) reduction were 385 mL/g VS and 80.2 %, respectively. Anaerobic digestion was inhibited at high OLRs (12 and 16 g VS/L/day), due to volatile fatty acid (VFA) accumulation. Results from a 20-L digester indicated that a higher methane yield of 423 mL/g VS was obtained at this larger scale. The analysis showed that the methane production at the optimum OLR fitted well with the determined kinetics equation. An obvious decrease on the methane content was observed at the initial of digestion. The increased metabolization of microbes and the activity decrease of methanogen caused by VFA accumulation explained the lower methane content at the initial of digestion.

Co-Digestion of Sugar Beet Silage Increases Biogas Yield from Fibrous Substrates

PubMed Central

Einfalt, Daniel; Kazda, Marian

2016-01-01

This study tested the hypothesis that the easily degradable carbohydrates of the sugar beet silage (S) will improve the anaerobic digestion of grass silage (G) more profoundly compared to co-digestion of sugar beet silage with maize silage (M). M : S and G : S mixtures were tested in two continuous laboratory-scale AD experiments at volatile solid ratios of 1 : 0, 6 : 1, 3 : 1, and 1 : 3 at organic loading rates of 1.5 kgVS m−3 day−1. While the sugar beet effects in mixtures with maize silage were negligible, co-digestion with grass silage showed a beneficial performance. There, the specific methane production rate was 0.27 lN kg−1VS h−1at G : S ratio of 6 : 1 compared to G : S 1 : 0 with 0.14 lN kg−1VS h−1. In comparison to G : S 1 : 0, about 44% and 62% higher biogas yields were obtained at G : S 6 : 1 and 3 : 1, respectively. Also, the highest methane concentration was found in G : S at ratio of 1 : 3. Synergistic increase of methane yield was found in co-digestion in both experiments, but higher effect was realized in G : S, independently of the amount of sugar beet silage. The findings of this study emphasize the improvement of AD of grass silage by even low addition of sugar beet silage. PMID:27807538

Co-Digestion of Sugar Beet Silage Increases Biogas Yield from Fibrous Substrates.

PubMed

Ahmed, Sharif; Einfalt, Daniel; Kazda, Marian

2016-01-01

This study tested the hypothesis that the easily degradable carbohydrates of the sugar beet silage (S) will improve the anaerobic digestion of grass silage (G) more profoundly compared to co-digestion of sugar beet silage with maize silage (M). M : S and G : S mixtures were tested in two continuous laboratory-scale AD experiments at volatile solid ratios of 1 : 0, 6 : 1, 3 : 1, and 1 : 3 at organic loading rates of 1.5 kgVS m -3  day -1 . While the sugar beet effects in mixtures with maize silage were negligible, co-digestion with grass silage showed a beneficial performance. There, the specific methane production rate was 0.27 l N  kg -1 VS h -1 at G : S ratio of 6 : 1 compared to G : S 1 : 0 with 0.14 l N  kg -1 VS h -1 . In comparison to G : S 1 : 0, about 44% and 62% higher biogas yields were obtained at G : S 6 : 1 and 3 : 1, respectively. Also, the highest methane concentration was found in G : S at ratio of 1 : 3. Synergistic increase of methane yield was found in co-digestion in both experiments, but higher effect was realized in G : S, independently of the amount of sugar beet silage. The findings of this study emphasize the improvement of AD of grass silage by even low addition of sugar beet silage.

Flux balance analysis indicates that methane is the lowest cost feedstock for microbial cell factories

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Comer, Austin D.; Long, Matthew R.; Reed, Jennifer L.

The low cost of natural gas has driven significant interest in using C 1 carbon sources (e.g. methane, methanol, CO, syngas) as feedstocks for producing liquid transportation fuels and commodity chemicals. Given the large contribution of sugar and lignocellulosic feedstocks to biorefinery operating costs, natural gas and other C 1 sources may provide an economic advantage. To assess the relative costs of these feedstocks, we performed flux balance analysis on genome-scale metabolic models to calculate the maximum theoretical yields of chemical products from methane, methanol, acetate, and glucose. Yield calculations were performed for every metabolite (as a proxy for desiredmore » products) in the genome-scale metabolic models of three organisms: Escherichia coli (bacterium), Saccharomyces cerevisiae (yeast), and Synechococcus sp. PCC 7002 (cyanobacterium). The calculated theoretical yields and current feedstock prices provided inputs to create comparative feedstock cost surfaces. Our analysis shows that, at current market prices, methane feedstock costs are consistently lower than glucose when used as a carbon and energy source for microbial chemical production. Conversely, methanol is costlier than glucose under almost all price scenarios. Acetate feedstock costs could be less than glucose given efficient acetate production from low-cost syngas using nascent biological gas to liquids (BIO-GTL) technologies. Furthermore, our analysis suggests that research should focus on overcoming the technical challenges of methane assimilation and/or yield of acetate via BIO-GTL to take advantage of low-cost natural gas rather than using methanol as a feedstock.« less

Flux balance analysis indicates that methane is the lowest cost feedstock for microbial cell factories

DOE PAGES

Comer, Austin D.; Long, Matthew R.; Reed, Jennifer L.; ...

2017-07-10

The low cost of natural gas has driven significant interest in using C 1 carbon sources (e.g. methane, methanol, CO, syngas) as feedstocks for producing liquid transportation fuels and commodity chemicals. Given the large contribution of sugar and lignocellulosic feedstocks to biorefinery operating costs, natural gas and other C 1 sources may provide an economic advantage. To assess the relative costs of these feedstocks, we performed flux balance analysis on genome-scale metabolic models to calculate the maximum theoretical yields of chemical products from methane, methanol, acetate, and glucose. Yield calculations were performed for every metabolite (as a proxy for desiredmore » products) in the genome-scale metabolic models of three organisms: Escherichia coli (bacterium), Saccharomyces cerevisiae (yeast), and Synechococcus sp. PCC 7002 (cyanobacterium). The calculated theoretical yields and current feedstock prices provided inputs to create comparative feedstock cost surfaces. Our analysis shows that, at current market prices, methane feedstock costs are consistently lower than glucose when used as a carbon and energy source for microbial chemical production. Conversely, methanol is costlier than glucose under almost all price scenarios. Acetate feedstock costs could be less than glucose given efficient acetate production from low-cost syngas using nascent biological gas to liquids (BIO-GTL) technologies. Furthermore, our analysis suggests that research should focus on overcoming the technical challenges of methane assimilation and/or yield of acetate via BIO-GTL to take advantage of low-cost natural gas rather than using methanol as a feedstock.« less

Comparison of facility-level methane emission rates from natural gas production well pads in the Marcellus, Denver-Julesburg, and Uintah Basins

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Omara, M.; Li, X.; Sullivan, M.; Subramanian, R.; Robinson, A. L.; Presto, A. A.

2015-12-01

The boom in shale natural gas (NG) production, brought about by advances in horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing, has yielded both economic benefits and concerns about environmental and climate impacts. In particular, leakages of methane from the NG supply chain could substantially increase the carbon footprint of NG, diminishing its potential role as a transition fuel between carbon intensive fossil fuels and renewable energy systems. Recent research has demonstrated significant variability in measured methane emission rates from NG production facilities within a given shale gas basin. This variability often reflect facility-specific differences in NG production capacity, facility age, utilization of emissions capture and control, and/or the level of facility inspection and maintenance. Across NG production basins, these differences in facility-level methane emission rates are likely amplified, especially if significant variability in NG composition and state emissions regulations are present. In this study, we measured methane emission rates from the NG production sector in the Marcellus Shale Basin (Pennsylvania and West Virginia), currently the largest NG production basin in the U.S., and contrast these results with those of the Denver-Julesburg (Colorado) and Uintah (Utah) shale basins. Facility-level methane emission rates were measured at 106 NG production facilities using the dual tracer flux (nitrous oxide and acetylene), Gaussian dispersion simulations, and the OTM 33A techniques. The distribution of facility-level average methane emission rate for each NG basin will be discussed, with emphasis on how variability in NG composition (i.e., ethane-to-methane ratios) and state emissions regulations impact measured methane leak rates. While the focus of this presentation will be on the comparison of methane leak rates among NG basins, the use of three complimentary top-down methane measurement techniques provides a unique opportunity to explore the effectiveness of each approach, which will also be discussed.

Animal health and greenhouse gas intensity: the paradox of periparturient parasitism.

PubMed

Houdijk, J G M; Tolkamp, B J; Rooke, J A; Hutchings, M R

2017-09-01

Here we provide the first known direct measurements of pathogen challenge impacts on greenhouse gas production, yield and intensity. Twin-rearing ewes were ad libitum fed pelleted lucerne from day -32 to 36 (day 0 is parturition), and repeatedly infected with 10,000 Teladorsagia circumcincta infective larvae (n=16), or sham-dosed with water (n=16). A third group of 16 ewes were fed at 80% of uninfected ewes' feed intake during lactation. Methane emissions were measured in respiration chambers (day 30-36) whilst total tract apparent nutrient digestibility around day 28 informed calculated manure methane and nitrous oxide emissions estimates. Periparturient parasitism reduced feed intake (-9%) and litter weight gain (-7%) and doubled maternal body weight loss. Parasitism reduced daily enteric methane production by 10%, did not affect the methane yield per unit of dry matter intake but increased the yield per unit of digestible organic matter intake by 14%. Parasitism did not affect the daily calculated manure methane and nitrous oxide production, but increased the manure methane and nitrous oxide yields per unit of dry matter intake by 16% and 4%, respectively, and per unit of digestible organic matter intake by 46% and 31%, respectively. Accounting for increased lucerne input for delayed weaning and maternal body weight loss compensation, parasitism increased the calculated greenhouse gas intensity per kg of lamb weight gain for enteric methane (+11%), manure methane (+32%) and nitrous oxide (+30%). Supplemented with the global warming potential associated with production of pelleted lucerne, we demonstrated that parasitism increased calculated global warming potential per kg of lamb weight gain by 16%, which was similar to the measured impact of parasitism on the feed conversion ratio. Thus, arising from a pathogen-induced feed efficiency reduction and modified greenhouse gas emissions, we demonstrated that ovine periparturient parasitism increases greenhouse gas intensity. This implies that ewe worm control can not only improve production efficiency but also reduce the environmental footprint of sheep production systems. Copyright © 2017 Australian Society for Parasitology. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Anaerobic Degradation of Phthalate Isomers by Methanogenic Consortia

PubMed Central

Kleerebezem, Robbert; Pol, Look W. Hulshoff; Lettinga, Gatze

1999-01-01

Three methanogenic enrichment cultures, grown on ortho-phthalate, iso-phthalate, or terephthalate were obtained from digested sewage sludge or methanogenic granular sludge. Cultures grown on one of the phthalate isomers were not capable of degrading the other phthalate isomers. All three cultures had the ability to degrade benzoate. Maximum specific growth rates (μSmax) and biomass yields (YXtotS) of the mixed cultures were determined by using both the phthalate isomers and benzoate as substrates. Comparable values for these parameters were found for all three cultures. Values for μSmax and YXtotS were higher for growth on benzoate compared to the phthalate isomers. Based on measured and estimated values for the microbial yield of the methanogens in the mixed culture, specific yields for the phthalate and benzoate fermenting organisms were calculated. A kinetic model, involving three microbial species, was developed to predict intermediate acetate and hydrogen accumulation and the final production of methane. Values for the ratio of the concentrations of methanogenic organisms, versus the phthalate isomer and benzoate fermenting organisms, and apparent half-saturation constants (KS) for the methanogens were calculated. By using this combination of measured and estimated parameter values, a reasonable description of intermediate accumulation and methane formation was obtained, with the initial concentration of phthalate fermenting organisms being the only variable. The energetic efficiency for growth of the fermenting organisms on the phthalate isomers was calculated to be significantly smaller than for growth on benzoate. PMID:10049876

Design of experiments to assess pre-treatment and co-digestion strategies that optimize biogas production from macroalgae Gracilaria vermiculophylla.

PubMed

Oliveira, J V; Alves, M M; Costa, J C

2014-06-01

A design of experiments was applied to evaluate different strategies to enhance the methane yield of macroalgae Gracilaria vermiculophylla. Biochemical Methane Potential (BMP) of G. vermiculophylla after physical pre-treatment (washing and maceration) reached 481±9 L CH4 kg(-1) VS, corresponding to a methane yield of 79±2%. No significant effects were achieved in the BMP after thermochemical pre-treatment, although the seaweeds solubilisation increased up to 44%. Co-digestion with glycerol or sewage sludge has proved to be effective for increasing the methane production. Addition of 2% glycerol (w:w) increased the BMP by 18%, achieving almost complete methanation of the substrate (96±3%). Co-digestion of seaweed and secondary sludge (15:85%, TS/TS) increased the BMP by 25% (605±4 L CH4 kg(-1) VS) compared to the seaweed individual digestion. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A new method of two-phase anaerobic digestion for fruit and vegetable waste treatment.

PubMed

Wu, Yuanyuan; Wang, Cuiping; Liu, Xiaoji; Ma, Hailing; Wu, Jing; Zuo, Jiane; Wang, Kaijun

2016-07-01

A novel method of two-phase anaerobic digestion where the acid reactor is operated at low pH 4.0 was proposed and investigated. A completely stirred tank acid reactor and an up-flow anaerobic sludge bed methane reactor were operated to examine the possibility of efficient degradation of lactate and to identify their optimal operating conditions. Lactate with an average concentration of 14.8g/L was the dominant fermentative product and Lactobacillus was the predominant microorganism in the acid reactor. The effluent from the acid reactor was efficiently degraded in the methane reactor and the average methane yield was 261.4ml/gCOD removed. Organisms of Methanosaeta were the predominant methanogen in granular sludge of methane reactor, however, after acclimation hydrogenotrophic methanogens enriched, which benefited for the conversion of lactate to acetate. The two-phase AD system exhibited a low hydraulic retention time of 3.56days and high methane yield of 348.5ml/g VS removed. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The effect of harvest time, dry matter content and mechanical pretreatments on anaerobic digestion and enzymatic hydrolysis of miscanthus.

PubMed

Frydendal-Nielsen, Susanne; Hjorth, Maibritt; Baby, Sanmohan; Felby, Claus; Jørgensen, Uffe; Gislum, René

2016-10-01

Miscanthus x giganteus was harvested as both green and mature biomass and the dry matter content of the driest harvest was artificially decreased by adding water in two subsamples, giving a total of five dry matter contents. All five biomass types were mechanically pretreated by roller-milling, extrusion or grinding and accumulated methane production and enzymatically-accessible sugars were measured. Accumulated methane production was studied using sigmoid curves that allowed comparison among the treatments of the rate of the methane production and ultimate methane yield. The green biomass gave the highest methane yield and highest levels of enzymatically-accessible cellulose. The driest biomass gave the best effect from extrusion but with the highest energy consumption, whereas roller-milling was most efficient on wet biomass. The addition of water to the last harvest improved the effect of roller-milling and equalled extrusion of the samples in efficiency. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The effect of a combined biological and thermo-mechanical pretreatment of wheat straw on energy yields in coupled ethanol and methane generation.

PubMed

Theuretzbacher, Franz; Blomqvist, Johanna; Lizasoain, Javier; Klietz, Lena; Potthast, Antje; Horn, Svein Jarle; Nilsen, Paal J; Gronauer, Andreas; Passoth, Volkmar; Bauer, Alexander

2015-10-01

Ethanol and biogas are energy carriers that could contribute to a future energy system independent of fossil fuels. Straw is a favorable bioenergy substrate as it does not compete with food or feed production. As straw is very resistant to microbial degradation, it requires a pretreatment to insure efficient conversion to ethanol and/or methane. This study investigates the effect of combining biological pretreatment and steam explosion on ethanol and methane yields in order to improve the coupled generation process. Results show that the temperature of the steam explosion pretreatment has a particularly strong effect on possible ethanol yields, whereas combination with the biological pretreatment showed no difference in overall energy yield. The highest overall energy output was found to be 10.86 MJ kg VS(-1) using a combined biological and steam explosion pretreatment at a temperature of 200°C. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Recovery of failed solid-state anaerobic digesters.

PubMed

Yang, Liangcheng; Ge, Xumeng; Li, Yebo

2016-08-01

This study examined the performance of three methods for recovering failed solid-state anaerobic digesters. The 9-L digesters, which were fed with corn stover, failed at a feedstock/inoculum (F/I) ratio of 10 with negligible methane yields. To recover the systems, inoculum was added to bring the F/I ratio to 4. Inoculum was either added to the top of a failed digester, injected into it, or well-mixed with the existing feedstock. Digesters using top-addition and injection methods quickly resumed and achieved peak yields in 10days, while digesters using well-mixed method recovered slowly but showed 50% higher peak yields. Overall, these methods recovered 30-40% methane from failed digesters. The well-mixed method showed the highest methane yield, followed by the injection and top-addition methods. Recovered digesters outperformed digesters had a constant F/I ratio of 4. Slow mass transfer and slow growth of microbes were believed to be the major limiting factors for recovery. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Exposure to polystyrene nanoplastic leads to inhibition of anaerobic digestion system.

PubMed

Fu, Shan-Fei; Ding, Jian-Nan; Zhang, Yun; Li, Yi-Fei; Zhu, Rong; Yuan, Xian-Zheng; Zou, Hua

2018-06-01

In this study, impacts of nanoplastic on the pure and mixed anaerobic digestion systems were investigated. Results showed the growth and metabolism of Acetobacteroides hydrogenigenes were partly inhibited by nanoplastic existed in the pure anaerobic digestion system. The anaerobic digestion of sewage sludge was also obviously inhibited by nanoplastic existed in the mixed anaerobic digestion system. Both the methane yield and methane production rate of the mixed anaerobic digestion system showed negative correlation with the nanoplastic concentration. Compared with anaerobic digestion system without nanoplastic, methane yield and maximum daily methane yield at the nanoplastic concentration of 0.2g/L decreased for 14.4% and 40.7%, respectively. In addition, the start-up of mixed anaerobic digestion system was prolonged by addition of nanoplastic. Microbial community structure analysis indicated the microbial community structures were also affected by nanoplastic existed in the system. At the nanoplastic concentration of 0.2g/L, the relative abundances of family Cloacamonaceae, Porphyromonadaceae, Anaerolinaceae and Gracilibacteraceae decreased partly. Conversely, the relative abundances of family Anaerolinaceae, Clostridiaceae, Geobacteraceae, Dethiosulfovibrionaceae and Desulfobulbaceae improved partly. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Ensiling of fish industry waste for biogas production: a lab scale evaluation of biochemical methane potential (BMP) and kinetics.

PubMed

Kafle, Gopi Krishna; Kim, Sang Hun; Sung, Kyung Ill

2013-01-01

Fish waste (FW) obtained from a fish processor was ensiled for biogas production. The FW silages were prepared by mixing FW with bread waste (BW) and brewery grain waste (BGW), and the quality of the prepared silages were evaluated. The biogas potentials of BW, BGW, three different types of FW, and FW silages were measured. A first-order kinetic model and the modified Gompertz model were also used to predict methane yield. The biogas and methane yield for FW silages after 96 days was calculated to be 671-763 mL/g VS and 441-482 mL/g VS, respectively. There were smaller differences between measured and predicted methane yield for FW silages when using a modified Gompertz model (1.1-4.3%) than when using a first-order kinetic model (22.5-32.4%). The critical HRTs and technical digestion times (T(80-90)) for the FW silages were calculated to be 21.0-23.8 days and 40.5-52.8 days, respectively. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Mars methane engine

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bui, Hung; Coletta, Chris; Debois, Alain

1994-01-01

The feasibility of an internal combustion engine operating on a mixture of methane, carbon dioxide, and oxygen has been verified by previous design groups for the Mars Methane Engine Project. Preliminary stoichiometric calculations examined the theoretical fuel-air ratios needed for the combustion of methane. Installation of a computer data acquisition system along with various ancillary components will enable the performance of the engine, running on the described methane mixture, to be optimized with respect to minimizing excess fuel. Theoretical calculations for stoichiometric combustion of methane-oxygen-carbon dioxide mixtures yielded a ratio of 1:2:4.79 for a methane-oxygen-carbon dioxide mixture. Empirical data shows the values to be closer to 1:2.33:3.69 for optimum operation.

Profiles of alpha 13 C and alpha D in methane from the lower stratosphere

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wahlen, Martin; Tanaka, Nori; Henry, Robert; Weyer, Harley

1991-01-01

Methane is an important greenhouse gas of biogenic and anthropogenic origin for which global budgets are being constructed from a variety of data. One approach to the global methane budget is the use of the stable isotopes C-13 and D, and the radionuclide C-14 as tracers. The authors measured the isotopic composition of methane from various sources and in tropospheric air for a number of locations. Here, the authors report on the isotopic composition of methane from the lower stratosphere. Measurements of this concentration in the stratosphere can yield estimates for the kinetic isotope effects in the methane destruction reactions. These effects have to be known for quantitative isotopic methane budgets.

Disintegration in the biogas sector--technologies and effects.

PubMed

Schumacher, Britt; Wedwitschka, Harald; Hofmann, Josephine; Denysenko, Velina; Lorenz, Helge; Liebetrau, Jan

2014-09-01

Pretreatment of organic material prior to anaerobic digestion is seen as an option to increase the overall efficiency of the process. An overview of physical, chemical, and biological disintegration (DT) of substrates in the biogas sector is given. The energy demands DT were surveyed. The technologies were evaluated by reference to the Technology Readiness Assessment Guide of the U.S. Department of Energy. The evaluation focuses on ligno-cellulosic substrates like straw. Data of a survey among biogas plant operators were analyzed regarding the prevalence of disintegration technology classes in Germany. Furthermore, biochemical methane potential tests were conducted in laboratory scale to determine the specific methane yields of un-/treated barley straw (thermal pressure hydrolysis (TPH)). A methane potential of 228 ml CH4/g VS was measured for untreated barley straw; and of 251 ml CH4/g VS for TPH-straw (190 °C, 30 min). The reaction rates in BMP were calculated between 0.0976 and 0.1443 d(-1). Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Kinetic study of dry anaerobic co-digestion of food waste and cardboard for methane production.

PubMed

Capson-Tojo, Gabriel; Rouez, Maxime; Crest, Marion; Trably, Eric; Steyer, Jean-Philippe; Bernet, Nicolas; Delgenès, Jean-Philippe; Escudié, Renaud

2017-11-01

Dry anaerobic digestion is a promising option for food waste treatment and valorization. However, accumulation of ammonia and volatile fatty acids often occurs, leading to inefficient processes and digestion failure. Co-digestion with cardboard may be a solution to overcome this problem. The effect of the initial substrate to inoculum ratio (0.25 to 1gVS·gVS -1 ) and the initial total solids contents (20-30%) on the kinetics and performance of dry food waste mono-digestion and co-digestion with cardboard was investigated in batch tests. All the conditions produced methane efficiently (71-93% of the biochemical methane potential). However, due to lack of methanogenic activity, volatile fatty acids accumulated at the beginning of the digestion and lag phases in the methane production were observed. At increasing substrate to inoculum ratios, the initial acid accumulation was more pronounced and lower cumulative methane yields were obtained. Higher amounts of soluble organic matter remained undegraded at higher substrate loads. Although causing slightly longer lag phases, high initial total solids contents did not jeopardize the methane yields. Cardboard addition reduced acid accumulation and the decline in the yields at increasing substrate loads. However, cardboard addition also caused higher concentrations of propionic acid, which appeared as the most last acid to be degraded. Nevertheless, dry co-digestion of food waste and cardboard in urban areas is demonstrated asan interesting feasible valorization option. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Comparison of Seven Chemical Pretreatments of Corn Straw for Improving Methane Yield by Anaerobic Digestion

PubMed Central

Song, Zilin; GaiheYang; Liu, Xiaofeng; Yan, Zhiying; Yuan, Yuexiang; Liao, Yinzhang

2014-01-01

Agriculture straw is considered a renewable resource that has the potential to contribute greatly to bioenergy supplies. Chemical pretreatment prior to anaerobic digestion can increase the anaerobic digestibility of agriculture straw. The present study investigated the effects of seven chemical pretreatments on the composition and methane yield of corn straw to assess their effectiveness of digestibility. Four acid reagents (H2SO4, HCl, H2O2, and CH3COOH) at concentrations of 1%, 2%, 3%, and 4% (w/w) and three alkaline reagents (NaOH, Ca(OH)2, and NH3·H2O) at concentrations of 4%, 6%, 8%, and 10% (w/w) were used for the pretreatments. All pretreatments were effective in the biodegradation of the lignocellulosic straw structure. The straw, pretreated with 3% H2O2 and 8% Ca(OH)2, acquired the highest methane yield of 216.7 and 206.6 mL CH4 g VS −1 in the acid and alkaline pretreatments, which are 115.4% and 105.3% greater than the untreated straw. H2O2 and Ca(OH)2 can be considered as the most favorable pretreatment methods for improving the methane yield of straw because of their effectiveness and low cost. PMID:24695485

Comparison of seven chemical pretreatments of corn straw for improving methane yield by anaerobic digestion.

PubMed

Song, Zilin; GaiheYang; Liu, Xiaofeng; Yan, Zhiying; Yuan, Yuexiang; Liao, Yinzhang

2014-01-01

Agriculture straw is considered a renewable resource that has the potential to contribute greatly to bioenergy supplies. Chemical pretreatment prior to anaerobic digestion can increase the anaerobic digestibility of agriculture straw. The present study investigated the effects of seven chemical pretreatments on the composition and methane yield of corn straw to assess their effectiveness of digestibility. Four acid reagents (H2SO4, HCl, H2O2, and CH3COOH) at concentrations of 1%, 2%, 3%, and 4% (w/w) and three alkaline reagents (NaOH, Ca(OH)2, and NH3·H2O) at concentrations of 4%, 6%, 8%, and 10% (w/w) were used for the pretreatments. All pretreatments were effective in the biodegradation of the lignocellulosic straw structure. The straw, pretreated with 3% H2O2 and 8% Ca(OH)2, acquired the highest methane yield of 216.7 and 206.6 mL CH4 g VS(-1) in the acid and alkaline pretreatments, which are 115.4% and 105.3% greater than the untreated straw. H2O2 and Ca(OH)2 can be considered as the most favorable pretreatment methods for improving the methane yield of straw because of their effectiveness and low cost.

Low-cost composited accelerants for anaerobic digestion of dairy manure: Focusing on methane yield, digestate utilization and energy evaluation.

PubMed

Zhang, Chen; Yun, Sining; Li, Xue; Wang, Ziqi; Xu, Hongfei; Du, Tingting

2018-05-11

To improve the methane yield and digestate utilization of anaerobic digestion (AD), low-cost composited accelerants consisting of urea (0.2-0.5%), bentonite (0.5-0.8%), active carbon (0.6-0.9%), and plant ash (0.01-0.3%) were designed and tested in batch experiments. Total biogas yield (485.7-681.9 mL/g VS) and methane content (63.0-66.6%) were remarkably enhanced in AD systems by adding accelerants compared to those of control group (361.9 mL/g VS, 59.4%). Composited accelerant addition led to the highest methane yield (454.1 mL/g VS), more than double that of control group. The TS, VS, and CODt removal rates (29.7-55.3%, 50.9-63.0%, and 46.8-69.1%) for AD with accelerants were much higher than control group (26.2%, 37.1%, and 39.6%). The improved digestate stability and enhanced fertilizer nutrient content (4.95-5.66%) confirmed that the digestate of AD systems with composited accelerants could safely serve as a potential component of bioorganic fertilizer. These findings open innovative avenues in composited accelerant development and application. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Towards Biogeochemical Modeling of Anaerobic Oxidation of Methane: Characterization of Microbial Communities in Methane-bearing North American Continental Margin Sediments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Graw, M. F.; Solomon, E. A.; Chrisler, W.; Krause, S.; Treude, T.; Ruppel, C. D.; Pohlman, J.; Colwell, F. S.

2015-12-01

Methane advecting through continental margin sediments may enter the water column and potentially contribute to ocean acidification and increase atmospheric methane concentrations. Anaerobic oxidation of methane (AOM), mediated by syntrophic consortia of anaerobic methanotrophic archaea and sulfate-reducing bacteria (ANME-SRB), consumes nearly all dissolved methane in methane-bearing sediments before it reaches the sediment-water interface. Despite the significant role ANME-SRB play in carbon cycling, our knowledge of these organisms and their surrounding microbial communities is limited. Our objective is to develop a metabolic model of ANME-SRB within methane-bearing sediments and to couple this to a geochemical reaction-transport model for these margins. As a first step towards this goal, we undertook fluorescent microscopic imaging, 16S rRNA gene deep-sequencing, and shotgun metagenomic sequencing of sediments from the US Pacific (Washington) and northern Atlantic margins where ANME-SRB are present. A successful Illumina MiSeq sequencing run yielded 106,257 bacterial and 857,834 archaeal 16S rRNA gene sequences from 12 communities from the Washington Margin using both universal prokaryotic and archaeal-specific primer sets. Fluorescent microscopy confirmed the presence of cells of the ANME-2c lineage in the sequenced communities. Microbial community characterization was coupled with measurements of sediment physical and geochemical properties and, for samples from the US Atlantic margin, 14C-based measurements of AOM rates and 35S-based measurements of sulfate reduction rates. These findings have the potential to increase understanding of ANME-SRB, their surrounding microbial communities, and their role in carbon cycling within continental margins. In addition, they pave the way for future efforts at developing a metabolic model of ANME-SRB and coupling it to geochemical models of the US Washington and Atlantic margins.

High-resolution passive sampling of dissolved methane in the water column of lakes in Greenland

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goldman, A. E.; Cadieux, S. B.; White, J. R.; Pratt, L. M.

2013-12-01

Arctic lakes are important participants in the global carbon cycle, releasing methane in a warming climate and contributing to a positive feedback to climate change. In order to yield detailed methane budgets and understand the implications of warming on methane dynamics, high-resolution profiles revealing methane behavior within the water column need to be obtained. Single day sampling using disruptive techniques has the potential to result in biases. In order to obtain high-resolution, undisturbed profiles of methane concentration and isotopic composition, this study evaluates a passive sampling method over a multi-day equilibration period. Selected for this study were two small lakes (<1km2) within a narrow valley stretching between Russells Glacier and Søndre Strømfjord in southwestern Greenland, which are part of an ongoing study of a series of seven lakes. Commercially available, 150 mL, polyethylene Passive Diffusion Bags (PDB's) were deployed in July 2013 for five days at 0.5-meter depth intervals. PDB samples were compared to samples collected with a submersible, electric pump taken immediately before PBD deployment. Preliminary CH4 concentrations and carbon isotopes for one lake were obtained in the field using a Los Gatos Research Methane Carbon Isotope Analyzer. PDB sampling and pump sampling resulted in statistically similar concentrations (R2=0.89), ranging from 0.85 to 135 uM from PDB and 0.74 to 143 uM from pump sampling. In anoxic waters of the lake, where concentrations were high enough to yield robust isotopic results on the LGR MCIA, δ13C were also similar between the two methods, yielding -73‰ from PDB and -74‰ from pump sampling. Further investigation will produce results for a second lake and methane carbon and hydrogen isotopic composition for both lakes. Preliminary results for this passive sampling method are promising. We envision the use of this technique in future studies of dissolved methane and expect that it will provide a more finely resolved vertical profile, allowing for a more complete understanding of lacustrine methane dynamics.

A simple headspace equilibration method for measuring dissolved methane

USGS Publications Warehouse

Magen, C; Lapham, L.L.; Pohlman, John W.; Marshall, Kristin N.; Bosman, S.; Casso, Michael; Chanton, J.P.

2014-01-01

Dissolved methane concentrations in the ocean are close to equilibrium with the atmosphere. Because methane is only sparingly soluble in seawater, measuring it without contamination is challenging for samples collected and processed in the presence of air. Several methods for analyzing dissolved methane are described in the literature, yet none has conducted a thorough assessment of the method yield, contamination issues during collection, transport and storage, and the effect of temperature changes and preservative. Previous extraction methods transfer methane from water to gas by either a "sparge and trap" or a "headspace equilibration" technique. The gas is then analyzed for methane by gas chromatography. Here, we revisit the headspace equilibration technique and describe a simple, inexpensive, and reliable method to measure methane in fresh and seawater, regardless of concentration. Within the range of concentrations typically found in surface seawaters (2-1000 nmol L-1), the yield of the method nears 100% of what is expected from solubility calculation following the addition of known amount of methane. In addition to being sensitive (detection limit of 0.1 ppmv, or 0.74 nmol L-1), this method requires less than 10 min per sample, and does not use highly toxic chemicals. It can be conducted with minimum materials and does not require the use of a gas chromatograph at the collection site. It can therefore be used in various remote working environments and conditions.

Slaughterhouse by-products treatment using anaerobic digestion.

PubMed

Moukazis, Ioannis; Pellera, Frantseska-Maria; Gidarakos, Evangelos

2018-01-01

The objective of the present study is to evaluate the use of animal by-products (ABP) as substrates for anaerobic digestion, aiming at methane production. Specifically, four ABP of Category 2 and 3, namely (i) stomach and rumen, (ii) stomach contents, (iii) breasts and reproductive organs and (iv) bladders and intestines with their contents, were selected. The methane potential of each ABP was initially determined, while the feasibility of anaerobic co-digestion of ABP with two agroindustrial waste, i.e. orange peels and olive leaves was also studied. To this purpose, Biochemical Methane Potential (BMP), as well as semi-continuous assays were respectively conducted. In the latter, the effect of the variation in the organic loading rate (OLR) on methane production was investigated. Results obtained from BMP assays showed that the samples containing breasts and reproductive organs, bladders and intestine, and stomach and rumen, had higher methane potentials of 815, 787 and 759 mLCH 4,STP /gVS, respectively. Moreover, according to the results of the semi-continuous assays, maximum methane yields between 253 and 727mLCH 4 /gVS fed were obtained at an OLR of 0.8gVS/L/d. The only case in which methanogenesis inhibition phenomena, due to increased ammonia concentrations, were observed, was the assay being fed with a mixture of breasts and reproductive organs and orange peels, at the highest OLR. This inhibition phenomenon was attributed to an inappropriate C/N ratio. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Constraints on mechanisms and rates of anaerobic oxidation of methane by microbial consortia: process-based modeling of ANME-2 archaea and sulfate reducing bacteria interactions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Orcutt, B.; Meile, C.

2008-11-01

Anaerobic oxidation of methane (AOM) is the main process responsible for the removal of methane generated in Earth's marine subsurface environments. However, the biochemical mechanism of AOM remains elusive. By explicitly resolving the observed spatial arrangement of methanotrophic archaea and sulfate reducing bacteria found in consortia mediating AOM, potential intermediates involved in the electron transfer between the methane oxidizing and sulfate reducing partners were investigated via a consortium-scale reaction transport model that integrates the effect of diffusional transport with thermodynamic and kinetic controls on microbial activity. Model simulations were used to assess the impact of poorly constrained microbial characteristics such as minimum energy requirements to sustain metabolism and cell specific rates. The role of environmental conditions such as the influence of methane levels on the feasibility of H2, formate and acetate as intermediate species, and the impact of the abundance of intermediate species on pathway reversal were examined. The results show that higher production rates of intermediates via AOM lead to increased diffusive fluxes from the methane oxidizing archaea to sulfate reducing bacteria, but the build-up of the exchangeable species can cause the energy yield of AOM to drop below that required for ATP production. Comparison to data from laboratory experiments shows that under the experimental conditions of Nauhaus et al. (2007), none of the potential intermediates considered here is able to support metabolic activity matching the measured rates.

Effect of microalgae storage conditions on methane yields.

PubMed

Barreiro-Vescovo, Santiago; de Godos, Ignacio; Tomás-Pejó, Elia; Ballesteros, Mercedes; González-Fernández, Cristina

2018-05-01

During the last decade, a lot of research has been focused on identifying the methane yields achievable when using microalgae biomass (fresh and pretreated) as a substrate in anaerobic digestion. Encountered differences are frequently attributed to the different microalgae strains (cell walls and macromolecular profiles) or the different metabolic activities of anaerobic sludge used as inoculum. Nevertheless, under the hypothesis that the state of microalgae upon biomass storage may also play a significant role, this study was designed to evaluate the effect of biomass processing and storage on methane yields and hydrolysis kinetics in batch mode assays. Slight changes in the macromolecular profile distribution of the different tested biomass were observed. Regardless of the time that the biomass was stored, results revealed that frozen biomass doubled the hydrolysis constant and enhanced methane yield by 1.56-fold compared to fresh microalgae biomass (82.4 mL CH 4  g COD in -1 ). Similar enhancement was obtained with the freeze-dried biomass, and slightly lower values were obtained (1.34-fold) for the biomass kept at 4 °C longer than a week. Likewise, the semi-continuously operated reactor fed with microalgae biomass stored for 28 days at 4 °C did not show any effect in terms of methane production, although nitrogen mineralization was higher than expected. Remarkably, the initial stage of the biomass should be carefully considered for comparison purposes with the available literature on batch mode assays. This study highlights the importance of considering how the biomass is stored before the anaerobic digestion process to avoid misleading conclusions.

Efficient production of ethanol from waste paper and the biochemical methane potential of stillage eluted from ethanol fermentation.

PubMed

Nishimura, Hiroto; Tan, Li; Sun, Zhao-Yong; Tang, Yue-Qin; Kida, Kenji; Morimura, Shigeru

2016-02-01

Waste paper can serve as a feedstock for ethanol production due to being rich in cellulose and not requiring energy-intensive thermophysical pretreatment. In this study, an efficient process was developed to convert waste paper to ethanol. To accelerate enzymatic saccharification, pH of waste paper slurry was adjusted to 4.5-5.0 with H2SO4. Presaccharification and simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (PSSF) with enzyme loading of 40 FPU/g waste paper achieved an ethanol yield of 91.8% and productivity of 0.53g/(Lh) with an ethanol concentration of 32g/L. Fed-batch PSSF was used to decrease enzyme loading to 13 FPU/g waste paper by feeding two separate batches of waste paper slurry. Feeding with 20% w/w waste paper slurry increased ethanol concentration to 41.8g/L while ethanol yield decreased to 83.8%. To improve the ethanol yield, presaccharification was done prior to feeding and resulted in a higher ethanol concentration of 45.3g/L, a yield of 90.8%, and productivity of 0.54g/(Lh). Ethanol fermentation recovered 33.2% of the energy in waste paper as ethanol. The biochemical methane potential of the stillage eluted from ethanol fermentation was 270.5mL/g VTS and 73.0% of the energy in the stillage was recovered as methane. Integrating ethanol fermentation with methane fermentation, recovered a total of 80.4% of the energy in waste paper as ethanol and methane. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Experimental pressure enhancement of the rate of homogenous methanogenesis: implications for abiotic methane yields in terrestrial and planetary environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lazar, C.; Cody, G. D.

2011-12-01

Abiotic methane may play a role in the development of a biosphere on an otherwise lifeless planet. Methane concentrations in fluids emanating from serpentinite-hosted submarine springs such as Rainbow and Logatchev are below that required for equilibrium with coexisting CO2 and H2, indicating that the compositions of such fluids may be kinetically-controlled. The presence of transition metal-bearing accessory minerals in serpentinites has led to the hypothesis that heterogeneous catalysis may influence the rate of methanogenesis. We present new experiments that show pressure can also significantly accelerate homogenous methanogenesis, i.e., methane production in the absence of mineral catalysts. A series of cold-seal experiments were performed from 1-3.5 kbar at 300C for two weeks, using dilute isotopically labeled formic acid as a carbon and hydrogen source (70mmol solution). The experiments showed a significant increase in 13CH4 yield with pressure: e.g., the yield at 3.5 kbar was ~20X the yield at 1 kbar. This pressure enhancement is consistent with our previous results on homogeneous and heterogeneous methanogenesis and suggests that mineral catalysts are not necessary for CH4 equilibration in high pressure environments such as Precambrian crystalline basements or regional blueschist-grade metamorphic systems. Furthermore, in hydrothermal systems wherein fluid residence times are too short to permit equilibration, the reaction progress of methanogenesis is expected to increase with pressure. Recently discovered methane plumes above the mid-Cayman trough have been attributed to methanogenesis in deep serpentinites-hosted springs. The current experimental results lead to the prediction that the mid-Cayman springs (>1 kbar) contain higher methane concentrations than their lower pressure analogues at Rainbow and Logatchev (<0.5kbar). Fluids escaping forearc serpentinization in cold, steeply-dipping subduction zones may yield more methane than in warm shallow-dipping subduction zones, consistent with the detection of abiotic CH4 in serpentine mud along the Marianas forearc. The methane production rate from water-rock interaction on a deep planetary seafloor may be higher than from analogous terrestrial settings: e.g, on Europa (2.5 kbar seafloor) and Titan (8 kbar seafloor). Since many of the mineral catalysts commonly found in serpentinites (awaruite, heazlewoodite, e.g.) are not present during basaltic metamorphism, the potential for pressure-enhanced homogenous methanogenesis presents the possibility that deep hydrothermal alteration of the basaltic Martian crust could be the source for atmospheric methane on Mars. If methanogenic microbes are sustained by an energy imbalance made possible by kinetic barriers to the reduction of CO2 to CH4, then the habitability of hydrothermal systems with respect to methanogens may decrease with depth as the reaction progress of methanogenesis increases.

Combined pretreatment of electrolysis and ultra-sonication towards enhancing solubilization and methane production from mixed microalgae biomass.

PubMed

Kumar, Gopalakrishnan; Sivagurunathan, Periyasamy; Zhen, Guangyin; Kobayashi, Takuro; Kim, Sang-Hyoun; Xu, Kaiqin

2017-12-01

This study investigated the effect of combination of pretreatment methods such as ultra-sonication and electrolysis for the minimum energy input to recover the maximal carbohydrate and solubilization (in terms of sCOD) from mixed microalgae biomass. The composition of the soluble chemical oxygen demand (COD), protein, carbohydrate revealed that the hydrolysis method had showed positive impact on the increasing quantity and thus enhanced methane yields. As a result, the combination of these 2 pretreatments showed the greatest yield of soluble protein and carbohydrate as 279 and 309mg/L, which is the recovery of nearly 85 and 90% in terms of total content of them. BMP tests showed peak methane production yield of 257mL/gVS added , for the hydrolysate of combined pretreatment as compared to the control experiment of 138mL/gVS added. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Ultrasonic sludge disintegration for enhanced methane production in anaerobic digestion: effects of sludge hydrolysis efficiency and hydraulic retention time.

PubMed

Kim, Dong-Jin; Lee, Jonghak

2012-01-01

Hydrolysis of waste activated sludge (WAS) has been regarded as the rate limiting step of anaerobic sludge digestion. Therefore, in this study, the effect of ultrasound and hydraulic residence time during sludge hydrolysis was investigated with the goal of enhancing methane production from anaerobic digestion (AD). WAS was ultrasonically disintegrated for hydrolysis, and it was semi-continuously fed to an anaerobic digesters at various hydraulic retention times (HRTs). The results of these experiments showed that the solids and chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal efficiencies when using ultrasonically disintegrated sludge were higher during AD than the control sludge. The longer the HRT, the higher the removal efficiencies of solids and COD, while methane production increased with lower HRT. Sludge with 30% hydrolysis produced 7 × more methane production than the control sludge. The highest methane yields were 0.350 m(3)/kg volatile solids (VS)(add) and 0.301 m(3)/kg COD(con) for 16 and 30% hydrolyzed sludge, respectively. In addition, we found that excess ultrasound irradiation may inhibit AD since the 50% hydrolyzed sludge produced lower methane yields than 16 and 30% hydrolyzed sludge.

Sulfate-dependent Anaerobic Oxidation of Methane as a Generation Mechanism for Calcite Cap Rock in Gulf Coast Salt Domes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Caesar, K. H.; Kyle, R.; Lyons, T. W.; Loyd, S. J.

2015-12-01

Gulf Coast salt domes, specifically their calcite cap rocks, have been widely recognized for their association with significant reserves of crude oil and natural gas. However, the specific microbial reactions that facilitate the precipitation of these cap rocks are still largely unknown. Insight into the mineralization mechanism(s) can be obtained from the specific geochemical signatures recorded in these structures. Gulf Coast cap rocks contain carbonate and sulfur minerals that exhibit variable carbon (d13C) and sulfur isotope (δ34S) signatures. Calcite d13C values are isotopically depleted and show a large range of values from -1 to -52‰, reflecting a mixture of various carbon sources including a substantial methane component. These depleted carbon isotope compositions combined with the presence of abundant sulfide minerals in cap rocks have led to interpretations that invoke microbial sulfate reduction as an important carbonate mineral-yielding process in salt dome environments. Sulfur isotope data from carbonate-associated sulfate (CAS: trace sulfate incorporated within the carbonate mineral crystal lattice) provide a more direct proxy for aqueous sulfate in salt dome systems and may provide a means to directly fingerprint ancient sulfate reduction. We find CAS sulfur isotope compositions (δ34SCAS) significantly greater than those of the precursor Jurassic sulfate-salt deposits (which exhibit δ34S values of ~ +15‰). This implies that cap rock carbonate generation occurred via microbial sulfate reduction under closed-system conditions. The co-occurrence of depleted carbonate d13C values (< ~30‰) and the enriched δ34SCAS values are evidence for sulfate-dependent anaerobic oxidation of methane (AOM). AOM, which has been shown to yield extensive seafloor carbonate authigenesis, is also potentially partly responsible for the carbonate minerals of the Gulf Coast calcite cap rocks through concomitant production of alkalinity. Collectively, these data shed new light on a potential hotspot of microbial activity in the deep biosphere.

Anaerobic digestion of water hyacinth and sludge

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Biljetina, R.; Srivastava, V.J.; Chynoweth, D.P.

1986-01-01

The Institute of Gas Technology (IGT) has been operating an experimental test unit (ETU) at the Walt Disney World (WDW) wastewater treatment plant to demonstrate the conversion of water hyacinth and sludge to methane in a solids concentrating (SOLCON) digester. Results from 2 years to operation have confirmed earlier laboratory observations that this digester achieves higher methane yields and solids conversion than those observed in continuous stirred tank reactors. Methane yields as high as 0.49 m/sup 3/ kg/sup -1/ (7.9 SCF/lb) volatile solids added have been obtained during steady-state operation on a blend of water hyacinth and sludge. 9 refs.,more » 5 figs., 5 tabs.« less

Pilot plant operation of a nonadiabatic methanation reactor. [15 refs. ; Raney nickel catalyst

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Schehl, R.R.; Pennline, H.W.; Strakey, J.P.

The design and operation of a pilot plant scale hybrid methanation reactor is discussed. The hybrid methanator, utilizing a finned, Raney nickel coated insert, consolidates features of the tube-wall and hot-gas-recycle methanation reactors. Data are presented from four tests lasting from 3/sup 1///sub 2/ weeks to three months. Topics discussed include conversion, product yields, catalyst properties, and reactor temperature profiles. A one-dimensional mathematical model capable of explaining reactor performance trends is employed.

Development of an advanced anaerobic digester design and a kinetic model for biogasification of water hyacinth/sludge blends

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Srivastava, V.; Fannin, K.F.; Biljetina, R.

1986-07-01

The Institute of Gas Technology (IGT) conducted a comprehensive laboratory-scale research program to develop and optimize the anaerobic digestion process for producing methane from water hyacinth and sludge blends. This study focused on digester design and operating techniques, which gave improved methane yields and production rates over those observed using conventional digesters. The final digester concept and the operating experience was utilized to design and operate a large-scale experimentla test unit (ETU) at Walt Disney World, Florida. This paper describes the novel digester design, operating techniques, and the results obtained in the laboratory. The paper also discusses a kinetic modelmore » which predicts methane yield, methane production rate, and digester effluent solids as a function of retention time. This model was successfully utilized to predict the performance of the ETU. 15 refs., 6 figs., 6 tabs.« less

[Effect of fertilization on cucumber growth and soil biological characteristics in sunlight greenhouse].

PubMed

Xu, Fuli; Liang, Yinli; Zhang, Chenge; Du, Sheni; Chen, Zhijie

2004-07-01

This paper studied the effect of fertilization on cucumber growth and yield, soil microbial biomass and soil enzyme activities in sunlight greenhouse in Loess Plateau. The results indicated that the growth and yield of cucumber were increased with application of manure and methane. Foliage application reduced the application rate of NP and manure. Fertilization had an obvious effect on the biological characteristics of soil in sunlight greenhouse. The number of bacteria was increased by manure and foliage fertilization, and that of fungi was increased by NP and methane fertilization but decreased by manure fertilization. Fertilization with manure, NP and methane also remarkably increased the number of actinomyces and the activities of urease, phosphatase and sucrase in soil. The activities of soil urease and phosphatase were increased by fertilization of manure, but little effect was found with fertilization of NP and methane.

Lambs Fed Fresh Winter Forage Rape (Brassica napus L.) Emit Less Methane than Those Fed Perennial Ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.), and Possible Mechanisms behind the Difference

PubMed Central

Sun, Xuezhao; Henderson, Gemma; Cox, Faith; Molano, German; Harrison, Scott J.; Luo, Dongwen; Janssen, Peter H.; Pacheco, David

2015-01-01

The objectives of this study were to examine long-term effects of feeding forage rape (Brassica napus L.) on methane yields (g methane per kg of feed dry matter intake), and to propose mechanisms that may be responsible for lower emissions from lambs fed forage rape compared to perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.). The lambs were fed fresh winter forage rape or ryegrass as their sole diet for 15 weeks. Methane yields were measured using open circuit respiration chambers, and were 22-30% smaller from forage rape than from ryegrass (averages of 13.6 g versus 19.5 g after 7 weeks, and 17.8 g versus 22.9 g after 15 weeks). The difference therefore persisted consistently for at least 3 months. The smaller methane yields from forage rape were not related to nitrate or sulfate in the feed, which might act as alternative electron acceptors, or to the levels of the potential inhibitors glucosinolates and S-methyl L-cysteine sulfoxide. Ruminal microbial communities in forage rape-fed lambs were different from those in ryegrass-fed lambs, with greater proportions of potentially propionate-forming bacteria, and were consistent with less hydrogen and hence less methane being produced during fermentation. The molar proportions of ruminal acetate were smaller and those of propionate were greater in forage rape-fed lambs, consistent with the larger propionate-forming populations and less hydrogen production. Forage rape contained more readily fermentable carbohydrates and less structural carbohydrates than ryegrass, and was more rapidly degraded in the rumen, which might favour this fermentation profile. The ruminal pH was lower in forage rape-fed lambs, which might inhibit methanogenic activity, shifting the rumen fermentation to more propionate and less hydrogen and methane. The significance of these two mechanisms remains to be investigated. The results suggest that forage rape is a potential methane mitigation tool in pastoral-based sheep production systems. PMID:25803688

Effect of mean cell residence time on transmembrane flux, mixed-liquor characteristics and overall performance of a submerged anaerobic membrane bioreactor.

PubMed

Pacheco-Ruiz, Santiago; Heaven, Sonia; Banks, Charles J

2017-05-01

Kinetic control of Mean Cell Residence Time (MCRT) was shown to have a significant impact on membrane flux under steady-state conditions. Two laboratory-scale flat-plate submerged anaerobic membrane bioreactors were operated for 245 days on a low-to-intermediate strength substrate with high suspended solids. Transmembrane pressure was maintained at 2.2 kPa throughout four experimental phases, while MCRT in one reactor was progressively reduced. This allowed very accurate measurement of sustainable membrane flux rates at different MCRTs, and hence the degree of membrane fouling. Performance data were gathered on chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal efficiency, and a COD mass balance was constructed accounting for carbon converted into new biomass and that lost in the effluent as dissolved methane. Measurements of growth yield at each MCRT were made, with physical characterisation of each mixed liquor based on capillary suction time. The results showed membrane flux and MLSS filterability was highest at short MCRT, although specific methane production (SMP) was lower since a proportion of COD removal was accounted for by higher biomass yield. There was no advantage in operating at an MCRT <25 days. When considering the most suitable MCRT there is thus a trade-off between membrane performance, SMP and waste sludge yield.

Methane production by anaerobic digestion of water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Klass, D.L.; Ghosh, S.

1980-01-01

Water hyacinth under conventional high-rate digestion conditions exhibited higher CH4 yields and energy recovery efficiencies when grown in sewage-fed lagoons than when grown in a fresh water pond. Mesophilic digestion provided the highest recovery of feed energy in the product gas as CH4, while thermophilic digestion, when operated at sufficiently high loading rates and reduced detention times, gave the highest specific CH4 production rates. CH4 yields, volatile solids reduction, and energy recovery as CH4 from the sewage-grown water hyacinth were in the same range as those observed for other biomass substrates when digested under similar conditions.

Optimization of micro-aeration intensity in acidogenic reactor of a two-phase anaerobic digester treating food waste

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Xu, Suyun; Sino-Forest Applied Research Centre for Pearl River Delta Environment, Department of Biology, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region; Selvam, Ammaiyappan

Highlights: • Effect of micro-aeration on acidogenesis and hydrolysis of food waste was investigated. • Micro-aeration at 258 L-air/kg TS/d increased the VFAs production 3-fold. • High aeration leads to loss of substrate through microbial biomass and respiration. • Optimum aeration increased methane recovery while high aeration intensity reduced methane yield. - Abstract: Micro-aeration is known to promote the activities of hydrolytic exo-enzymes and used as a strategy to improve the hydrolysis of particulate substrate. The effect of different micro-aeration rates, 0, 129, 258, and 387 L-air/kg TS/d (denoted as LBR-AN, LBR-6h, LBR-3h and LBR-2h, respectively) on the solubilization ofmore » food waste was evaluated at 35 °C in four leach bed reactors (LBR) coupled with methanogenic upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor. Results indicate that the intensity of micro-aeration influenced the hydrolysis and methane yield. Adequate micro-aeration intensity in LBR-3h and LBR-2h significantly enhanced the carbohydrate and protein hydrolysis by 21–27% and 38–64% respectively. Due to the accelerated acidogenesis, more than 3-fold of acetic acid and butyric acid were produced in LBR-3h as compared to the anaerobic treatment LBR-AN resulting in the maximum methane yield of 0.27 L CH{sub 4}/g VS{sub added} in the UASB. The performance of LBR-6h with inadequate aeration was similar to that of LBR-AN with a comparable hydrolysis degree. Nevertheless, higher aeration intensity in LBR-2h was also unfavorable for methane yield due to significant biomass generation and CO{sub 2} respiration of up to 18.5% and 32.8% of the total soluble hydrolysate, respectively. To conclude, appropriate micro-aeration rate can promote the hydrolysis of solid organic waste and methane yield without undesirable carbon loss and an aeration intensity of 258 L-air/kg TS/d is recommended for acidogenic LBR treating food waste.« less

Optimization of solid content, carbon/nitrogen ratio and food/inoculum ratio for biogas production from food waste.

PubMed

Dadaser-Celik, Filiz; Azgin, Sukru Taner; Yildiz, Yalcin Sevki

2016-12-01

Biogas production from food waste has been used as an efficient waste treatment option for years. The methane yields from decomposition of waste are, however, highly variable under different operating conditions. In this study, a statistical experimental design method (Taguchi OA 9 ) was implemented to investigate the effects of simultaneous variations of three parameters on methane production. The parameters investigated were solid content (SC), carbon/nitrogen ratio (C/N) and food/inoculum ratio (F/I). Two sets of experiments were conducted with nine anaerobic reactors operating under different conditions. Optimum conditions were determined using statistical analysis, such as analysis of variance (ANOVA). A confirmation experiment was carried out at optimum conditions to investigate the validity of the results. Statistical analysis showed that SC was the most important parameter for methane production with a 45% contribution, followed by F/I ratio with a 35% contribution. The optimum methane yield of 151 l kg -1 volatile solids (VS) was achieved after 24 days of digestion when SC was 4%, C/N was 28 and F/I were 0.3. The confirmation experiment provided a methane yield of 167 l kg -1 VS after 24 days. The analysis showed biogas production from food waste may be increased by optimization of operating conditions. © The Author(s) 2016.

How Does Poly(hydroxyalkanoate) Affect Methane Production from the Anaerobic Digestion of Waste-Activated Sludge?

PubMed

Wang, Dongbo; Zhao, Jianwei; Zeng, Guangming; Chen, Yinguang; Bond, Philip L; Li, Xiaoming

2015-10-20

Recent studies demonstrate that, besides being used for production of biodegradable plastics, poly(hydroxyalkanoate) (PHA) that is accumulated in heterotrophic microorganisms during wastewater treatment has another novel application direction, i.e., being utilized for enhancing methane yield during the anaerobic digestion of waste-activated sludge (WAS). To date, however, the underlying mechanism of how PHA affects methane production remains largely unknown, and this limits optimization and application of the strategy. This study therefore aims to fill this knowledge gap. Experimental results showed that with the increase of sludge PHA levels from 21 to 184 mg/g of volatile suspended solids (VSS) the methane yield linearly increased from 168.0 to 246.1 mL/g of VSS (R(2) = 0.9834). Compared with protein and carbohydrate (the main components of a cell), PHA exhibited a higher biochemical methane potential on a unit VSS basis. It was also found that the increased PHA not only enhanced cell disruption of PHA cells but also benefited the soluble protein conversion of both PHA- and non-PHA cells. Moreover, the reactor fed with higher PHA sludge showed greater sludge hydrolysis and acidification than those fed with the lower PHA sludges. Further investigations using fluorescence in situ hybridization and enzyme analysis revealed that the increased PHA enhanced the abundance of methanogenic Archaea and increased the activities of protease, acetate kinase, and coenzyme F420, which were consistent with the observed methane yield. This work provides insights into PHA-involved WAS digestion systems and may have important implications for future operation of wastewater treatment plants.

Influence of solid-liquid separation strategy on biogas yield from a stratified swine production system.

PubMed

Cestonaro do Amaral, André; Kunz, Airton; Radis Steinmetz, Ricardo Luis; Scussiato, Lucas Antunes; Tápparo, Deisi Cristina; Gaspareto, Taís Carla

2016-03-01

As the fourth largest swine producer and exporter, Brazil has increased its participation in the global swine production market. Generally, these units concentrate a large number of animals and generate effluents that must be correctly managed to prevent environmental impacts, being anaerobic digestion is an interesting alternative for treating these effluents. The low-volatile solid concentration in the manure suggests the need for solid-liquid separation as a tool to improve the biogas generation capacity. This study aimed to determine the influence of simplified and inexpensive solid-liquid separation strategies (screening and settling) and the different manures produced during each swine production phase (gestating and farrowing sow houses, nursery houses and finishing houses) on biogas and methane yield. We collected samples in two gestating sow houses (GSH-a and GSH-b), two farrowing sow houses (FSH-a and FSH-b), a nursery house (NH) and a finishing house (FH). Biochemical methane potential (BMP) tests were performed according to international standard procedures. The settled sludge fraction comprised 20-30% of the raw manure volume, which comprises 40-60% of the total methane yield. The methane potential of the settled sludge fraction was approximately two times higher than the methane potential of the supernatant fraction. The biogas yield differed among the raw manures from different swine production phases (GSH-a 326.4 and GSH-b 577.1; FSH-a 860.1 and FSH-b 479.2; NH -970.2; FH 474.5 NmLbiogas.gVS(-1)). The differences were relative to the production phase (feed type and feeding techniques) and the management of the effluent inside the facilities (water management). Brazilian swine production has increased his participation in the global market, been the fourth producer and the fourth exporter. The segregation of swine production in multiple sites has increased its importance, due to the possibilities to have more specialized units. Generally, these units concentrate a large number of animals and generate effluents that must be correctly managed to avoid environmental impact. Due to the biodegradability of manure, anaerobic digestion is an interesting alternative to treat these effluents. The low volatile solid concentration in the swine manure suggests the need for solid-liquid separation as a tool to improve biogas generation capacity. The present study aimed to determine the influence of simplified and cheap solid-liquid separation strategies (based on screening and settling) and different manure of each swine production phases (gestating and farrowing sows houses, nursery houses and finishing houses) on biogas and methane yield. We collected samples in two gestating sows house (GSH-a and GSH-b), two farrowing sows house (FSH-a and FSH-b), a nursery house (NH) and a finishing house (FH). The Biochemical Methane Production (BMP) tests were performed according to international standard procedure (VDI 4630). The settled sludge fraction responds for 20-30% of raw manure volume, producing 40-60% of the total methane yield. The methane potential of settled sludge fraction was about 2 times higher than the supernatant fraction. There are differences on biogas yield between the raw manure of different swine production phases (GSH-a 326.4 and GSH-b 577.1; FSH-a 860.1 and FSH-b 479.2; NH 970.2; FH 474.5 NmLbiogas.gVS(-1)). The differences are relative to production phase (feed type, feeding techniques, etc.), but also the management of the effluent inside the facilities (water management). Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Adaptation of continuous biogas reactors operating under wet fermentation conditions to dry conditions with corn stover as substrate.

PubMed

Kakuk, Balázs; Kovács, Kornél L; Szuhaj, Márk; Rákhely, Gábor; Bagi, Zoltán

2017-08-01

Corn stover (CS) is the agricultural by-product of maize cultivation. Due to its high abundance and high energy content it is a promising substrate for the bioenergy sector. However, it is currently neglected in industrial scale biogas plants, because of its slow decomposition and hydrophobic character. To assess the maximum biomethane potential of CS, long-term batch fermentations were carried out with various substrate concentrations and particle sizes for 72 days. In separate experiments we adapted the biogas producing microbial community in wet fermentation arrangement first to the lignocellulosic substrate, in Continuous Stirred Tank Reactor (CSTR), then subsequently, by continuously elevating the feed-in concentration, to dry conditions in solid state fermenters (SS-AD). In the batch tests, the <10 mm fraction of the grinded and sieved CS was amenable for biogasification, but it required 10% more time to produce 90% of the total biomethane yield than the <2 mm sized fraction, although in the total yields there was no significant difference between the two size ranges. We also observed that increasing amount of substrate added to the fermentation lowered the specific methane yield. In the CSTR experiment, the daily substrate loading was gradually increased from 1 to 2 g vs /L/day until the system produced signs of overloading. Then the biomass was transferred to SS-AD reactors and the adaptation process was studied. Although the specific methane yields were lower in the SS-AD arrangement (177 mL CH 4 /g vs in CSTR vs. 105 mL in SS-AD), the benefits of process operational parameters, i.e. lower energy consumption, smaller reactor volume, digestate amount generated and simpler configuration, may compensate the somewhat lower yield. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Integrating landfill bioreactors, partial nitritation and anammox process for methane recovery and nitrogen removal from leachate

PubMed Central

Sun, Faqian; Su, Xiaomei; Kang, Tingting; Wu, Songwei; Yuan, Mengdong; Zhu, Jing; Zhang, Xiayun; Xu, Fang; Wu, Weixiang

2016-01-01

A new process consisting of a landfill bioreactor, partial-nitritation (PN) and the anammox process has been developed for landfill leachate treatment. In this study, the landfill bioreactor exhibited excellent performance in methane-rich biogas recovery, with a specific biogas yield of 0.47 L gas g−1 COD and methane percentages of 53–76%. PN was achieved in the aerobic reactor by high free ammonia (101 ± 83 mg NH3 L−1) inhibition for nitrite-oxidizing bacteria, and the desired PN effluent composition (effluent nitrite: ammonium ratio of 1.1 ± 0.3) was controlled by adjusting the alkalinity concentration per unit of ammonium oxidized to approximately 14.3 mg CaCO3 mg−1 N in the influent. The startup of anammox process was successfully achieved with a membrane bioreactor in 160 d, and a maximum nitrogen removal rate of 216 mg N L−1 d−1 was attained for real landfill leachate treatment. The quantitative polymerase chain reaction results confirmed that the cell-specific anammox activity was approximately 68–95 fmol N cell−1 d−1, which finally led to the stable operation of the system. PMID:27279481

Benefits of supplementing an industrial waste anaerobic digester with energy crops for increased biogas production.

PubMed

Nges, Ivo Achu; Escobar, Federico; Fu, Xinmei; Björnsson, Lovisa

2012-01-01

Currently, there is increasing competition for waste as feedstock for the growing number of biogas plants. This has led to fluctuation in feedstock supply and biogas plants being operated below maximum capacity. The feasibility of supplementing a protein/lipid-rich industrial waste (pig manure, slaughterhouse waste, food processing and poultry waste) mesophilic anaerobic digester with carbohydrate-rich energy crops (hemp, maize and triticale) was therefore studied in laboratory scale batch and continuous stirred tank reactors (CSTR) with a view to scale-up to a commercial biogas process. Co-digesting industrial waste and crops led to significant improvement in methane yield per ton of feedstock and carbon-to-nitrogen ratio as compared to digestion of the industrial waste alone. Biogas production from crops in combination with industrial waste also avoids the need for micronutrients normally required in crop digestion. The batch co-digestion methane yields were used to predict co-digestion methane yield in full scale operation. This was done based on the ratio of methane yields observed for laboratory batch and CSTR experiments compared to full scale CSTR digestion of industrial waste. The economy of crop-based biogas production is limited under Swedish conditions; therefore, adding crops to existing industrial waste digestion could be a viable alternative to ensure a constant/reliable supply of feedstock to the anaerobic digester. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Breeding maize as biogas substrate in Central Europe: I. Quantitative-genetic parameters for testcross performance.

PubMed

Grieder, Christoph; Dhillon, Baldev S; Schipprack, Wolfgang; Melchinger, Albrecht E

2012-04-01

Biofuels have gained importance recently and the use of maize biomass as substrate in biogas plants for production of methane has increased tremendously in Germany. The objectives of our research were to (1) estimate variance components and heritability for different traits relevant to biogas production in testcrosses (TCs) of maize, (2) study correlations among traits, and (3) discuss strategies to breed maize as a substrate for biogas fermenters. We evaluated 570 TCs of 285 diverse dent maize lines crossed with two flint single-cross testers in six environments. Data were recorded on agronomic and quality traits, including dry matter yield (DMY), methane fermentation yield (MFY), and methane yield (MY), the product of DMY and MFY, as the main target trait. Estimates of variance components showed general combining ability (GCA) to be the major source of variation. Estimates of heritability exceeded 0.67 for all traits and were even much greater in most instances. Methane yield was perfectly correlated with DMY but not with MFY, indicating that variation in MY is primarily determined by DMY. Further, DMY had a larger heritability and coefficient of genetic variation than MFY. Hence, for improving MY, selection should primarily focus on DMY rather than MFY. Further, maize breeding for biogas production may diverge from that for forage production because in the former case, quality traits seem to be of much lower importance.

Physical and chemical characterization of Devonian gas shale. Quarterly status report, October 1-December 31, 1978

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zielinski, R.E.; Nance, S.W.

On shale samples from the WV-6 (Monongalia County, West Virginia) well, mean total gas yield was 80.4 ft/sup 3//ton. Mean hydrocarbon gas yield was 5.7 ft/sup 3//ton, 7% of total yield. Methane was the major hydrocarbon component and carbon dioxide the major nonhydrocarbon component. Oil yield was negligible. Clay minerals and organic matter were the dominant phases of the shale. Illite averages 76% of the total clay mineral content. This is detrital illite. Permeation of methane, parallel to the bedding direction for select samples from WV-5 (Mason County, West Virginia) well ranges from 10/sup -4/ to 10/sup -12/ darcys. Themore » permeability of these shales is affected by orgaic carbon content, density, particle orientation, depositional facies, etc. Preliminary studies of Devonian shale methane sorption rates suggest that these rates may be affected by shale porosity, as well as absorption and adsorption processes. An experimental system was designed to effectively simulate sorption of methane at natural reservoir conditions. The bulk density and color of select shales from Illinois, Appalachian and Michigan Basins suggest a general trend of decreasing density with increasing organic content. Black and grayish black shales have organic contents which normally exceed 1.0 wt %. Medium dark gray and gray shales generally have organic contents less than 1.0 wt %.« less

Phosphoketolase overexpression increases biomass and lipid yield from methane in an obligate methanotrophic biocatalyst

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Henard, Calvin A.; Smith, Holly K.; Guarnieri, Michael T.

Microbial conversion of methane to high-value bio-based chemicals and materials offers a path to mitigate GHG emissions and valorize this abundant-yet -underutilized carbon source. In addition to fermentation optimization strategies, rational methanotrophic bacterial strain engineering offers a means to reach industrially relevant titers, carbon yields, and productivities of target products. The phosphoketolase pathway functions in heterofermentative bacteria where carbon flux through two sugar catabolic pathways to mixed acids (lactic acid and acetic acid) increases cellular ATP production. Importantly, this pathway also serves as an alternative route to produce acetyl-CoA that bypasses the CO 2 lost through pyruvate decarboxylation in themore » Embden-Meyerhof-Parnas pathway. Thus, the phosphoketolase pathway can be leveraged for carbon efficient biocatalysis to acetyl-CoA-derived intermediates and products. Here, we show that the industrially promising methane biocatalyst, Methylomicrobium buryatense, encodes two phosphoketolase isoforms that are expressed in methanol- and methane-grown cells. Overexpression of the PktB isoform led to a 2-fold increase in intracellular acetyl-CoA concentration, and a 2.6-fold yield enhancement from methane to microbial biomass and lipids compared to wild-type, increasing the potential for methanotroph lipid-based fuel production. Off-gas analysis and metabolite profiling indicated that global metabolic rearrangements, including significant increases in post-translational protein acetylation and gene expression of the tetrahydromethanopterin-linked pathway, along with decreases in several excreted products, coincided with the superior biomass and lipid yield observed in the engineered strain. Further, these data suggest that phosphoketolase may play a key regulatory role in methanotrophic bacterial metabolism. As a result, given that acetyl-CoA is a key intermediate in several biosynthetic pathways, phosphoketolase overexpression offers a viable strategy to enhance the economics of an array of biological methane conversion processes.« less

Phosphoketolase overexpression increases biomass and lipid yield from methane in an obligate methanotrophic biocatalyst.

PubMed

Henard, Calvin A; Smith, Holly K; Guarnieri, Michael T

2017-05-01

Microbial conversion of methane to high-value bio-based fuels, chemicals, and materials offers a path to mitigate GHG emissions and valorize this abundant-yet -underutilized carbon source. In addition to fermentation optimization strategies, rational methanotrophic bacterial strain engineering offers a means to reach industrially relevant titers, carbon yields, and productivities of target products. The phosphoketolase pathway functions in heterofermentative bacteria where carbon flux through two sugar catabolic pathways to mixed acids (lactic acid and acetic acid) increases cellular ATP production. Importantly, this pathway also serves as an alternative route to produce acetyl-CoA that bypasses the CO 2 lost through pyruvate decarboxylation in the Embden-Meyerhof-Parnas pathway. Thus, the phosphoketolase pathway can be leveraged for carbon efficient biocatalysis to acetyl-CoA-derived intermediates and products. Here, we show that the industrially promising methane biocatalyst, Methylomicrobium buryatense, encodes two phosphoketolase isoforms that are expressed in methanol- and methane-grown cells. Overexpression of the PktB isoform led to a 2-fold increase in intracellular acetyl-CoA concentration, and a 2.6-fold yield enhancement from methane to microbial biomass and lipids compared to wild-type, increasing the potential for methanotroph lipid-based fuel production. Off-gas analysis and metabolite profiling indicated that global metabolic rearrangements, including significant increases in post-translational protein acetylation and gene expression of the tetrahydromethanopterin-linked pathway, along with decreases in several excreted products, coincided with the superior biomass and lipid yield observed in the engineered strain. Further, these data suggest that phosphoketolase may play a key regulatory role in methanotrophic bacterial metabolism. Given that acetyl-CoA is a key intermediate in several biosynthetic pathways, phosphoketolase overexpression offers a viable strategy to enhance the economics of an array of biological methane conversion processes. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Phosphoketolase overexpression increases biomass and lipid yield from methane in an obligate methanotrophic biocatalyst

DOE PAGES

Henard, Calvin A.; Smith, Holly K.; Guarnieri, Michael T.

2017-04-02

Microbial conversion of methane to high-value bio-based chemicals and materials offers a path to mitigate GHG emissions and valorize this abundant-yet -underutilized carbon source. In addition to fermentation optimization strategies, rational methanotrophic bacterial strain engineering offers a means to reach industrially relevant titers, carbon yields, and productivities of target products. The phosphoketolase pathway functions in heterofermentative bacteria where carbon flux through two sugar catabolic pathways to mixed acids (lactic acid and acetic acid) increases cellular ATP production. Importantly, this pathway also serves as an alternative route to produce acetyl-CoA that bypasses the CO 2 lost through pyruvate decarboxylation in themore » Embden-Meyerhof-Parnas pathway. Thus, the phosphoketolase pathway can be leveraged for carbon efficient biocatalysis to acetyl-CoA-derived intermediates and products. Here, we show that the industrially promising methane biocatalyst, Methylomicrobium buryatense, encodes two phosphoketolase isoforms that are expressed in methanol- and methane-grown cells. Overexpression of the PktB isoform led to a 2-fold increase in intracellular acetyl-CoA concentration, and a 2.6-fold yield enhancement from methane to microbial biomass and lipids compared to wild-type, increasing the potential for methanotroph lipid-based fuel production. Off-gas analysis and metabolite profiling indicated that global metabolic rearrangements, including significant increases in post-translational protein acetylation and gene expression of the tetrahydromethanopterin-linked pathway, along with decreases in several excreted products, coincided with the superior biomass and lipid yield observed in the engineered strain. Further, these data suggest that phosphoketolase may play a key regulatory role in methanotrophic bacterial metabolism. As a result, given that acetyl-CoA is a key intermediate in several biosynthetic pathways, phosphoketolase overexpression offers a viable strategy to enhance the economics of an array of biological methane conversion processes.« less

Methyl-coenzyme M reductase A as an indicator to estimate methane production from dairy cows.

PubMed

Aguinaga Casañas, M A; Rangkasenee, N; Krattenmacher, N; Thaller, G; Metges, C C; Kuhla, B

2015-06-01

The evaluation of greenhouse gas mitigation strategies requires the quantitative assessment of individual methane production. Because methane measurement in respiration chambers is highly accurate, but also comprises various disadvantages such as limited capacity and high costs, the establishment of an indicator for estimating methane production of individual ruminants would provide an alternative to direct methane measurement. Methyl-coenzyme M reductase is involved in methanogenesis and the subunit α of methyl-coenzyme M reductase is encoded by the mcrA gene of rumen archaea. We therefore examined the relationship between methane emissions of Holstein dairy cows measured in respiration chambers with 2 different diets (high- and medium-concentrate diet) and the mcrA DNA and mcrA cDNA abundance determined from corresponding rumen fluid samples. Whole-body methane production per kilogram of dry matter intake and mcrA DNA normalized to the abundance of the rrs gene coding for 16S rRNA correlated significantly when using qmcrA primers. Use of qmcrA primers also revealed linear correlation between mcrA DNA copy number and methane yield. Regression analyses based on normalized mcrA cDNA abundances revealed no significant linear correlation with methane production per kilogram of dry matter intake. Furthermore, the correlations between normalized mcrA DNA abundance and the rumen fluid concentration of acetic and isobutyric acid were positive, whereas the correlations with propionic and lactic acid were negative. These data suggest that the mcrA DNA approach based on qmcrA primers could potentially be a molecular proxy for methane yield after further refinement. Copyright © 2015 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effect of organic loading rate on anaerobic co-digestion of rice straw and pig manure with or without biological pretreatment.

PubMed

Shen, Fei; Li, Hanguang; Wu, Xiaoyu; Wang, Yuanxiu; Zhang, Qinghua

2018-02-01

In this study, rice straw (RS) and pig manure (PM) mixtures with or without bio-pretreatment were used as the substrates and digested in a 9 L of anaerobic reactor at Organic loading rates (OLRs) of 0.4-3.1 kg COD/(m 3  d). The volumetric methane production rate (VMPR), methane yield and anaerobic stability were comparatively investigated. The results showed the co-anaerobic digestion processes of RS and PM mixture after biological pretreatment were very stable at OLRs of 0.4-2.5 kg COD/(m 3  d), and its optimal VMPR and methane yield could reach 0.64 L CH 4 /(L d) and 0.4557 L CH 4 /g COD removed at OLR of 2.5 kg COD/(m 3  d), which were 62.4% and 37.8% higher than those of the control under the same OLR condition. This study indicated the biological pretreatment with a cellulolytic microbial consortium own great potential in improving the methane yield and productivity of RS and PM wastes. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Dry anaerobic co-digestion of food waste and cattle manure: Impact of total solids, substrate ratio and thermal pre treatment on methane yield and quality of biomanure.

PubMed

Arelli, Vijayalakshmi; Begum, Sameena; Anupoju, Gangagni Rao; Kuruti, Kranti; S, Shailaja

2018-04-01

The objective of the present study is to assess the impact of TS concentration, substrate mixing ratio (co digestion) and thermal pretreatment on biogas production, methane yield, VS reduction (%) and quality of biomanure through dry anaerobic digestion (DAD) of food waste (FW) and cattle manure (CM). Results divulged that the optimum methane yield and biomanure of 0.18 and 0.21 m 3 CH 4 /(kg VS reduced) and 3.15 and 2.8 kg/kg waste was obtained from FW at TS of 25% and 30% at an HRT of 41 and 31 days respectively whereas it was 0.32 and 0.43 m 3 CH 4 /(kg VS reduced) and 2.2 and 1.15 kg/kg waste from pretreated FW at an HRT of 16 and 20 days correspondingly. Improvement of methane from 62 to 81% was obtained due to thermal pretreatment. The highest nutrient recovery in terms of N, P, K was found to be 5.14, 2.6 and 3.2 respectively. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Enhancement of anaerobic digestion efficiency of wastewater sludge and olive waste: Synergistic effect of co-digestion and ultrasonic/microwave sludge pre-treatment.

PubMed

Alagöz, B Aylin; Yenigün, Orhan; Erdinçler, Ayşen

2015-12-01

This study investigates the effect of ultrasonic and microwave pre-treatment on biogas production from the anaerobic co-digestion of olive pomace and wastewater sludges. It was found that co-digestion of wastewater sludge with olive pomace yielded around 0.21 L CH4/g VS added, whereas the maximum methane yields from the mono-digestion of olive pomace and un-pretreated wastewater sludges were 0.18 and 0.16L CH4/g VS added. In the same way, compared to mono-digestion of these substrates, co-digestion increased methane production by 17-31%. The microwave and ultrasonic pre-treatments applied to sludge samples prior to co-digestion process led to further increase in the methane production by 52% and 24%, respectively, compared to co-digestion with un-pretreated wastewater sludge. The highest biogas and methane yields were obtained from the co-digestion of 30 min microwave pre-treated wastewater sludges and olive pomace to be 0.46 L/g VS added and 0.32 L CH4/g VS added, respectively. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Improve the Anaerobic Biodegradability by Copretreatment of Thermal Alkali and Steam Explosion of Lignocellulosic Waste

PubMed Central

Siddhu, Muhammad Abdul Hanan; Li, Jianghao; Zhang, Jiafu; Huang, Yan; Wang, Wen; Chen, Chang; Liu, Guangqing

2016-01-01

Effective alteration of the recalcitrance properties like crystallization of cellulose, lignin shield, and interlinking of lignocellulosic biomass is an ideal way to utilize the full-scale potential for biofuel production. This study exhibited three different pretreatment effects to enhance the digestibility of corn stover (CS) for methane production. In this context, steam explosion (SE) and thermal potassium hydroxide (KOH-60°C) treated CS produced the maximal methane yield of 217.5 and 243.1 mL/gvs, which were 40.0% and 56.4% more than untreated CS (155.4 mL/gvs), respectively. Copretreatment of thermal potassium hydroxide and steam explosion (CPTPS) treated CS was highly significant among all treatments and improved 88.46% (292.9 mL/gvs) methane yield compared with untreated CS. Besides, CPTPS also achieved the highest biodegradability up to 68.90%. Three kinetic models very well simulated dynamics of methane production yield. Moreover, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses declared the most effective changes in physicochemical properties after CPTPS pretreatment. Thus, CPTPS might be a promising approach to deconstructing the recalcitrance of lignocellulosic structure to improve the biodegradability for AD. PMID:27200370

Anaerobic co-digestion of steam-treated Quercus serrata chips and sewage sludge under mesophilic and thermophilic conditions.

PubMed

Wang, Feng; Hidaka, Taira; Sakurai, Kensuke; Tsumori, Jun

2014-08-01

The biodegradation of Quercus serrata chips was evaluated by anaerobic digestion under various steam explosion conditions. In continuous experiments, untreated chips (W₀) and chips steam-treated at less than 1.0 MPa (W₁) and 2.0 MPa (W₄) were co-digested with sewage sludge (S₁ and S₂) taken from two different wastewater treatment plants. The apparent methane yield of W₁ and W₄ co-digested with S₁ (thermophilic) was 261 dm(3)/kgVS (volatile solids) and 248 dm(3)/kgVS, respectively. The apparent methane yield of W₄ co-digested with S₂ was 258 dm(3)/kgVS (mesophilic) and 271 dm(3)/kgVS (thermophilic). Methane production was inhibited by W₀ due to components released during hydrolysis. The methane conversion ratio of pretreated chips obtained in batch experiments varied from 40.5% to 53.8% (mesophilic) and from 49.0% to 63.7% (thermophilic). The methane conversion ratio increased with decreasing acid-soluble lignin content in the chips. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Optimizing feeding composition and carbon-nitrogen ratios for improved methane yield during anaerobic co-digestion of dairy, chicken manure and wheat straw.

PubMed

Wang, Xiaojiao; Yang, Gaihe; Feng, Yongzhong; Ren, Guangxin; Han, Xinhui

2012-09-01

This study investigated the possibilities of improving methane yield from anaerobic digestion of multi-component substrates, using a mixture of dairy manure (DM), chicken manure (CM) and wheat straw (WS), based on optimized feeding composition and the C/N ratio. Co-digestion of DM, CM and WS performed better in methane potential than individual digestion. A larger synergetic effect in co-digestion of DM, CM and WS was found than in mixtures of single manures with WS. As the C/N ratio increased, methane potential initially increased and then declined. C/N ratios of 25:1 and 30:1 had better digestion performance with stable pH and low concentrations of total ammonium nitrogen and free NH(3). Maximum methane potential was achieved with DM/CM of 40.3:59.7 and a C/N ratio of 27.2:1 after optimization using response surface methodology. The results suggested that better performance of anaerobic co-digestion can be fulfilled by optimizing feeding composition and the C/N ratio. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Building a better methane generation model: Validating models with methane recovery rates from 35 Canadian landfills.

PubMed

Thompson, Shirley; Sawyer, Jennifer; Bonam, Rathan; Valdivia, J E

2009-07-01

The German EPER, TNO, Belgium, LandGEM, and Scholl Canyon models for estimating methane production were compared to methane recovery rates for 35 Canadian landfills, assuming that 20% of emissions were not recovered. Two different fractions of degradable organic carbon (DOC(f)) were applied in all models. Most models performed better when the DOC(f) was 0.5 compared to 0.77. The Belgium, Scholl Canyon, and LandGEM version 2.01 models produced the best results of the existing models with respective mean absolute errors compared to methane generation rates (recovery rates + 20%) of 91%, 71%, and 89% at 0.50 DOC(f) and 171%, 115%, and 81% at 0.77 DOC(f). The Scholl Canyon model typically overestimated methane recovery rates and the LandGEM version 2.01 model, which modifies the Scholl Canyon model by dividing waste by 10, consistently underestimated methane recovery rates; this comparison suggested that modifying the divisor for waste in the Scholl Canyon model between one and ten could improve its accuracy. At 0.50 DOC(f) and 0.77 DOC(f) the modified model had the lowest absolute mean error when divided by 1.5 yielding 63 +/- 45% and 2.3 yielding 57 +/- 47%, respectively. These modified models reduced error and variability substantially and both have a strong correlation of r = 0.92.

Anaerobic co-digestion of sugarcane press mud with vinasse on methane yield.

PubMed

López González, Lisbet Mailin; Pereda Reyes, Ileana; Romero Romero, Osvaldo

2017-10-01

The conversion efficiency of high solids waste digestion as sugarcane press mud (P) may be limited due to hydrolysis step. The option of co-digestion with vinasse, main liquid waste generated from ethanol production, was investigated under batch regime at mesophilic conditions (37.5±1°C) and the best mixture was evaluated under semicontinuous regime in stirred-tank reactors. The maximum values for methane yield in batch tests were for V 75 /P 25 and V 50 /P 50 mixtures (on basis of the chemical oxygen demand (COD) percentage added in the mixture), with an average value of 246NmL CH 4 g -1 COD fed , which was 13% higher than that of press mud alone. A highest methane production rate of 69.6NmL CH 4 g -1 COD fed -1 d -1 was obtained for the mixtureV 75 /P 25 . During the experiment carried out in CSTR reactors, the organic loading rate (OLR) was increased from 0.5 up to 2.2gVSL -1 d -1 . Methane yields of 365L CH 4 kg -1 VS and biogas productivities of 1.6LL -1 were obtained in co-digestion, which was 64% higher in comparison to mono-digestion. The performance of the process in mono-digestion was less stable than in co-digestion, with a significant fall of methane yield to 1.8kgVSm -3 d -1 , and a partial inhibition of the methanogenic archaeas when the OLR was increased up to 2.2kgVSm -3 d -1 . The co-digestion of vinasse with press mud is a good option for the treatment of streams at the alcohol-sugar industry. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Comparison of different liquid anaerobic digestion effluents as inocula and nitrogen sources for solid-state batch anaerobic digestion of corn stover

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Xu Fuqing; Shi Jian; Lv Wen

2013-01-15

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Compared methane production of solid AD inoculated with different effluents. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Food waste effluent (FWE) had the largest population of acetoclastic methanogens. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Solid AD inoculated with FWE produced the highest methane yield at F/E ratio of 4. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Dairy waste effluent (DWE) was rich of cellulolytic and xylanolytic bacteria. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Solid AD inoculated with DWE produced the highest methane yield at F/E ratio of 2. - Abstract: Effluents from three liquid anaerobic digesters, fed with municipal sewage sludge, food waste, or dairy waste, were evaluated as inocula and nitrogen sources for solid-state batch anaerobic digestion of cornmore » stover in mesophilic reactors. Three feedstock-to-effluent (F/E) ratios (i.e., 2, 4, and 6) were tested for each effluent. At an F/E ratio of 2, the reactor inoculated by dairy waste effluent achieved the highest methane yield of 238.5 L/kgVS{sub feed}, while at an F/E ratio of 4, the reactor inoculated by food waste effluent achieved the highest methane yield of 199.6 L/kgVS{sub feed}. The microbial population and chemical composition of the three effluents were substantially different. Food waste effluent had the largest population of acetoclastic methanogens, while dairy waste effluent had the largest populations of cellulolytic and xylanolytic bacteria. Dairy waste also had the highest C/N ratio of 8.5 and the highest alkalinity of 19.3 g CaCO{sub 3}/kg. The performance of solid-state batch anaerobic digestion reactors was closely related to the microbial status in the liquid anaerobic digestion effluents.« less

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bayr, S., E-mail: suvi.bayr@jyu.fi; Ojanperä, M.; Kaparaju, P.

Highlights: • Rendering wastes’ mono-digestion and co-digestion with potato pulp were studied. • CSTR process with OLR of 1.5 kg VS/m{sup 3} d, HRT of 50 d was unstable in mono-digestion. • Free NH{sub 3} inhibited mono-digestion of rendering wastes. • CSTR process with OLR of 1.5 kg VS/m{sup 3} d, HRT of 50 d was stable in co-digestion. • Co-digestion increased methane yield somewhat compared to mono-digestion. - Abstract: In this study, mono-digestion of rendering wastes and co-digestion of rendering wastes with potato pulp were studied for the first time in continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR) experiments at 55more » °C. Rendering wastes have high protein and lipid contents and are considered good substrates for methane production. However, accumulation of digestion intermediate products viz., volatile fatty acids (VFAs), long chain fatty acids (LCFAs) and ammonia nitrogen (NH{sub 4}-N and/or free NH{sub 3}) can cause process imbalance during the digestion. Mono-digestion of rendering wastes at an organic loading rate (OLR) of 1.5 kg volatile solids (VS)/m{sup 3} d and hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 50 d was unstable and resulted in methane yields of 450 dm{sup 3}/kg VS{sub fed}. On the other hand, co-digestion of rendering wastes with potato pulp (60% wet weight, WW) at the same OLR and HRT improved the process stability and increased methane yields (500–680 dm{sup 3}/kg VS{sub fed}). Thus, it can be concluded that co-digestion of rendering wastes with potato pulp could improve the process stability and methane yields from these difficult to treat industrial waste materials.« less

Experimental co-digestion of corn stalk and vermicompost to improve biogas production

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chen Guangyin; Zheng Zheng, E-mail: zzhenghj@fudan.edu.c; Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433

2010-10-15

Anaerobic co-digestion of corn stalk and vermicompost (VC) as well as mono-digestion of corn stalk were investigated. Batch mono-digestion experiments were performed at 35 {+-} 1 {sup o}C and initial total solid loading (TSL) ranged from 1.2% to 6.0%. Batch co-digestion experiments were performed at 35 {+-} 1 {sup o}C and initial TSL of 6% with VC proportions ranged from 20% to 80% of total solid (TS). For mono-digestion of corn stalk, a maximum methane yield of 217.60 {+-} 13.87 mL/g TS{sub added} was obtained at initial TSL of 4.8%, and acidification was found at initial TSL of 6.0% withmore » the lowest pH value of 5.10 on day 4. Co-digestion improved the methane yields by 4.42-58.61% via enhancing volatile fatty acids (VFAs) concentration and pH value compared with mono-digestion of corn stalk. The maximum biogas yield of 410.30 {+-} 11.01 mL/g TS{sub added} and methane yield of 259.35 {+-} 13.85 mL/g TS{sub added} were obtained for 40% VC addition. Structure analysis by X-ray diffractometry (XRD) showed that the lowest crystallinity of 35.04 of digested corn stalk was obtained from co-digestion with 40% VC, which decreased 29.4% compared to 49.6 obtained from un-treated corn stalk. It is concluded that co-digestion with VC is beneficial for improving biodigestibility and methane yield from corn stalk.« less

Prediction of enteric methane production, yield, and intensity in dairy cattle using an intercontinental database.

PubMed

Niu, Mutian; Kebreab, Ermias; Hristov, Alexander N; Oh, Joonpyo; Arndt, Claudia; Bannink, André; Bayat, Ali R; Brito, André F; Boland, Tommy; Casper, David; Crompton, Les A; Dijkstra, Jan; Eugène, Maguy A; Garnsworthy, Phil C; Haque, Md Najmul; Hellwing, Anne L F; Huhtanen, Pekka; Kreuzer, Michael; Kuhla, Bjoern; Lund, Peter; Madsen, Jørgen; Martin, Cécile; McClelland, Shelby C; McGee, Mark; Moate, Peter J; Muetzel, Stefan; Muñoz, Camila; O'Kiely, Padraig; Peiren, Nico; Reynolds, Christopher K; Schwarm, Angela; Shingfield, Kevin J; Storlien, Tonje M; Weisbjerg, Martin R; Yáñez-Ruiz, David R; Yu, Zhongtang

2018-02-16

Enteric methane (CH 4 ) production from cattle contributes to global greenhouse gas emissions. Measurement of enteric CH 4 is complex, expensive, and impractical at large scales; therefore, models are commonly used to predict CH 4 production. However, building robust prediction models requires extensive data from animals under different management systems worldwide. The objectives of this study were to (1) collate a global database of enteric CH 4 production from individual lactating dairy cattle; (2) determine the availability of key variables for predicting enteric CH 4 production (g/day per cow), yield [g/kg dry matter intake (DMI)], and intensity (g/kg energy corrected milk) and their respective relationships; (3) develop intercontinental and regional models and cross-validate their performance; and (4) assess the trade-off between availability of on-farm inputs and CH 4 prediction accuracy. The intercontinental database covered Europe (EU), the United States (US), and Australia (AU). A sequential approach was taken by incrementally adding key variables to develop models with increasing complexity. Methane emissions were predicted by fitting linear mixed models. Within model categories, an intercontinental model with the most available independent variables performed best with root mean square prediction error (RMSPE) as a percentage of mean observed value of 16.6%, 14.7%, and 19.8% for intercontinental, EU, and United States regions, respectively. Less complex models requiring only DMI had predictive ability comparable to complex models. Enteric CH 4 production, yield, and intensity prediction models developed on an intercontinental basis had similar performance across regions, however, intercepts and slopes were different with implications for prediction. Revised CH 4 emission conversion factors for specific regions are required to improve CH 4 production estimates in national inventories. In conclusion, information on DMI is required for good prediction, and other factors such as dietary neutral detergent fiber (NDF) concentration, improve the prediction. For enteric CH 4 yield and intensity prediction, information on milk yield and composition is required for better estimation. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Single-phase and two-phase anaerobic digestion of fruit and vegetable waste: Comparison of start-up, reactor stability and process performance

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ganesh, Rangaraj; Torrijos, Michel, E-mail: michel.torrijos@supagro.inra.fr; Sousbie, Philippe

Highlights: • Single-phase and two-phase systems were compared for fruit and vegetable waste digestion. • Single-phase digestion produced a methane yield of 0.45 m{sup 3} CH{sub 4}/kg VS and 83% VS removal. • Substrate solubilization was high in acidification conditions at 7.0 kg VS/m{sup 3} d and pH 5.5–6.2. • Energy yield was lower by 33% for two-phase system compared to the single-phase system. • Simple and straight-forward operation favored single phase process over two-phase process. - Abstract: Single-phase and two-phase digestion of fruit and vegetable waste were studied to compare reactor start-up, reactor stability and performance (methane yield, volatilemore » solids reduction and energy yield). The single-phase reactor (SPR) was a conventional reactor operated at a low loading rate (maximum of 3.5 kg VS/m{sup 3} d), while the two-phase system consisted of an acidification reactor (TPAR) and a methanogenic reactor (TPMR). The TPAR was inoculated with methanogenic sludge similar to the SPR, but was operated with step-wise increase in the loading rate and with total recirculation of reactor solids to convert it into acidification sludge. Before each feeding, part of the sludge from TPAR was centrifuged, the centrifuge liquid (solubilized products) was fed to the TPMR and centrifuged solids were recycled back to the reactor. Single-phase digestion produced a methane yield of 0.45 m{sup 3} CH{sub 4}/kg VS fed and VS removal of 83%. The TPAR shifted to acidification mode at an OLR of 10.0 kg VS/m{sup 3} d and then achieved stable performance at 7.0 kg VS/m{sup 3} d and pH 5.5–6.2, with very high substrate solubilization rate and a methane yield of 0.30 m{sup 3} CH{sub 4}/kg COD fed. The two-phase process was capable of high VS reduction, but material and energy balance showed that the single-phase process was superior in terms of volumetric methane production and energy yield by 33%. The lower energy yield of the two-phase system was due to the loss of energy during hydrolysis in the TPAR and the deficit in methane production in the TPMR attributed to COD loss due to biomass synthesis and adsorption of hard COD onto the flocs. These results including the complicated operational procedure of the two-phase process and the economic factors suggested that the single-phase process could be the preferred system for FVW.« less

Constraints on mechanisms and rates of anaerobic oxidation of methane by microbial consortia: process-based modeling of ANME-2 archaea and sulfate reducing bacteria interactions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Orcutt, B.; Meile, C.

2008-05-01

Anaerobic oxidation of methane (AOM) is the main process responsible for the removal of methane generated in Earth's marine subsurface environments. However, the biochemical mechanism of AOM remains elusive. By explicitly resolving the observed spatial arrangement of methanotrophic archaea and sulfate reducing bacteria found in consortia mediating AOM, potential intermediates involved in the electron transfer between the methane oxidizing and sulfate reducing partners were investigated via a consortium-scale reaction transport model that integrates the effect of diffusional transport with thermodynamic and kinetic controls on microbial activity. Model simulations were used to assess the impact of poorly constrained microbial characteristics such as minimum energy requirements to sustain metabolism, substrate affinity and cell specific rates. The role of environmental conditions such as the influence of methane levels on the feasibility of H2, formate and acetate as intermediate species, and the impact of the abundance of intermediate species on pathway reversal was examined. The results show that higher production rates of intermediates via AOM lead to increased diffusive fluxes from the methane oxidizing archaea to sulfate reducing bacteria, but the build-up of the exchangeable species causes the energy yield of AOM to drop below that required for ATP production. Comparison to data from laboratory experiments shows that under the experimental conditions of Nauhaus et al. (2007), neither hydrogen nor formate is exchanged fast enough between the consortia partners to achieve measured rates of metabolic activity, but that acetate exchange might support rates that approach those observed.

Effect of solids retention time on the bioavailability of organic carbon in anaerobically digested swine waste.

PubMed

Kinyua, Maureen N; Cunningham, Jeffrey; Ergas, Sarina J

2014-06-01

Anaerobic digestion (AD) can be used to stabilize and produce energy from livestock waste; however, digester effluents may require further treatment to remove nitrogen. This paper quantifies the effects of varying solids retention time (SRT) methane yield, volatile solids (VS) reduction and organic carbon bioavailability for denitrification during swine waste AD. Four bench-scale anaerobic digesters, with SRTs of 14, 21, 28 and 42 days, operated with swine waste feed. Effluent organic carbon bioavailability was measured using anoxic microcosms and respirometry. Excellent performance was observed for all four digesters, with >60% VS removal and CH4 yields between 0.1 and 0.3(m(3)CH4)/(kg VS added). Organic carbon in the centrate as an internal organic carbon source for denitrification supported maximum specific denitrification rates between 47 and 56(mg NO3(-)-N)/(g VSS h). The digester with the 21-day SRT had the highest CH4 yield and maximum specific denitrification rates. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Anaerobic digestion of macroalgae: methane potentials, pre-treatment, inhibition and co-digestion.

PubMed

Nielsen, H B; Heiske, S

2011-01-01

In the present study we tested four macroalgae species--harvested in Denmark--for their suitability of bioconversion to methane. In batch experiments (53 degrees C) methane yields varied from 132 ml g volatile solids(-1) (VS) for Gracillaria vermiculophylla, 152 mi gVS(-1) for Ulva lactuca, 166 ml g VS(-1) for Chaetomorpha linum and 340 ml g VS(-1) for Saccharina latissima following 34 days of incubation. With an organic content of 21.1% (1.5-2.8 times higher than the other algae) S. latissima seems very suitable for anaerobic digestion. However, the methane yields of U. lactuca, G. vermiculophylla and C. linum could be increased with 68%, 11% and 17%, respectively, by pretreatment with maceration. U. lactuca is often observed during 'green tides' in Europe and has a high cultivation potential at Nordic conditions. Therefore, U. lactuca was selected for further investigation and co-digested with cattle manure in a lab-scale continuously stirred tank reactor. A 48% increase in methane production rate of the reactor was observed when the concentration of U. lactuca in the feedstock was 40% (VS basis). Increasing the concentration to 50% had no further effect on the methane production, which limits the application of this algae at Danish centralized biogas plant.

Biogas production of Chicken Manure by Two-stage fermentation process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Xin Yuan; Wang, Jing Jing; Nie, Jia Min; Wu, Nan; Yang, Fang; Yang, Ren Jie

2018-06-01

This paper performs a batch experiment for pre-acidification treatment and methane production from chicken manure by the two-stage anaerobic fermentation process. Results shows that the acetate was the main component in volatile fatty acids produced at the end of pre-acidification stage, accounting for 68% of the total amount. The daily biogas production experienced three peak period in methane production stage, and the methane content reached 60% in the second period and then slowly reduced to 44.5% in the third period. The cumulative methane production was fitted by modified Gompertz equation, and the kinetic parameters of the methane production potential, the maximum methane production rate and lag phase time were 345.2 ml, 0.948 ml/h and 343.5 h, respectively. The methane yield of 183 ml-CH4/g-VSremoved during the methane production stage and VS removal efficiency of 52.7% for the whole fermentation process were achieved.

Rumen bacteria at work: bioaugmentation strategies to enhance biogas production from cow manure.

PubMed

Ozbayram, E G; Akyol, Ç; Ince, B; Karakoç, C; Ince, O

2018-02-01

To investigate the effects of different bioaugmentation strategies for enhancing the biogas production from cow manure and evaluate microbial community patterns. Co-inoculation with cow rumen fluid and cow rumen-derived enriched microbial consortia was evaluated in anaerobic batch tests at 36°C and 41°C. Singular addition of both rumen fluid and enriched bioaugmentation culture had a promising enhancement on methane yields; however, the highest methane yield (311 ml CH 4 per gram VS at 41°C) was achieved when the anaerobic seed sludge was co-inoculated together with rumen fluid and enriched bioaugmentation culture. Bacterial community profiles were investigated by Ion PGM Platform, and specific lignocellulolytic bacteria dynamics in batch tests were assessed by qPCR. The temperature had minor effects on the abundance of bacterial community; in which Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes were the most abundant phyla in all digesters. Furthermore, Rikenellaceae, Clostridiaceae, Porphyromonadaceae, Bacteroidaceae and Ruminococcaceae played a crucial role during the anaerobic degradation of cow manure. There was an important impact of Firmicutes flavefaciens and Ruminococcus albus at 41°C, which in turn positively affected the methane production. The degree of enhancement in biogas production can be upgraded by the co-inoculation of rumen-derived bioaugmentation culture with anaerobic seed sludge with high methanogenic activity. A close look at the biotic interactions and their associations with abiotic factors might be valuable for evaluating rumen-related bioaugmentation applications. © 2017 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

Deep-Water Acoustic Anomalies from Methane Hydrate in the Bering Sea

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wood, Warren T.; Barth, Ginger A.; Scholl, David W.; Lebedeva-Ivanova, Nina

2015-01-01

A recent expedition to the central Bering Sea, one of the most remote locations in the world, has yielded observations confirming gas and gas hydrates in this deep ocean basin. Significant sound speed anomalies found using inversion of pre-stack seismic data are observed in association with variable seismic amplitude anomalies in the thick sediment column. The anomalously low sound speeds below the inferred base of methane hydrate stability indicate the presence of potentially large quantities of gas-phase methane associated with each velocity-amplitude anomaly (VAMP). The data acquired are of such high quality that quantitative estimates of the concentrations of gas hydrates in the upper few hundred meters of sediment are also possible, and analyses are under way to make these estimates. Several VAMPs were specifically targeted in this survey; others were crossed incidentally. Indications of many dozens or hundreds of these features exist throughout the portion of the Bering Sea relevant to the U.S. extended continental shelf (ECS) consistent with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. 

Optimization of the co-digestion of catch crops with manure using a central composite design and reactor operation.

PubMed

Molinuevo-Salces, Beatriz; Ahring, Birgitte K; Uellendahl, Hinrich

2015-02-01

This study investigates the effect of catch crops as co-substrate on manure-based anaerobic digestion. Batch experiments were carried out for two catch crops, namely Italian ryegrass (IR) and oil seed radish (OSR), in co-digestion with manure. Methane yields in the range of 271-558 and 216-361 ml CH4/g volatile solids (VS) were obtained for OSR and IR in co-digestion, respectively. OSR co-digestion was chosen for semi-continuous reactor experiments. The addition of 50 % of OSR to manure (on VS basis) in semi-continuous anaerobic digestion resulted in a methane yield of 348 ml CH4/g VS, an improvement of 1.46 times compared to manure alone. Adaptation to OSR was observed, and no ammonia or volatile fatty acid-mediated inhibition was detected. The results prove that it is feasible to use catch crops as co-substrate for manure-based biogas production, obtaining a stable process with significantly higher methane yields than that of manure alone.

Methane potential from municipal biowaste: Insights from six communities in Maharashtra, India.

PubMed

Breitenmoser, Lena; Dhar, Hiya; Gross, Thomas; Bakre, Milan; Huesch, Ragini; Hugi, Christoph; Wintgens, Thomas; Kumar, Rakesh; Kumar, Sunil

2018-04-01

Anaerobic digestion (AD) of biowaste can generate biogas with methane (CH 4 ) as energy source and contribute to sustainable municipal solid waste management in India. Characteristic municipal biowastes sampled seasonally from household, fruit and vegetable market and agricultural waste collection points in villages, towns and cities in Maharashtra were analysed to assess the potential as substrate for AD. The mean biochemical methane potential (BMP, at 37 °C) across seasons and community sizes was between 200-260, 175-240 and 101-286 NL CH4  kg vs -1 for household, market and agricultural biowaste, respectively. CH 4 yields were comparable in villages, towns and cities. Seasonal variations in CH 4 yields were observed for market and agricultural biowaste with highest values during pre-monsoon season. Results underpin that municipal biowaste is a suitable substrate for AD in India. However, low purity of available biowaste resulted in lower CH 4 yields compared to recent studies using source-segregated biowaste. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Bioaugmentation with an acetate-type fermentation bacterium Acetobacteroides hydrogenigenes improves methane production from corn straw.

PubMed

Zhang, Jie; Guo, Rong-Bo; Qiu, Yan-Ling; Qiao, Jiang-Tao; Yuan, Xian-Zheng; Shi, Xiao-Shuang; Wang, Chuan-Shui

2015-03-01

The effect of bioaugmentation with an acetate-type fermentation bacterium in the phylum Bacteroidetes on the anaerobic digestion of corn straw was evaluated by batch experiments. Acetobacteroides hydrogenigenes is a promising strain for bioaugmentation with relatively high growth rate, hydrogen yields and acetate tolerance, which ferments a broad spectrum of pentoses, hexoses and polyoses mainly into acetate and hydrogen. During corn straw digestion, bioaugmentation with A. hydrogenigenes led to 19-23% increase of the methane yield, with maximum of 258.1 mL/g-corn straw achieved by 10% inoculation (control, 209.3 mL/g-corn straw). Analysis of lignocellulosic composition indicated that A. hydrogenigenes could increase removal rates of cellulose and hemicelluloses in corn straw residue by 12% and 5%, respectively. Further experiment verified that the addition of A. hydrogenigenes could improve the methane yields of methyl cellulose and xylan (models for cellulose and hemicelluloses, respectively) by 16.8% and 7.0%. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Bioaugmentation with hydrolytic microbes to improve the anaerobic biodegradability of lignocellulosic agricultural residues.

PubMed

Tsapekos, P; Kougias, P G; Vasileiou, S A; Treu, L; Campanaro, S; Lyberatos, G; Angelidaki, I

2017-06-01

Bioaugmentation with hydrolytic microbes was applied to improve the methane yield of bioreactors fed with agricultural wastes. The efficiency of Clostridium thermocellum and Melioribacter roseus to degrade lignocellulosic matter was evaluated in batch and continuously stirred tank reactors (CSTRs). Results from batch assays showed that C. thermocellum enhanced the methane yield by 34%. A similar increase was recorded in CSTR during the bioaugmentation period; however, at steady-state the effect was noticeably lower (7.5%). In contrast, the bioaugmentation with M. roseus did not promote markedly the anaerobic biodegradability, as the methane yield was increased up to 10% in batch and no effect was shown in CSTR. High-throughput 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing was used to assess the effect of bioaugmentation strategies on bacterial and archaeal populations. The microbial analysis revealed that both strains were not markedly resided into biogas microbiome. Additionally, the applied strategies did not alter significantly the microbial communities. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Noteworthy Facts about a Methane-Producing Microbial Community Processing Acidic Effluent from Sugar Beet Molasses Fermentation.

PubMed

Chojnacka, Aleksandra; Szczęsny, Paweł; Błaszczyk, Mieczysław K; Zielenkiewicz, Urszula; Detman, Anna; Salamon, Agnieszka; Sikora, Anna

2015-01-01

Anaerobic digestion is a complex process involving hydrolysis, acidogenesis, acetogenesis and methanogenesis. The separation of the hydrogen-yielding (dark fermentation) and methane-yielding steps under controlled conditions permits the production of hydrogen and methane from biomass. The characterization of microbial communities developed in bioreactors is crucial for the understanding and optimization of fermentation processes. Previously we developed an effective system for hydrogen production based on long-term continuous microbial cultures grown on sugar beet molasses. Here, the acidic effluent from molasses fermentation was used as the substrate for methanogenesis in an upflow anaerobic sludge blanket bioreactor. This study focused on the molecular analysis of the methane-yielding community processing the non-gaseous products of molasses fermentation. The substrate for methanogenesis produces conditions that favor the hydrogenotrophic pathway of methane synthesis. Methane production results from syntrophic metabolism whose key process is hydrogen transfer between bacteria and methanogenic Archaea. High-throughput 454 pyrosequencing of total DNA isolated from the methanogenic microbial community and bioinformatic sequence analysis revealed that the domain Bacteria was dominated by Firmicutes (mainly Clostridia), Bacteroidetes, δ- and γ-Proteobacteria, Cloacimonetes and Spirochaetes. In the domain Archaea, the order Methanomicrobiales was predominant, with Methanoculleus as the most abundant genus. The second and third most abundant members of the Archaeal community were representatives of the Methanomassiliicoccales and the Methanosarcinales. Analysis of the methanogenic sludge by scanning electron microscopy with Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction showed that it was composed of small highly heterogeneous mineral-rich granules. Mineral components of methanogenic granules probably modulate syntrophic metabolism and methanogenic pathways. A rough functional analysis from shotgun data of the metagenome demonstrated that our knowledge of methanogenesis is poor and/or the enzymes responsible for methane production are highly effective, since despite reasonably good sequencing coverage, the details of the functional potential of the microbial community appeared to be incomplete.

Noteworthy Facts about a Methane-Producing Microbial Community Processing Acidic Effluent from Sugar Beet Molasses Fermentation

PubMed Central

Chojnacka, Aleksandra; Szczęsny, Paweł; Błaszczyk, Mieczysław K.; Zielenkiewicz, Urszula; Detman, Anna; Salamon, Agnieszka; Sikora, Anna

2015-01-01

Anaerobic digestion is a complex process involving hydrolysis, acidogenesis, acetogenesis and methanogenesis. The separation of the hydrogen-yielding (dark fermentation) and methane-yielding steps under controlled conditions permits the production of hydrogen and methane from biomass. The characterization of microbial communities developed in bioreactors is crucial for the understanding and optimization of fermentation processes. Previously we developed an effective system for hydrogen production based on long-term continuous microbial cultures grown on sugar beet molasses. Here, the acidic effluent from molasses fermentation was used as the substrate for methanogenesis in an upflow anaerobic sludge blanket bioreactor. This study focused on the molecular analysis of the methane-yielding community processing the non-gaseous products of molasses fermentation. The substrate for methanogenesis produces conditions that favor the hydrogenotrophic pathway of methane synthesis. Methane production results from syntrophic metabolism whose key process is hydrogen transfer between bacteria and methanogenic Archaea. High-throughput 454 pyrosequencing of total DNA isolated from the methanogenic microbial community and bioinformatic sequence analysis revealed that the domain Bacteria was dominated by Firmicutes (mainly Clostridia), Bacteroidetes, δ- and γ-Proteobacteria, Cloacimonetes and Spirochaetes. In the domain Archaea, the order Methanomicrobiales was predominant, with Methanoculleus as the most abundant genus. The second and third most abundant members of the Archaeal community were representatives of the Methanomassiliicoccales and the Methanosarcinales. Analysis of the methanogenic sludge by scanning electron microscopy with Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction showed that it was composed of small highly heterogeneous mineral-rich granules. Mineral components of methanogenic granules probably modulate syntrophic metabolism and methanogenic pathways. A rough functional analysis from shotgun data of the metagenome demonstrated that our knowledge of methanogenesis is poor and/or the enzymes responsible for methane production are highly effective, since despite reasonably good sequencing coverage, the details of the functional potential of the microbial community appeared to be incomplete. PMID:26000448

Photochemical processes on Titan: Irradiation of mixtures of gases that simulate Titan's atmosphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tran, Buu N.; Joseph, Jeffrey C.; Force, Michael; Briggs, Robert G.; Vuitton, Veronique; Ferris, James P.

2005-09-01

Photochemical reaction pathways in Titan's atmosphere were investigated by irradiation of the individual components and the mixture containing nitrogen, methane, hydrogen, acetylene, ethylene, and cyanoacetylene. The quantum yields for the loss of the reactants and the formation of products were determined. Photolysis of ethylene yields mainly saturated compounds (ethane, propane, and butane) while photolysis of acetylene yields the same saturated compounds as well as ethylene and diacetylene. Irradiation of cyanoacetylene yields mainly hydrogen cyanide and small amounts of acetonitrile. When an amount of methane corresponding to its mixing ratio on Titan was added to these mixtures the quantum yields for the loss of reactants decreased and the quantum yields for hydrocarbon formation increased indicative of a hydrogen atom abstraction from methane by the photochemically generated radicals. GC/MS analysis of the products formed by irradiation of mixtures of all these gases generated over 120 compounds which were mainly aliphatic hydrocarbons containing double and triple bonds along with much smaller amounts of aromatic compounds like benzene, toluene and phenylacetylene. The reaction pathways were investigated by the use of 13C acetylene in these gas mixtures. No polycyclic aromatic compounds were detected. Vapor pressures of these compounds under conditions present in Titan's atmosphere were calculated. The low molecular weight compounds likely to be present in the atmosphere and aerosols of Titan as a result of photochemical processes are proposed.

Study on biomethane production and biodegradability of different leafy vegetables in anaerobic digestion.

PubMed

Yan, Hu; Zhao, Chen; Zhang, Jiafu; Zhang, Ruihong; Xue, Chunyu; Liu, Guangqing; Chen, Chang

2017-12-01

Enormous amounts of vegetable residues are wasted annually, causing many environmental problems due to their high moisture and organic contents. In this study, the methane production potential of 20 kinds of typical leafy vegetable residues in China were explored using a unified method. A connection between the biochemical components and the methane yields of these vegetables was well established which could be used to predict biogas performance in practice. A high volatile solid/total solid (VS/TS) ratio and hemicellulose content exhibited a positive impact on the biogas yield while lignin had a negative impact. In addition, three kinetic models were used to describe the methane production process of these agro-wastes. The systematic comparison of the methane production potentials of these leafy vegetables shown in this study will not only serve as a reference for basic research on anaerobic digestion but also provide useful data and information for agro-industrial applications of vegetable residues in future work.

Enhanced methane yield by co-digestion of sewage sludge with micro-algae and catering waste leachate.

PubMed

2018-04-04

The co-digestion of different wastes is a promising concept to improve methane generation during anaerobic process. However, the anaerobic co-digestion of catering waste leachate with algal biomass and sewage sludge has not been studied to date. This work investigated the methane generation by the anaerobic co-digestion of different mixtures of catering waste leachate, micro-algal biomass, and sewage sludge. Co-digestion of waste mixture containing equal ratios of three substrates had 39.31% higher methane yield than anaerobic digestion of raw sludge. This was possibly due to a proliferation of methanogens during the co-digestion period induced by multi-phase digestion of different wastes with different degrees of digestibility. Therefore, co-digestion of catering waste leachate, micro-algal biomass, and sewage sludge appears to be an efficient technology for energy conversion from waste resources. The scientific application of this co-digestion technology with these three substrates may play a role in solving important environmental issues of waste management.

Biochemical methane potential of oil-extracted microalgae and glycerol in co-digestion with chicken litter.

PubMed

Meneses-Reyes, José Carlos; Hernández-Eugenio, Guadalupe; Huber, David H; Balagurusamy, Nagamani; Espinosa-Solares, Teodoro

2017-01-01

The objective of this work was to evaluate the technical feasibility of using both oil-extracted microalgae (M) and glycerol (G) in co-digestion with chicken litter (CL), thereby improving biochemical methane potential (BMP). Different feedstock ratios of M (0-30%), G (0-3%) and CL (67-100%) were investigated to determine the best co-digestion condition under mesophilic conditions. According to the modified Gompertz model, the best BMP (131.1mLCH 4 g VSfed -1 ) was obtained with the triple co-digestion (M:G:CL) in a proportion of 30:3:67. This yielded a methane production rate (μ m ) of 3.3mLCH 4 g VSfed -1 d -1 and a lag time (λ) of 17.4d. This treatment reduced chemical oxygen demand (COD) by 91.02% and increased the methane yield 15.8% with respect to the CL control. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Optimizing the thermophilic hydrolysis of grass silage in a two-phase anaerobic digestion system.

PubMed

Orozco, A M; Nizami, A S; Murphy, J D; Groom, E

2013-09-01

Thermophilic hydrolysis of grass silage (GS) at 55 °C with organic loading rates (OLRs) of 6.5, 5, 2.5 and 1.0 kg VS m(-3) days(-1) and hydraulic retention times (HRT) of 10, 6, 4 and 2 days were evaluated in 12 glass bioreactors side by side. The hydrolytic process was measured by variation in pH, volatile solids (VS), VS destruction, soluble chemical oxygen demand (sCOD), hydrolysis and acidification yields. Biological methane potential (BMP) assays were carried out to measure the upper limit for methane production of grass silage with different hydrolytic pretreatments at mesophilic temperature (37 °C). The optimum methane yield of 368 LN CH4 kg(-1) VS was obtained at an OLR of 1 kg VS m(-3)days(-1) and a HRT of 4 days, showing an increase of 30% in the methane potential in comparison to non-hydrolysed GS. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Methane Pyrolysis and Disposing Off Resulting Carbon

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sharma, P. K.; Rapp, D.; Rahotgi, N. K.

1999-01-01

Sabatier/Electrolysis (S/E) is a leading process for producing methane and oxygen for application to Mars ISPP. One significant problem with this process is that it produces an excess of methane for combustion with the amount of oxygen that is produced. Therefore, one must discard roughly half of the methane to obtain the proper stoichiometric methane/oxygen mixture for ascent from Mars. This is a waste of hydrogen, which must be brought from Earth and is difficult to transport to Mars and store on Mars. To reduce the problem of transporting hydrogen to Mars, the S/E process can be augmented by another process which reduces overall hydrogen requirement. Three conceptual approaches for doing this are (i) recover hydrogen from the excess methane produced by the S/E process, (ii) convert the methane to a higher hydrocarbon or other organic with a lower H/C ratio than methane, and (iii) use a separate process (such as zirconia or reverse water gas shift reaction) to produce additional oxygen, thus utilizing all the methane produced by the Sabatier process. We report our results here on recovering hydrogen from the excess methane using pyrolysis of methane. Pyrolysis has the advantage that it produces almost pure hydrogen, and any unreacted methane can pass through the S/E process reactor. It has the disadvantage that disposing of the carbon produced by pyrolysis presents difficulties. The goals of a research program on recovery of hydrogen from methane are (in descending priority order): 1) Study the kinetics of pyrolysis to arrive at a pyrolysis reactor design that produces high yields in a confined volume at the lowest possible operating temperature; 2) Study the kinetics of carbon burnoff to determine whether high yields can be obtained in a confined volume at acceptable operating temperatures; and 3) Investigate catalytic techniques for depositing carbon as a fine soot which can be physically separated from the reactor. In the JPL program, we have made significant measurements in regard to goal 1, cursory measurements in regard to goal 2, and would plan to pursue goal 3 if additional resources are secured.

Effect of feed to inoculum ratios on biogas yields of food and green wastes.

PubMed

Liu, Guangqing; Zhang, Ruihong; El-Mashad, Hamed M; Dong, Renjie

2009-11-01

Biogas and methane yields of food and green wastes and their mixture were determined using batch anaerobic digesters at mesophilic (35+/-2 degrees C) and thermophilic (50+/-2 degrees C) temperatures. The mixture was composed of 50% food waste and 50% green waste, based on the volatile solids (VS) initially added to the reactors. The thermophilic digestion tests were performed with four different feed to inoculum (F/I) ratios (i.e., 1.6, 3.1, 4.0 and 5.0) and the mesophilic digestion was conducted at one F/I (3.1). The results showed that the F/I significantly affected the biogas production rate. At four F/Is tested, after 25 days of thermophilic digestion, the biogas yield was determined to be 778, 742, 784 and 396 mL/g VS for food waste, respectively; 631, 529, 524 and 407 mL/g VS for green waste, respectively; and 716, 613, 671 and 555 mL/g VS for the mixture, respectively. About 80% of the biogas production was obtained during the first 10 days of digestion. At the F/I of 3.1, the biogas and methane yields from mesophilic digestion of food waste, green waste and their mixture were lower than the yields obtained at thermophilic temperature. The biogas yields were 430, 372 and 358 mL/g VS, respectively, and the methane yields were 245, 206, and 185 mL/g VS, respectively.

First records of a field experiment on fertilizer effects on methane emission from rice fields in Hunan-Province (PR China)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wassmann, R.; Wang, M. X.; Shangguan, X. J.; Xie, X. L.; Shen, R. X.; Wang, Y. S.; Papen, H.; Rennenberg, H.; Seiler, W.

Fertilizer effects on methane emission from Chinese rice fields were investigated by a praxis-oriented approach applying balanced amendments of N, P and K. The data set obtained covered the emission rates of app. one month in early rice and one month in late rice 1991. An intercomparison between the 4 treatments showed pronounced differences in the magnitudes of methane emission rates. The combined organic/mineral fertilizer application, commonly used as local farming practice, resulted in relatively high seasonal averages of methane emission rates (26.5 mg CH4 m-2 h-1 in early rice and 50.1 mg CH4 m-2 h-1 in late rice). The lowest emission rates were observed in the plot with pure mineral fertilization (6.5 mg CH4 m-2 h-1 in early rice and 14.3 mg CH4 m-2 h-1 in late rice). Pure organic fertilizers by unfermented substances yielded the highest methane emission rates of all field trials (38.6 mg CH4 m-2 h-1 in early rice and 56.2 CH4 m-2 h-1 in late rice). The fertilization with fermented material derived from biogas generators resulted in substantially lower emission rates than the other trials with organic amendments, the seasonal averages corresponded to 15.9 mg CH4 m-2 h-1 (early rice) and 22.5 mg CH4 m-2 h-1 (late rice). Interpretation of the results can be obtained from the different potentials of these fertilizers for methane production. Based on this concept the different methane emission rates observed with organic/mineral, pure mineral and pure unfermented-organic fertilizers could directly be attributed to the different quantities of organic matter incorporated into the soil. The low methane emission from the plot treated with fermented material could be explained by a depletion of potential methane precursors resulting from the preceding fermentation. The results of this investigation provide evidence that the extensive use of specific chemical fertilizers and the application of sludge from the operation of biogas generators could lead to a net reduction of the methane emission from rice fields.

Long-term thermophilic mono-digestion of rendering wastes and co-digestion with potato pulp.

PubMed

Bayr, S; Ojanperä, M; Kaparaju, P; Rintala, J

2014-10-01

In this study, mono-digestion of rendering wastes and co-digestion of rendering wastes with potato pulp were studied for the first time in continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR) experiments at 55°C. Rendering wastes have high protein and lipid contents and are considered good substrates for methane production. However, accumulation of digestion intermediate products viz., volatile fatty acids (VFAs), long chain fatty acids (LCFAs) and ammonia nitrogen (NH4-N and/or free NH3) can cause process imbalance during the digestion. Mono-digestion of rendering wastes at an organic loading rate (OLR) of 1.5 kg volatile solids (VS)/m(3)d and hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 50 d was unstable and resulted in methane yields of 450 dm(3)/kg VS(fed). On the other hand, co-digestion of rendering wastes with potato pulp (60% wet weight, WW) at the same OLR and HRT improved the process stability and increased methane yields (500-680 dm(3)/kg VS(fed)). Thus, it can be concluded that co-digestion of rendering wastes with potato pulp could improve the process stability and methane yields from these difficult to treat industrial waste materials. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A need for a standardization in anaerobic digestion experiments? Let's get some insight from meta-analysis and multivariate analysis.

PubMed

Lavergne, Céline; Jeison, David; Ortega, Valentina; Chamy, Rolando; Donoso-Bravo, Andrés

2018-09-15

An important variability in the experimental results in anaerobic digestion lab test has been reported. This study presents a meta-analysis coupled with multivariate analysis aiming to assess the impact of this experimental variability in batch and continuous operation at mesophilic and thermophilic anaerobic digestion of waste activated sludge. An analysis of variance showed that there was no significant difference between mesophilic and thermophilic conditions in both continuous and batch conditions. Concerning the operation mode, the values of methane yield were significantly higher in batch experiment than in continuous reactors. According to the PCA, for both cases, the methane yield is positive correlated to the temperature rises. Interestingly, in the batch experiments, the higher the volatile solids in the substrate was, the lowest was the methane production, which is correlated to experimental flaws when setting up those tests. In continuous mode, unlike the batch test, the methane yield is strongly (positively) correlated to the organic content of the substrate. Experimental standardization, above all, in batch conditions are urgently necessary or move to continuous experiments for reporting results. The modeling can also be a source of disturbance in batch test. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Feasibility tests for treating shampoo and hair colorant wastewaters using anaerobic processes.

PubMed

Ahammad, Shaikh Z; Yakubu, A; Dolfing, J; Mota, C; Graham, D W

2012-01-01

Wastes from the personal care product (PCP) industry are often high in biodegradable carbon, which makes them amenable to aerobic biological treatment, although process costs are usually high due to aeration inefficiencies, high electricity demand and production of large amounts of sludge. As such, anaerobic treatment technologies are being considered to lower net energy costs by reducing air use and increasing methane production. To assess the amenability of PCP wastes to anaerobic treatment, methane yields and rates were quantified in different anaerobic reactors treating typical PCP wastes, including wastes from shampoo and hair colorant products. Overall, shampoo wastes were more amenable to methanogenesis with almost double the methane yields compared with colour wastes. To assess relevant microbial guilds, qPCR was performed on reactor biomass samples. Methanosaetaceae abundances were always significantly higher than Methanosarcinaceae and Methanomicrobiales abundances (P < 0.05), and did not differ significantly between waste types. Although colour wastes were less amenable to anaerobic treatment than shampoo wastes, differences cannot be explained by relative microbial abundances and probably result from the presence of inhibiting compounds in hair colorants (e.g., oxidants) at higher levels. Results showed that anaerobic technologies have great potential for treating PCP wastes, but additional work is needed to establish the basis of elevated methane yields and inhibition, especially when colorant wastes are present.

Importance of methane-oxidizing bacteria in the methane budget as revealed by the use of a specific inhibitor

USGS Publications Warehouse

Oremland, R.S.; Culbertson, C.W.

1992-01-01

METHANE is a greenhouse gas whose concentration in the atmosphere is increasing1-3 Much of this methane is derived from the metabolism of methane-generating (methanogenic) bacteria4,5, and over the past two decades much has been learned about the ecology of methanogens; specific inhibitors of methanogenesis, such as 2-bromoethanesulphonic acid, have proved useful in this regard6. In contrast, although much is known about the biochemistry of methane-oxidizing (methanotrophic) bacteria7, ecological investigations have been hampered by the lack of an analogous specific inhibitor6. Methanotrophs limit the flux of methane to the atmosphere from sediments8,9 and consume atmospheric methane10, but the quantitative importance of methanotrophy in the global methane budget is not well known5. Methylfluoride (CH3F) is known to inhibit oxygen consumption by Methylococcus capsulatus11, and to inhibit the oxidation of 14CH4 to 14CO2 by endosymbionts in mussel gill tissues12. Here we report that methylfluoride (MF) inhibits the oxidation of methane by methane monooxygenase, and by using methylfluoride in field investigations, we find that methanotrophic bacteria can consume more than 90% of the methane potentially available.

Anaerobic co-digestion of livestock and vegetable processing wastes: fibre degradation and digestate stability.

PubMed

Molinuevo-Salces, Beatriz; Gómez, Xiomar; Morán, Antonio; García-González, Mari Cruz

2013-06-01

Anaerobic digestion of livestock wastes (swine manure (SM) and poultry litter (PL)) and vegetable processing wastes (VPW) mixtures was evaluated in terms of methane yield, volatile solids removal and lignocellulosic material degradation. Batch experiments were performed with 2% VS (volatile solids) to ensure complete conversion of TVFAs (total volatile fatty acids) and to avoid ammonia inhibition. Experimental methane yields obtained for the mixtures resulted in higher values than those obtained from the sum of the methane yields from the individual components. VPW addition to livestock wastes before anaerobic digestion also resulted in improved VS elimination. In SM-VPW co-digestions, CH4 yield increased from 111 to 244 mL CH4 g VS added(-1), and the percentage of VS removed increased from 50% to 86%. For PL-VPW co-digestions, the corresponding values were increased from 158 to 223 mL CH4 g VS added(-1) and from 70% to 92% VS removed. Hemicelluloses and more than 50% of cellulose were degraded during anaerobic digestion. Thermal analyses indicated that the stabilization of the wastes during anaerobic digestion resulted in significantly less energy being released by digestate samples than fresh samples. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

METHANE STEAM REACTION OVER NICKEL CATALYSTS IN THE HYNOL PROCESS

EPA Science Inventory

The report discusses the reaction of methane-steam over nickel catalysts in the Hynol process, a process that uses biomass and natural gas as feedstocks to maximize methanol yields and minimize greenhouse gas emissions. EPA's APPCD has established a laboratory in which to conduct...

Phosphine and methylphosphine production by simulated lightning—a study for the volatile phosphorus cycle and cloud formation in the earth atmosphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Glindemann, Dietmar; Edwards, Marc; Schrems, Otto

Phosphine (PH 3), was recently found worldwide even in the remote atmosphere (Naturwissenschaften83(1996a)131; Atmos. Environ. 37(2003)24 29). It is of interest to find natural mechanisms which could produce phosphine gas and drive a volatile link of the atmospheric phosphorus cycle and the formation of phosphoric acid as possible condensation nuclei for clouds. Here, we report on simulated lightning exposing sodium phosphate in a reducing medium (methane model atmosphere or organic matter) for 5 s to a spark induced by microwave. The gas product analyzed by gas chromatography contained phosphine (yield up to 0.6 g kg -1 phosphate P) and methylphosphine (CH 3)PH 2 (yield up to 0.02 g kg -1 phosphate P). We suggest a plasma-chemical formation mechanism where organic compounds or methane or secondary hydrogen thereof reduce phosphate to phosphine of which a small fraction can subsequently react with methyl radicals to form methylphosphine. A small yield of 6 mg phosphine per kg phosphate P was even obtained in methane free medium, by simple plasmatic recombination of inorganic phosphorus. We believe that methane and hydrogen are useful model substances of pyrolytic gases with high reducing power which may form if lightning strikes biomass, soil and aerosol. These results suggest evidence that phosphine and methylphosphine (detectable in the field by intense garlic odor) are produced when atmospheric lightning strikes the ground or aerosol which is containing oxidized forms of phosphorus and chemical reductants. Additional reviewed data show that laboratory lightning was able to reduce a much more significant portion of phosphate to phosphite (up to 25% yield), methylphosphonic acid (up to 8.5% yield) and traces of hypophosphite in a matter of seconds.

Evidence for methane in Martian meteorites

PubMed Central

Blamey, Nigel J. F.; Parnell, John; McMahon, Sean; Mark, Darren F.; Tomkinson, Tim; Lee, Martin; Shivak, Jared; Izawa, Matthew R. M.; Banerjee, Neil R.; Flemming, Roberta L.

2015-01-01

The putative occurrence of methane in the Martian atmosphere has had a major influence on the exploration of Mars, especially by the implication of active biology. The occurrence has not been borne out by measurements of atmosphere by the MSL rover Curiosity but, as on Earth, methane on Mars is most likely in the subsurface of the crust. Serpentinization of olivine-bearing rocks, to yield hydrogen that may further react with carbon-bearing species, has been widely invoked as a source of methane on Mars, but this possibility has not hitherto been tested. Here we show that some Martian meteorites, representing basic igneous rocks, liberate a methane-rich volatile component on crushing. The occurrence of methane in Martian rock samples adds strong weight to models whereby any life on Mars is/was likely to be resident in a subsurface habitat, where methane could be a source of energy and carbon for microbial activity. PMID:26079798

Evidence for methane in Martian meteorites.

PubMed

Blamey, Nigel J F; Parnell, John; McMahon, Sean; Mark, Darren F; Tomkinson, Tim; Lee, Martin; Shivak, Jared; Izawa, Matthew R M; Banerjee, Neil R; Flemming, Roberta L

2015-06-16

The putative occurrence of methane in the Martian atmosphere has had a major influence on the exploration of Mars, especially by the implication of active biology. The occurrence has not been borne out by measurements of atmosphere by the MSL rover Curiosity but, as on Earth, methane on Mars is most likely in the subsurface of the crust. Serpentinization of olivine-bearing rocks, to yield hydrogen that may further react with carbon-bearing species, has been widely invoked as a source of methane on Mars, but this possibility has not hitherto been tested. Here we show that some Martian meteorites, representing basic igneous rocks, liberate a methane-rich volatile component on crushing. The occurrence of methane in Martian rock samples adds strong weight to models whereby any life on Mars is/was likely to be resident in a subsurface habitat, where methane could be a source of energy and carbon for microbial activity.

Interaction of Microbial and Abiotic Processes in Soil Leading to the (Bio)Conversion and Ultimate Attenuation of New Insensitive Munitions Compounds

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-12-30

Toxicity is expressed as percentage of toxicant- free activity 125 Figure 4.12-1. Panel A: (Bio)transformation pathways of DNAN in anaerobic incubations...O-demethylation of the methoxy group was confirmed by formation of formaldehye. Cell free extracts of the Bacillus culture yielded formation of 2...periodically until the production of methane became constant in the toxicant- free controls. The maximum specific methanogenic activity of the

Mesophilic batch anaerobic co-digestion of fruit-juice industrial waste and municipal waste sludge: process and cost-benefit analysis.

PubMed

Hosseini Koupaie, E; Barrantes Leiva, M; Eskicioglu, C; Dutil, C

2014-01-01

The feasibility of anaerobic co-digestion of two juice-based beverage industrial wastes, screen cake (SC) and thickened waste activated sludge (TWAS), along with municipal sludge cake (MC) was investigated. Experiments were conducted in twenty mesophilic batch 160 ml serum bottles with no inhibition occurred. The statistical analysis proved that the substrate type had statistically significant effect on both ultimate biogas and methane yields (P=0.0003<0.05). The maximum and minimum ultimate cumulative methane yields were 890.90 and 308.34 mL/g-VSremoved from the digesters containing only TWAS and SC as substrate. First-order reaction model well described VS utilization in all digesters. The first 2-day and 10-day specific biodegradation rate constants were statistically higher in the digesters containing SC (P=0.004<0.05) and MC (P=0.0005<0.05), respectively. The cost-benefit analysis showed that the capital, operating and total costs can be decreased by 21.5%, 29.8% and 27.6%, respectively using a co-digester rather than two separate digesters. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Catalytic Conversion of Cellulosic Biomass or Algal Biomass plus Methane to Drop in Hydrocarbon Fuels and Chemicals

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Marker, Terry; Roberts, Michael; Linck, Martin

The goal of this Bioincubator Project was to improve the pyrolysis of biomass through the use of methane. Our initial concept was to use methane as a fluidizing gas with a hydrogen transfer catalyst. The results of the experiments did show that methane as a fluidizing gas, with a hydrogen transfer catalyst, does enhance catalytic pyrolysis over that which is achieved with an inert fluidizing gas. Using methane as a fluidizing gas, with a hydrogen transfer catalyst, consistently produced better products with lower oxygen content than the products produced when an inert gas was used. These improvements were also consistentmore » with the results obtained through pure component testing as well. However, the improvement was too small to justify any significant expense. The addition of hydrogen with a hydrogen transfer catalyst consistently showed a much greater, more significant effect than methane. This indicates that hydropyrolysis is a more effective approach to improved catalytic pyrolysis than methane addition. During the course of this project, another way to significantly increase biogenic liquid yields from pyrolysis through the use of methane was discovered. We discovered a remarkably stable CO2/steam reforming catalyst which directly makes a 2:1 H2/CO synthesis gas from the CO, CO2, methane, ethane and propane product gas from integrated hydropyrolysis and hydroconversion (IH2®). The biogenic synthesis gas can then be converted to liquid hydrocarbons using Fischer Tropsch. The hydrogen for the IH2 unit would then be provided through the use of added methane. By utilizing the biogenic gas to make liquids, 40% more biogenic liquid hydrocarbons can be made from wood, thereby increasing liquid yields from IH2 from 86GPT to 126GPT. It also simplifies the hydrogen plant since no CO or CO2 removal is required.« less

Determination of as-discarded methane potential in residential and commercial municipal solid waste.

PubMed

Chickering, Giles W; Krause, Max J; Townsend, Timothy G

2018-06-01

Methane generation potential, L 0 , is a primary parameter of the first-order decay (FOD) model used for prediction and regulation of landfill gas (LFG) generation in municipal solid waste (MSW) landfills. The current US EPA AP-42 default value for L 0 , which has been in place for almost 20 years, is 100 m 3 CH 4 /Mg MSW as-discarded. Recent research suggests the yield of landfilled waste could be less than 60 m 3 CH 4 /Mg MSW. This study aimed to measure the L 0 of present-day residential and commercial as-discarded MSW. In doing so, 39 waste collection vehicles were sorted for composition before samples of each biodegradable fraction were analyzed for methane generation potential. Methane yields were determined for over 450 samples of 14 different biodegradable MSW fractions, later to be combined with moisture content and volatile solids data to calculate L 0 values for each waste load. An average value of 80 m 3 CH 4 /Mg MSW was determined for all samples with 95% of values in the interval 74-86 m 3 CH 4 /Mg MSW as-discarded. While no statistically significant difference was observed, commercial MSW yields (mean 85, median 88 m 3 CH 4 /Mg MSW) showed a higher average L 0 than residential MSW (mean 75, median 71 m 3 CH 4 /Mg MSW). Many methane potential values for individual fractions described in previous work were found within the range of values determined by BMP in this study. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Anaerobic co-digestion of the organic fraction of municipal solid waste with FOG waste from a sewage treatment plant: Recovering a wasted methane potential and enhancing the biogas yield

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Martin-Gonzalez, L., E-mail: lucia.martin@uab.ca; Colturato, L.F.; Font, X.

2010-10-15

Anaerobic digestion is applied widely to treat the source collected organic fraction of municipal solid wastes (SC-OFMSW). Lipid-rich wastes are a valuable substrate for anaerobic digestion due to their high theoretical methane potential. Nevertheless, although fat, oil and grease waste from sewage treatment plants (STP-FOGW) are commonly disposed of in landfill, European legislation is aimed at encouraging more effective forms of treatment. Co-digestion of the above wastes may enhance valorisation of STP-FOGW and lead to a higher biogas yield throughout the anaerobic digestion process. In the present study, STP-FOGW was evaluated as a co-substrate in wet anaerobic digestion of SC-OFMSWmore » under mesophilic conditions (37 {sup o}C). Batch experiments carried out at different co-digestion ratios showed an improvement in methane production related to STP-FOGW addition. A 1:7 (VS/VS) STP-FOGW:SC-OFMSW feed ratio was selected for use in performing further lab-scale studies in a 5 L continuous reactor. Biogas yield increased from 0.38 {+-} 0.02 L g VS{sub feed}{sup -1} to 0.55 {+-} 0.05 L g VS{sub feed}{sup -1} as a result of adding STP-FOGW to reactor feed. Both VS reduction values and biogas methane content were maintained and inhibition produced by long chain fatty acid (LCFA) accumulation was not observed. Recovery of a currently wasted methane potential from STP-FOGW was achieved in a co-digestion process with SC-OFMSW.« less

Anaerobic co-digestion of the organic fraction of municipal solid waste with FOG waste from a sewage treatment plant: recovering a wasted methane potential and enhancing the biogas yield.

PubMed

Martín-González, L; Colturato, L F; Font, X; Vicent, T

2010-10-01

Anaerobic digestion is applied widely to treat the source collected organic fraction of municipal solid wastes (SC-OFMSW). Lipid-rich wastes are a valuable substrate for anaerobic digestion due to their high theoretical methane potential. Nevertheless, although fat, oil and grease waste from sewage treatment plants (STP-FOGW) are commonly disposed of in landfill, European legislation is aimed at encouraging more effective forms of treatment. Co-digestion of the above wastes may enhance valorisation of STP-FOGW and lead to a higher biogas yield throughout the anaerobic digestion process. In the present study, STP-FOGW was evaluated as a co-substrate in wet anaerobic digestion of SC-OFMSW under mesophilic conditions (37 degrees C). Batch experiments carried out at different co-digestion ratios showed an improvement in methane production related to STP-FOGW addition. A 1:7 (VS/VS) STP-FOGW:SC-OFMSW feed ratio was selected for use in performing further lab-scale studies in a 5L continuous reactor. Biogas yield increased from 0.38+/-0.02 L g VS(feed)(-1) to 0.55+/-0.05 L g VS(feed)(-1) as a result of adding STP-FOGW to reactor feed. Both VS reduction values and biogas methane content were maintained and inhibition produced by long chain fatty acid (LCFA) accumulation was not observed. Recovery of a currently wasted methane potential from STP-FOGW was achieved in a co-digestion process with SC-OFMSW. (c) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Light-Dependent Aerobic Methane Oxidation Reduces Methane Emissions from Seasonally Stratified Lakes

PubMed Central

Oswald, Kirsten; Milucka, Jana; Brand, Andreas; Littmann, Sten; Wehrli, Bernhard; Kuypers, Marcel M. M.; Schubert, Carsten J.

2015-01-01

Lakes are a natural source of methane to the atmosphere and contribute significantly to total emissions compared to the oceans. Controls on methane emissions from lake surfaces, particularly biotic processes within anoxic hypolimnia, are only partially understood. Here we investigated biological methane oxidation in the water column of the seasonally stratified Lake Rotsee. A zone of methane oxidation extending from the oxic/anoxic interface into anoxic waters was identified by chemical profiling of oxygen, methane and δ13C of methane. Incubation experiments with 13C-methane yielded highest oxidation rates within the oxycline, and comparable rates were measured in anoxic waters. Despite predominantly anoxic conditions within the zone of methane oxidation, known groups of anaerobic methanotrophic archaea were conspicuously absent. Instead, aerobic gammaproteobacterial methanotrophs were identified as the active methane oxidizers. In addition, continuous oxidation and maximum rates always occurred under light conditions. These findings, along with the detection of chlorophyll a, suggest that aerobic methane oxidation is tightly coupled to light-dependent photosynthetic oxygen production both at the oxycline and in the anoxic bottom layer. It is likely that this interaction between oxygenic phototrophs and aerobic methanotrophs represents a widespread mechanism by which methane is oxidized in lake water, thus diminishing its release into the atmosphere. PMID:26193458

Enhanced energy recovery from cassava ethanol wastewater through sequential dark hydrogen, photo hydrogen and methane fermentation combined with ammonium removal.

PubMed

Lin, Richen; Cheng, Jun; Yang, Zongbo; Ding, Lingkan; Zhang, Jiabei; Zhou, Junhu; Cen, Kefa

2016-08-01

Cassava ethanol wastewater (CEW) was subjected to sequential dark H2, photo H2 and CH4 fermentation to maximize H2 production and energy yield. A relatively low H2 yield of 23.6mL/g soluble chemical oxygen demand (CODs) was obtained in dark fermentation. To eliminate the inhibition of excessive NH4(+) on sequential photo fermentation, zeolite was used to remove NH4(+) in residual dark solution (86.5% removal efficiency). The treated solution from 5gCODs/L of CEW achieved the highest photo H2 yield of 369.7mL/gCODs, while the solution from 20gCODs/L gave the lowest yield of 259.6mL/gCODs. This can be explained that photo H2 yield was correlated to soluble metabolic products (SMPs) yield in dark fermentation, and specific SMPs yield decreased from 38.0 to 18.1mM/g CODs. The total energy yield significantly increased to 8.39kJ/gCODs by combining methanogenesis with a CH4 yield of 117.9mL/gCODs. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Unexpected stimulation of soil methane uptake as emergent property of agricultural soils following bio-based residue application.

PubMed

Ho, Adrian; Reim, Andreas; Kim, Sang Yoon; Meima-Franke, Marion; Termorshuizen, Aad; de Boer, Wietse; van der Putten, Wim H; Bodelier, Paul L E

2015-10-01

Intensification of agriculture to meet the global food, feed, and bioenergy demand entail increasing re-investment of carbon compounds (residues) into agro-systems to prevent decline of soil quality and fertility. However, agricultural intensification decreases soil methane uptake, reducing, and even causing the loss of the methane sink function. In contrast to wetland agricultural soils (rice paddies), the methanotrophic potential in well-aerated agricultural soils have received little attention, presumably due to the anticipated low or negligible methane uptake capacity in these soils. Consequently, a detailed study verifying or refuting this assumption is still lacking. Exemplifying a typical agricultural practice, we determined the impact of bio-based residue application on soil methane flux, and determined the methanotrophic potential, including a qualitative (diagnostic microarray) and quantitative (group-specific qPCR assays) analysis of the methanotrophic community after residue amendments over 2 months. Unexpectedly, after amendments with specific residues, we detected a significant transient stimulation of methane uptake confirmed by both the methane flux measurements and methane oxidation assay. This stimulation was apparently a result of induced cell-specific activity, rather than growth of the methanotroph population. Although transient, the heightened methane uptake offsets up to 16% of total gaseous CO2 emitted during the incubation. The methanotrophic community, predominantly comprised of Methylosinus may facilitate methane oxidation in the agricultural soils. While agricultural soils are generally regarded as a net methane source or a relatively weak methane sink, our results show that methane oxidation rate can be stimulated, leading to higher soil methane uptake. Hence, even if agriculture exerts an adverse impact on soil methane uptake, implementing carefully designed management strategies (e.g. repeated application of specific residues) may compensate for the loss of the methane sink function following land-use change. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Influence of feeding supplements of almond hulls and ensiled citrus pulp on the milk production, milk composition, and methane emissions of dairy cows.

PubMed

Williams, S R O; Chaves, A V; Deighton, M H; Jacobs, J L; Hannah, M C; Ribaux, B E; Morris, G L; Wales, W J; Moate, P J

2018-03-01

Almond hulls and citrus pulp have been fed to dairy cows with variable responses for milk production, but no information exists on their effect on enteric methane emissions. This experiment examined the effects of dietary supplementation with either almond hulls or ensiled citrus pulp on the milk yield, milk composition, and enteric methane emissions of dairy cows. Thirty-two Holstein dairy cows in mid lactation were offered 1 of 3 diets over a 28-d experiment. Twelve cows received a control (CON) diet, 10 cows a diet containing almond hulls (ALH), and 10 cows a diet containing ensiled citrus pulp (CIT). All cows were offered 6.0 kg of dry matter (DM)/d of crushed corn, 2.0 kg of DM/d of cold-pressed canola, and 0.2 kg of DM/d of a mineral mix. In addition, cows fed the CON diet were offered 14.5 kg of DM/d of alfalfa cubes; cows fed the ALH diet were offered 10.5 kg of DM/d of alfalfa cubes and 4.0 kg of DM/d of almond hulls; and cows on the CIT diet were offered 11.5 kg of DM/d of alfalfa cubes and 3.0 kg of DM/d of ensiled citrus pulp. Milk yield was measured daily and milk composition was measured on 4 d of each week. Individual cow methane emissions were measured by a sulfur hexafluoride tracer technique on d 24 to 28 of the experiment. The mean milk yield of cows fed the CON diet (27.4 kg/d) was greater than the mean milk yield of cows fed the ALH diet (24.6 kg/cow per day), whereas the mean milk yield of cows fed the CIT diet (26.2 kg/cow per day) was not different from the mean milk yield from cows fed the other 2 diets. Dietary treatment did not influence the concentrations of milk fat, protein, and lactose or fat yields, but the mean protein yield from cows fed the CON diet (0.87 kg/d) was greater than that from cows fed the ALH diet (0.78 kg/d) but not different to those fed the CIT diet (0.85 kg/d). In general, we found no differences in the proportion of individual fatty acids in milk. The mean pH of ruminal fluid from cows offered the CON diet was not different to the pH in the ruminal fluids of cows offered the ALH or the CIT diets. The mean methane emissions (g/d) and yields (g/kg of DM intake) were not influenced by dietary treatment. These findings indicate that, although almond hulls and ensiled citrus pulp can be used as a low-cost feed supplement, almond hulls did negatively affect milk production and neither inhibited enteric methane emissions. Copyright © 2018 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Measurement of gas yields and flow rates using a custom flowmeter

USGS Publications Warehouse

Circone, S.; Kirby, S.H.; Pinkston, J.C.; Stern, L.A.

2001-01-01

A simple gas collection apparatus based on the principles of a Torricelli tube has been designed and built to measure gas volume yields and flow rates. This instrument is routinely used to monitor and collect methane gas released during methane hydrate dissociation experiments. It is easily and inexpensively built, operates at ambient pressures and temperatures, and measures gas volumes of up to 7 L to a precision of about 15 ml (about 0.0025 mol). It is capable of measuring gas flow rates varying from more than 103 to less than 10-1 ml/min during gas evolution events that span minutes to several days. We have obtained a highly reproducible hydrate number of n=5.891 with a propagated uncertainty of ??0.020 for synthetic methane hydrate. ?? 2001 American Institute of Physics.

Comparison of two-stage thermophilic (68 degrees C/55 degrees C) anaerobic digestion with one-stage thermophilic (55 degrees C) digestion of cattle manure.

PubMed

Nielsen, H B; Mladenovska, Z; Westermann, P; Ahring, B K

2004-05-05

A two-stage 68 degrees C/55 degrees C anaerobic degradation process for treatment of cattle manure was studied. In batch experiments, an increase of the specific methane yield, ranging from 24% to 56%, was obtained when cattle manure and its fractions (fibers and liquid) were pretreated at 68 degrees C for periods of 36, 108, and 168 h, and subsequently digested at 55 degrees C. In a lab-scale experiment, the performance of a two-stage reactor system, consisting of a digester operating at 68 degrees C with a hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 3 days, connected to a 55 degrees C reactor with 12-day HRT, was compared with a conventional single-stage reactor running at 55 degrees C with 15-days HRT. When an organic loading of 3 g volatile solids (VS) per liter per day was applied, the two-stage setup had a 6% to 8% higher specific methane yield and a 9% more effective VS-removal than the conventional single-stage reactor. The 68 degrees C reactor generated 7% to 9% of the total amount of methane of the two-stage system and maintained a volatile fatty acids (VFA) concentration of 4.0 to 4.4 g acetate per liter. Population size and activity of aceticlastic methanogens, syntrophic bacteria, and hydrolytic/fermentative bacteria were significantly lower in the 68 degrees C reactor than in the 55 degrees C reactors. The density levels of methanogens utilizing H2/CO2 or formate were, however, in the same range for all reactors, although the degradation of these substrates was significantly lower in the 68 degrees C reactor than in the 55 degrees C reactors. Temporal temperature gradient electrophoresis profiles (TTGE) of the 68 degrees C reactor demonstrated a stable bacterial community along with a less divergent community of archaeal species. Copyright 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Semi-continuous anaerobic co-digestion of cow manure and steam-exploded Salix with recirculation of liquid digestate.

PubMed

Estevez, Maria M; Sapci, Zehra; Linjordet, Roar; Schnürer, Anna; Morken, John

2014-04-01

The effects of recirculating the liquid fraction of the digestate during mesophilic anaerobic co-digestion of steam-exploded Salix and cow manure were investigated in laboratory-scale continuously stirred tank reactors. An average organic loading rate of 2.6 g VS L(-1) d(-1) and a hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 30 days were employed. Co-digestion of Salix and manure gave better methane yields than digestion of manure alone. Also, a 16% increase in the methane yield was achieved when digestate was recirculated and used instead of water to dilute the feedstock (1:1 dilution ratio). The reactor in which the larger fraction of digestate was recirculated (1:3 dilution ratio) gave the highest methane yields. Ammonia and volatile fatty acids did not reach inhibitory levels, and some potentially inhibitory compounds released during steam explosion (i.e., furfural and 5-hydroxy methyl furfural) were only detected at trace levels throughout the entire study period. However, accumulation of solids, which was more pronounced in the recycling reactors, led to decreased methane yields in those systems after three HRTs. Refraining from the use of fresh water to dilute biomass with a high-solids content and obtaining a final digestate with increased dry matter content might offer important economic benefits in full-scale processes. To ensure long-term stability in such an approach, it would be necessary to optimize separation of the fraction of digestate to be recirculated and also perform proper monitoring to avoid accumulation of solids. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Anaerobic co-digestion of corn stalk and vermicompost].

PubMed

Chen, Guang-yin; Zheng, Zheng; Zou, Xing-xing; Fang, Cai-xia; Luo, Yan

2010-02-01

The characteristics of corn stalk digested alone at different total solid (TS) loading rates and co-digestion of various proportions of corn stalk and vermicompost were investigated by batch model at 35 degrees C +/- 1 degrees C. The organic loading rates (OLRs) studied were in the range of 1.2%-6.0% TS and increasing proportions of vermicompost from 20% to 80% TS. A maximum methane yield of corn stalk digested alone was 217.60 mL/g obtained at the TS loading rate of 4.8%. However, when the TS loading rate was 6.0%, the anaerobic system was acidified and the lowest pH value was 5.10 obtained on day 4 and the biogas productivity decreased. Furthermore, co-digestion of vermicompost and corn stalk in varying proportions were investigated at constant of 6.0% TS. Co-digestion with vermicompost improved the biodegradability of corn stalk and the methane yield was improved by 4.42%-58.61%, and led to higher pH values, higher volatile fatty acids (VFAs) concentration and lower alkalinity content compared with corn stalk digested alone. The maximum biogas yield and methane yield of 410.30 mL/g and 259. 35 mL/g were obtained for 40% vermicompost and 60% corn stalk respectively. Compared with corn stalk digested alone, co-digested with vermicompost didn' t affect methane content and the fermentation type, but promoted the destruction of crystalline of cellulose and the highest destruction rate was 29.36% for 40% vermicompost and 60% corn stalk. Therefore, adding vermicompost was beneficial for the decomposition and increasing the biotransformation rate of corn stalk.

Improved utilization of fish waste by anaerobic digestion following omega-3 fatty acids extraction.

PubMed

Nges, Ivo Achu; Mbatia, Betty; Björnsson, Lovisa

2012-11-15

Fish waste is a potentially valuable resource from which high-value products can be obtained. Anaerobic digestion of the original fish waste and the fish sludge remaining after enzymatic pre-treatment to extract fish oil and fish protein hydrolysate was evaluated regarding the potential for methane production. The results showed high biodegradability of both fish sludge and fish waste, giving specific methane yields of 742 and 828 m(3)CH(4)/tons VS added, respectively. However, chemical analysis showed high concentrations of light metals which, together with high fat and protein contents, could be inhibitory to methanogenic bacteria. The feasibility of co-digesting the fish sludge with a carbohydrate-rich residue from crop production was thus investigated, and a full-scale process outlined for converting odorous fish waste to useful products. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Chemical pretreatment of lignocellulosic agroindustrial waste for methane production.

PubMed

Pellera, Frantseska-Maria; Gidarakos, Evangelos

2018-01-01

This study investigates the effect of different chemical pretreatments on the solubilization and the degradability of different solid agroindustrial waste, namely winery waste, cotton gin waste, olive pomace and juice industry waste. Eight different reagents were investigated, i.e. sodium hydroxide (NaOH), sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO 3 ), sodium chloride (NaCl), citric acid (H 3 Cit), acetic acid (AcOH), hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ), acetone (Me 2 CO) and ethanol (EtOH), under three condition sets resulting in treatments of varying intensity, depending on process duration, reagent dosage and temperature. Results indicated that chemical pretreatment under more severe conditions is more effective on the solubilization of lignocellulosic substrates, such as those of the present study and among the investigated reagents, H 3 Cit, H 2 O 2 and EtOH appeared to be the most effective to this regard. At the same time, although chemical pretreatment in general did not improve the methane potential of the substrates, moderate to high severity conditions were found to generally be the most satisfactory in terms of methane production from pretreated materials. In fact, moderate severity treatments using EtOH for winery waste, H 3 Cit for olive pomace and H 2 O 2 for juice industry waste and a high severity treatment with EtOH for cotton gin waste, resulted in maximum specific methane yield values. Ultimately, the impact of pretreatment parameters on the different substrates seems to be dependent on their characteristics, in combination with the specific mode of action of each reagent. The overall energy balance of such a system could probably be improved by using lower operating powers and higher solid to liquid ratios. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Enhanced high-solids anaerobic digestion of waste activated sludge by the addition of scrap iron.

PubMed

Zhang, Yaobin; Feng, Yinghong; Yu, Qilin; Xu, Zibin; Quan, Xie

2014-05-01

Anaerobic digestion of waste activated sludge usually requires pretreatment procedure to improve the bioavailability of sludge, which involves considerable energy and high expenditures. This study proposes a cost-effective method for enhanced anaerobic digestion of sludge without a pretreatment by directly adding iron into the digester. The results showed that addition of Fe(0) powder could enhance 14.46% methane yield, and Fe scrap (clean scrap) could further enhance methane yield (improving rate 21.28%) because the scrap has better mass transfer efficiency with sludge and liquid than Fe(0) powder. The scrap of Fe with rust (rusty scrap) could induce microbial Fe(III) reduction, which resulted in achieving the highest methane yield (improving rate 29.51%), and the reduction rate of volatile suspended solids (VSS) was also highest (48.27%) among Fe powder, clean scrap and rusty scrap. PCR-DGGE proved that the addition of rusty scrap could enhance diversity of acetobacteria and enrich iron-reducing bacteria to enhance degradation of complex substrates. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Methane production and characteristics of the microbial community in the co-digestion of spent mushroom substrate with dairy manure.

PubMed

Luo, Xiaosha; Yuan, Xufeng; Wang, Shiyu; Sun, Fanrong; Hou, Zhanshan; Hu, Qingxiu; Zhai, Limei; Cui, Zongjun; Zou, Yajie

2018-02-01

Spent mushroom substrate (SMS) is a potential biomass material generated during mushroom cultivation. In this study, the methane yield and microbial community resulting from co-digestion of SMS and dairy manure (DM) at different mixing ratios (0:4, 1:1, 3:1, and 1:3), were evaluated. Co-digestion analysis showed that the methane yield from the mixtures was 6%-61% higher than the yield from SMS or DM alone, indicating a synergistic effect of co-digestion of SMS with DM. For the SMS of F.velutipes (SFv) and P.erygii var. tuoliensis (SPt), co-digestion of DM/SMS at a ratio of 1:1 was optimal, but for the SMS of P. eryngi (SPe), co-digestion of DM/SMS at a ratio of 3:1 was ideal. The pH at all co-digestion ratios was in the range of 6.8-8.0, indicating that adding DM could increase the systemic buffering capacity. Methanosaetaceae was shown to be the predominant methanogens present during the co-digestion of DM/SMS. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Anaerobic digestion for treatment of stillage from cellulosic bioethanol production.

PubMed

Tian, Zhuoli; Mohan, Gayathri Ram; Ingram, Lonnie; Pullammanappallil, Pratap

2013-09-01

Thermophilic anaerobic digestion of stillage from a cellulosic ethanol process that uses sugarcane bagasse as feedstock was investigated. A biochemical methane potential (BMP) of 200 ml CH4 at STP (g VS)(-1) was obtained. The whole stillage was separated into two fractions: a fraction retained on 0.5 mm screen called residue and a fraction passing through 0.5 mm screen called filtrate. About 70% of total methane yield of stillage was produced from the filtrate. The filtrate was anaerobically digested in a 15 L semi-continuously fed digester operated for 91 days at HRTs of 21 and 14 days and organic loading rate (OLR) of 1.85 and 2.39 g COD L(-1) d(-1). The methane yield from the stillage from the digester was about 90% of the yield from the BMP assays. The influent soluble COD (sCOD) was reduced from between 35.4 and 38.8 g COD (L(-1)) to between 7.5 and 8 g COD (L(-1)). Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Methyl Radicals in Oxidative Coupling of Methane Directly Confirmed by Synchrotron VUV Photoionization Mass Spectroscopy

PubMed Central

Luo, Liangfeng; Tang, Xiaofeng; Wang, Wendong; Wang, Yu; Sun, Shaobo; Qi, Fei; Huang, Weixin

2013-01-01

Gas-phase methyl radicals have been long proposed as the key intermediate in catalytic oxidative coupling of methane, but the direct experimental evidence still lacks. Here, employing synchrotron VUV photoionization mass spectroscopy, we have directly observed the formation of gas-phase methyl radicals during oxidative coupling of methane catalyzed by Li/MgO catalysts. The concentration of gas-phase methyl radicals correlates well with the yield of ethylene and ethane products. These results lead to an enhanced fundamental understanding of oxidative coupling of methane that will facilitate the exploration of new catalysts with improved performance. PMID:23567985

Theoretical Acoustic Absorber Design Approach for LOX/LCH4 Pintle Injector Rocket Engines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Candelaria, Jonathan

Liquid rocket engines, or LREs, have served a key role in space exploration efforts. One current effort involves the utilization of liquid oxygen (LOX) and liquid methane (LCH4) LREs to explore Mars with in-situ resource utilization for propellant production. This on-site production of propellant will allow for greater payload allocation instead of fuel to travel to the Mars surface, and refueling of propellants to travel back to Earth. More useable mass yields a greater benefit to cost ratio. The University of Texas at El Paso's (UTEP) Center for Space Exploration and Technology Research Center (cSETR) aims to further advance these methane propulsion systems with the development of two liquid methane - liquid oxygen propellant combination rocket engines. The design of rocket engines, specifically liquid rocket engines, is complex in that many variables are present that must be taken into consideration in the design. A problem that occurs in almost every rocket engine development program is combustion instability, or oscillatory combustion. It can result in the destruction of the rocket, subsequent destruction of the vehicle and compromise the mission. These combustion oscillations can vary in frequency from 100 to 20,000 Hz or more, with varying effects, and occur from different coupling phenomena. It is important to understand the effects of combustion instability, its physical manifestations, how to identify the instabilities, and how to mitigate or dampen them. Linear theory methods have been developed to provide a mathematical understanding of the low- to mid-range instabilities. Nonlinear theory is more complex and difficult to analyze mathematically, therefore no general analytical method that yields a solution exists. With limited resources, time, and the advice of our NASA mentors, a data driven experimental approach utilizing quarter wave acoustic dampener cavities was designed. This thesis outlines the methodology behind the design of an acoustic dampening system for a 500 lbf and a 2000 lbf throttleable liquid oxygen liquid methane pintle injector rocket engine.

Production of biohythane from food waste via an integrated system of continuously stirred tank and anaerobic fixed bed reactors.

PubMed

Yeshanew, Martha M; Frunzo, Luigi; Pirozzi, Francesco; Lens, Piet N L; Esposito, Giovanni

2016-11-01

The continuous production of biohythane (mixture of biohydrogen and methane) from food waste using an integrated system of a continuously stirred tank reactor (CSTR) and anaerobic fixed bed reactor (AFBR) was carried out in this study. The system performance was evaluated for an operation period of 200days, by stepwise shortening the hydraulic retention time (HRT). An increasing trend of biohydrogen in the CSTR and methane production rate in the AFBR was observed regardless of the HRT shortening. The highest biohydrogen yield in the CSTR and methane yield in the AFBR were 115.2 (±5.3)L H2/kgVSadded and 334.7 (±18.6)L CH4/kgCODadded, respectively. The AFBR presented a stable operation and excellent performance, indicated by the increased methane production rate at each shortened HRT. Besides, recirculation of the AFBR effluent to the CSTR was effective in providing alkalinity, maintaining the pH in optimal ranges (5.0-5.3) for the hydrogen producing bacteria. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Struvite Precipitation as a Means of Recovering Nutrients and Mitigating Ammonia Toxicity in a Two-Stage Anaerobic Digester Treating Protein-Rich Feedstocks.

PubMed

Wang, Shunli; Hawkins, Gary L; Kiepper, Brian H; Das, Keshav C

2016-08-03

Accumulation of ammonia, measured as total ammonia nitrogen (TAN), a product of protein decomposition in slaughterhouse wastes, inhibits the anaerobic digestion process, reducing digester productivity and leading to failure. Struvite precipitation (SP) is an effective means to remove TAN and enhance the buffering of substrates. Different Mg and P sources were evaluated as reactants in SP in acidogenic digester effluents to reduce its TAN levels. In order to measure impact of TAN removal, a standard biochemical methane potential (BMP) test was conducted to measure methane yield from treatments that had the highest TAN reductions. SP results showed 6 of 9 reagent combinations resulted in greater than 70% TAN removal. The BMP results indicated that SP treatment by adding Mg(OH)₂ and H₃PO₄ resulted in 57.6% nitrogen recovery and 41.7% increase in methane yield relative to the substrate without SP. SP is an effective technology to improve nutrient recovery and methane production from the anaerobic digestion of protein-rich feedstocks.

Characterisation of water hyacinth with microwave-heated alkali pretreatment for enhanced enzymatic digestibility and hydrogen/methane fermentation.

PubMed

Lin, Richen; Cheng, Jun; Song, Wenlu; Ding, Lingkan; Xie, Binfei; Zhou, Junhu; Cen, Kefa

2015-04-01

Microwave-heated alkali pretreatment (MAP) was investigated to improve enzymatic digestibility and H2/CH4 production from water hyacinth. SEM revealed that MAP deconstructed the lignocellulose matrix and swelled the surfaces of water hyacinth. XRD indicated that MAP decreased the crystallinity index from 16.0 to 13.0 because of cellulose amorphisation. FTIR indicated that MAP effectively destroyed the lignin structure and disrupted the crystalline cellulose to reduce crystallinity. The reducing sugar yield of 0.296 g/gTVS was achieved at optimal hydrolysis conditions (microwave temperature = 190°C, time = 10 min, and cellulase dosage = 5 wt%). The sequentially fermentative hydrogen and methane yields from water hyacinth with MAP and enzymatic hydrolysis were increased to 63.9 and 172.5 mL/gTVS, respectively. The energy conversion efficiency (40.0%) in the two-stage hydrogen and methane cogeneration was lower than that (49.5%) in the one-stage methane production (237.4 mL/gTVS) from water hyacinth with MAP and enzymatic hydrolysis. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Coproduction of hydrogen and methane via anaerobic fermentation of cornstalk waste in continuous stirred tank reactor integrated with up-flow anaerobic sludge bed.

PubMed

Cheng, Xi-Yu; Li, Qian; Liu, Chun-Zhao

2012-06-01

A 10 L continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR) system was developed for a two-stage hydrogen fermentation process with an integrated alkaline treatment. The maximum hydrogen production rate reached 218.5 mL/L h at a cornstalk concentration of 30 g/L, and the total hydrogen yield and volumetric hydrogen production rate reached 58.0 mL/g-cornstalk and 0.55-0.57 L/L d, respectively. A 10 L up-flow anaerobic sludge bed (UASB) was used for continuous methane fermentation of the effluents obtained from the two-stage hydrogen fermentation. At the optimal organic loading rate of 15.0 g-COD/Ld, the COD removal efficiency and volumetric biogas production rate reached 83.3% and 4.6L/Ld, respectively. Total methane yield reached 200.9 mL/g-cornstalk in anaerobic fermentation with the effluents and alkaline hydrolysate. As a result, the total energy recovery by coproduction of hydrogen and methane with anaerobic fermentation of cornstalk reached 67.1%. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Co-digestion of pig slaughterhouse waste with sewage sludge.

PubMed

Borowski, Sebastian; Kubacki, Przemysław

2015-06-01

Slaughterhouse wastes (SHW) are potentially very attractive substrates for biogas production. However, mono-digestion of these wastes creates great technological problems associated with the inhibitory effects of ammonia and fatty acids on methanogens as well as with the foaming in the digesters. In the following study, the co-digestion of slaughterhouse wastes with sewage sludge (SS) was undertaken. Batch and semi-continuous experiments were performed at 35°C with municipal sewage sludge and pig SHW composed of meat tissue, intestines, bristles and post-flotation sludge. In batch assays, meat tissue and intestinal wastes gave the highest methane productions of 976 and 826 dm(3)/kg VS, respectively, whereas the methane yield from the sludge was only 370 dm(3)/kg VS. The co-digestion of sewage sludge with 50% SHW (weight basis) provided the methane yield exceeding 600 dm(3)/kg VS, which was more than twice as high as the methane production from sewage sludge alone. However, when the loading rate exceeded 4 kg VS/m(3) d, a slight inhibition of methanogenesis was observed, without affecting the digester stability. The experiments showed that the co-digestion of sewage sludge with large amount of slaughterhouse wastes is feasible, and the enhanced methane production does not affect the digester stability. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Employing response surface methodology (RSM) to improve methane production from cotton stalk.

PubMed

Zhang, Han; Khalid, Habiba; Li, Wanwu; He, Yanfeng; Liu, Guangqing; Chen, Chang

2018-03-01

China is the largest cotton producer with the cotton output accounting for 25% of the total world's cotton production. A large quantity of cotton stalk (CS) waste is generated which is burned and causes environmental and ecological problems. This study investigated the anaerobic digestibility of CS by focusing on improving the methane yield by applying central composite design of response surface methodology (RSM). The purpose of this study was to determine the best level of factors to optimize the desired output of methane production from CS. Thus, it was necessary to describe the relationship of many individual variables with one or more response values for the effective utilization of CS. The influences of feed to inoculum (F/I) ratio and organic loading (OL) on methane production were investigated. Results showed that the experimental methane yield (EMY) and volatile solid (VS) removal were calculated to be 70.22 mL/gVS and 14.33% at F/I ratio of 0.79 and organic loading of 25.61 gVS/L, respectively. Characteristics of final effluent showed that the anaerobic system was stable. This research laid a foundation for future application of CS to alleviate the problems of waste pollution and energy output.

Investigation of biogas production and its residue with fertilization effect from municipal waste.

PubMed

Bee, Soo-Tueen; Nithiyaa, Manikam; Sin, Lee Tin; Tee, Tiam-Ting; Rahmat, A R

2013-10-15

This study was aimed to investigate the production of methane gas from three different types of food waste (vegetables waste, fruit waste and grain waste) using batch type anaerobic digestion method. The digestion process was conducted by using temperature range of 27 to 36 degrees C and pH 6.5 to 7.5 to yield an optimum condition for the digestion process. The digestion was continued for a period of two weeks with the aid of cow dung as the inoculums. It was found that the grain waste yielded the highest methane 2546 mL due to the high content of carbohydrate. At the mean time, the fruit waste produced the second highest methane gas with 2000 mL as well as the vegetable waste generated the lowest methane gas with volume of 1468 mL. The vegetable waste produced the lowest methane gas because the vegetables waste contains high fibres and cellulose walls but low in glucose amount. For the fertilization test, fruit waste demonstrated the best observation for the growth of plant due to high content of potassium and followed by vegetable waste. The least effective fertilizer was grain waste due to less content of nutrients essential for plants growth.

Methane yield enhancement via electroporation of organic waste.

PubMed

Safavi, Seyedeh Masoumeh; Unnthorsson, Runar

2017-08-01

An experimental study with pulsed electric field (PEF) pre-treatment was conducted to investigate its effect on methane production. PEF pre-treatment converts organic solids into soluble and colloidal forms, increasing bioavailability for anaerobic microorganisms participating in methane generation process. The substrates tested were landfill leachate and fruit/vegetable. Three treatment intensities of 15, 30, and 50kWh/m 3 were applied to investigate the influence of pre-treatment on methane production via biochemical methane potential test. Threshold treatment intensity was found to be around 30kWh/m 3 for landfill leachate beyond which the methane production enhanced linearly with increase in intensity. Methane production of the landfill leachate significantly increased up to 44% with the highest intensity. The result of pulsed electric field pre-treatment on fruit/vegetable showed that 15kWh/m 3 was the intensity by which the highest amount of methane (up to 7%) was achieved. Beyond this intensity, the methane production decreased. Chemical oxygen demand removals were increased up to 100% for landfill leachate and 17% for fruit/vegetable, compared to the untreated slurries. Results indicate that the treatment intensity has a significant effect on the methane production and biosolid removal. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Study on anaerobic treatment of hazardous steel-mill waste rolling oil (SmWRO) for multi-benefit disposal route.

PubMed

Ma, Huanhuan; Li, Zifu; Yin, Fubin; Kao, William; Yin, Yi; Bai, Xiaofeng

2014-01-01

Steel-mill waste rolling oil (SmWRO) is considered as hazardous substance with high treatment and disposal fees. Anaerobic process could not only transform the hazardous substance into activated sludge, but also generate valuable biogas. This study aimed at studying the biochemical methane potential of SmWRO under inoculum to substrate VS ratios (ISRs) of 0.25, 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2 and 3 using septic tank sludge as inoculum in mesophilic and thermophilic conditions, with blank tests for control. Specific biogas yield (mL/g VS(added)), net biogas yield (mL/g VS(removed)) and VS removal were analyzed. The ANOVA results indicated great influence of ISR and temperature on studied parameters. ISR of 1.5 at 55°C and ISR of 1.5 and 2 at 35°C were suggested with the highest specific biogas yield (262-265 and 303mL/g VS(added)). Kinetic analysis showed that Gompertz model fit the experimental data best with the least RMSE and largest R(2). Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of pre-treatments on the production of biofuels from Phaeodactylum tricornutum.

PubMed

Caporgno, M P; Olkiewicz, M; Torras, C; Salvadó, J; Clavero, E; Bengoa, C

2016-07-15

Several characteristics make Phaeodactylum tricornutum potential candidate for biofuels production such as methane and biodiesel. For this reason, some alternatives are evaluated in this manuscript to improve the conversion of this microalgae into methane. One of these alternatives is the addition of sewage sludge to Phaeodactylum tricornutum for anaerobic co-digestion. Although the co-digestion resulted in lack of synergy, the absence of inhibition indicated that both substrates could be co-digested under certain circumstances, for example if microalgae are cultivated for wastewater treatment purposes. The extraction of lipids using organic solvents has been evaluated for biodiesel production but also as a pre-treatment for anaerobic digestion. The results revealed that the type of solvent influences lipid and biodiesel yields. The high polarity of the mixture methanol/hexane increased the lipid and the biodiesel yields from 10 ± 1 to 53 ± 2 gLipids/100 gVS and from 7 ± 1 to 11 ± 1 gBiodiesel/100 gVS compared with hexane. However, none of these solvents affected the composition of biodiesel. Regarding the methane production after the extraction, it yielded 257 ± 8 and 180 ± 6 mLCH4/gVS from lipid-extracted P. tricornutum using hexane and methanol/hexane respectively. The methane production from the raw microalga was 258 ± 5 mLCH4/gVS in the same experiment. The difference in methane production, mainly after the extraction with methanol/hexane, was a consequence of the changes in the composition of the microalgae after extraction. The extraction did not influence the biodegradability. The ultrasonic pre-treatment prior anaerobic digestion completely disrupted the microalgae cells, but the solubilisation of the organic fraction was scarce (<9.5%). The methane production from pre-treated samples was barely 10-11% higher than the obtained from non pre-treated samples, indicating that the refractory nature of the organic fraction in P. tricornutum is the main obstacle for the methane production. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of temperature on continuous dry fermentation of swine manure.

PubMed

Deng, Liangwei; Chen, Chuang; Zheng, Dan; Yang, Hongnan; Liu, Yi; Chen, Ziai

2016-07-15

Laboratory-scale experiments were performed on the dry digestion of solid swine manure in a semi-continuous mode using 4.5 L down plug-flow anaerobic reactors with an organic loading rate of 3.46 kg volatile solids (VS) m(-3) d(-1) to evaluate the effects of temperature (15, 25 and 35 °C). At 15 °C, biogas production was the poorest due to organic overload and acidification, with a methane yield of 0.036 L CH4 g(-1) VS added and a volumetric methane production rate of 0.125 L CH4 L(-1) d(-1). The methane yield and volumetric methane production rate at 25 °C (0.226 L CH4 g(-1) VS added and 0.783 L CH4 L(-1) d(-1), respectively) were 6.24 times higher than those at 15 °C. However, the methane yield (0.237 L CH4 g(-1) VS added) and the volumetric methane production rate (0.821 L CH4 L(-1) d(-1)) at 35 °C were only 4.86% higher than those at 25 °C, which indicated similar results were obtained at 25 °C and 35 °C. The lower biogas production at 35 °C in dry digestion compared with that in wet digestion could be attributed to ammonia inhibition. For a single pig farm, digestion of solid manure is accomplished in small-scale domestic or small-farm bioreactors, for which operating temperatures of 35 °C are sometimes difficult to achieve. Considering biogas production, ammonia inhibition and net energy recovery, an optimum temperature for dry digestion of solid swine manure is 25 °C. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Direct multitrait selection realizes the highest genetic response for ratio traits.

PubMed

Zetouni, L; Henryon, M; Kargo, M; Lassen, J

2017-05-01

For a number of traits the phenotype considered to be the goal trait is a combination of 2 or more traits, like methane (CH) emission (CH/kg of milk). Direct selection on CH4 emission defined as a ratio is problematic, because it is uncertain whether the improvement comes from an improvement in milk yield, a decrease in CH emission or both. The goal was to test different strategies on selecting for 2 antagonistic traits- improving milk yield while decreasing methane emissions. The hypothesis was that to maximize genetic gain for a ratio trait, the best approach is to select directly for the component traits rather than using a ratio trait or a trait where 1 trait is corrected for the other as the selection criteria. Stochastic simulation was used to mimic a dairy cattle population. Three scenarios were tested, which differed in selection criteria but all selecting for increased milk yield: 1) selection based on a multitrait approach using the correlation structure between the 2 traits, 2) the ratio of methane to milk and 3) gross methane phenotypically corrected for milk. Four correlation sets were tested in all scenarios, to access robustness of the results. An average genetic gain of 66 kg of milk per yr was obtained in all scenarios, but scenario 1 had the best response for decreased methane emissions, with a genetic gain of 24.8 l/yr, while scenarios 2 and 3 had genetic gains of 27.1 and 27.3 kg/yr. The results found were persistent across correlation sets. These results confirm the hypothesis that to obtain the highest genetic gain a multitrait selection is a better approach than selecting for the ratio directly. The results are exemplified for a methane and milk scenario but can be generalized to other situations where combined traits need to be improved.

Investigating options for attenuating methane emission from Indian rice fields.

PubMed

Singh, S N; Verma, Amitosh; Tyagi, Larisha

2003-08-01

The development of methods and strategies to reduce the emission of methane from paddy fields is a central component of ongoing efforts to protect the Earth's atmosphere and to avert a possible climate change. It appears from this investigation that there can be more than one strategy to contain methane emission from paddy fields, which are thought to be a major source of methane emission in tropical Asia. Promising among the mitigating options may be water management, organic amendments, fertilizer application and selection of rice cultivars. It is always better to adopt multi-pronged strategies to contain CH4 efflux from rice wetlands. Use of fermented manures with low C/N ratio, application of sulfate-containing chemical fertilizers, selection of low CH4 emitting rice cultivars, and implementation of one or two short aeration periods before the heading stage can be effective options to minimize CH4 emission from paddy fields. Among these strategies, water management, which appears to be the best cost-effective and eco-friendly way for methane mitigation, is only possible when excess water is available for reflooding after short soil drying at the right timing and stage. However, in tropical Asia, rice fields are naturally flooded during the monsoonal rainy season and fully controlled drainage is often impossible. In such situation, water deficits during the vegetative and reproductive stage may drastically affect the rice yields. Thus, care must be taken to mitigate methane emission without affecting rice yields.

Influence of headspace pressure on methane production in Biochemical Methane Potential (BMP) tests.

PubMed

Valero, David; Montes, Jesús A; Rico, José Luis; Rico, Carlos

2016-02-01

The biochemical methane potential test is the most commonly applied method to determine methane production from organic wastes. One of the parameters measured is the volume of biogas produced which can be determined manometrically by keeping the volume constant and measuring increases in pressure. In the present study, the effect of pressure accumulation in the headspace of the reactors has been studied. Triplicate batch trials employing cocoa shell, waste coffee grounds and dairy manure as substrates have been performed under two headspace pressure conditions. The results obtained in the study showed that headspace overpressures higher than 600mbar affected methane production for waste coffee grounds. On the contrary, headspace overpressures within a range of 600-1000mbar did not affect methane production for cocoa shell and dairy manure. With the analyses performed in the present work it has not been possible to determine the reasons for the lower methane yield value obtained for the waste coffee grounds under high headspace pressures. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Enhanced methane production via repeated batch bioaugmentation pattern of enriched microbial consortia.

PubMed

Yang, Zhiman; Guo, Rongbo; Xu, Xiaohui; Wang, Lin; Dai, Meng

2016-09-01

Using batch and repeated batch cultivations, this study investigated the effects of bioaugmentation with enriched microbial consortia (named as EMC) on methane production from effluents of hydrogen-producing stage of potato slurry, as well as on the indigenous bacterial community. The results demonstrated that the improved methane production and shift of the indigenous bacterial community structure were dependent on the EMC/sludge ratio and bioaugmentation patterns. The methane yield and production rate in repeated batch bioaugmentation pattern of EMC were, respectively, average 15% and 10% higher than in one-time bioaugmentation pattern of EMC. DNA-sequencing approach showed that the enhanced methane production in the repeated batch bioaugmentation pattern of EMC mainly resulted from the enriched iron-reducing bacteria and the persistence of the introduced Syntrophomonas, which led to a rapid degradation of individual VFAs to methane. The findings contributed to understanding the correlation between the bioaugmentation of microbial consortia, community shift, and methane production. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Fermentation Enhancement of Methanogenic Archaea Consortia from an Illinois Basin Coalbed via DOL Emulsion Nutrition

PubMed Central

Xiao, Dong; Peng, Su-Ping; Wang, En-Yuan

2015-01-01

Microbially enhanced coalbed methane technology must be used to increase the methane content in mining and generate secondary biogenic gas. In this technology, the metabolic processes of methanogenic consortia are the basis for the production of biomethane from some of the organic compounds in coal. Thus, culture nutrition plays an important role in remediating the nutritional deficiency of a coal seam. To enhance the methane production rates for microorganism consortia, different types of nutrition solutions were examined in this study. Emulsion nutrition solutions containing a novel nutritional supplement, called dystrophy optional modification latex, increased the methane yield for methanogenic consortia. This new nutritional supplement can help methanogenic consortia form an enhanced anaerobic environment, optimize the microbial balance in the consortia, and improve the methane biosynthesis rate. PMID:25884952

Phosphazene diamines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Paciorek, K. L.; Harris, D. H.; Ito, T. I.; Kratzer, R. H.

1980-01-01

The synthesis of a specific phosphazene diamine was optimized, other phosphorus-containing diamines were prepared, and their effect upon certain characteristics of epoxy resins, prepared via reaction with MY 720, in particular, char yield at elevated temperatures was evaluated. The synthesis of the phosphazene diamine resulting from the interaction of methylenedianline with 4,4'-bis(diphenylphosphino)biphenyl was simplified into a one step process giving 77 percent yield of the pure product. Using this procedure, a related diamine containing bis(diphenylphosphino)methane was obtained in a 70 percent yield. Preparation of another class of phosphorus containing amines based upon p-aminophenyldiphenyl-phosphine was unsuccessful; the inability to produce p-aminophenylithlum was responsible for this failure. Seven epoxy resins employing Araldite MY 720, diaminodiphenylsulfone, and two of the phosphorus containing diamines were prepared, characterized, and their char yield capacity at elevated temperatures assessed. Based on these investigations, the resins containing phosphorus appear to exhibit significantly better char formation characteristics than materials hardened using conventional amines, without impairing the other properties measured.

Seasonal variation of chemical composition and biomethane production from the brown seaweed Ascophyllum nodosum.

PubMed

Tabassum, Muhammad Rizwan; Xia, Ao; Murphy, Jerry D

2016-09-01

Ascophyllum nodosum, an abundant Irish brown seaweed, shows significant seasonal variation in chemical composition and biogas production. The polyphenol content is shown to be a more important factor in biogas production than ash content. High polyphenol content in summer months adversely affected biogas production; suggesting two potential harvest dates, March and October. A. nodosum harvested in October showed a relatively low level of polyphenols (2% of TS) and ash (23% of volatile solids), and exhibited a specific methane yield of 215LCH4kgVS(-1), which was 44% of theoretical yield. The highest yield per wet weight of 47m(3)CH4t(-1) was achieved in October, which is 2.9 times higher than the lowest value (16m(3)CH4t(-1)), obtained in December. The gross energy yield of A. nodosum based on the optimal biogas production can achieve 116GJha(-1)yr(-1) in October. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Methane Emission and Milk Production of Dairy Cows Grazing Pastures Rich in Legumes or Rich in Grasses in Uruguay.

PubMed

Dini, Yoana; Gere, José; Briano, Carolina; Manetti, Martin; Juliarena, Paula; Picasso, Valentin; Gratton, Roberto; Astigarraga, Laura

2012-06-08

Understanding the impact of changing pasture composition on reducing emissions of GHGs in dairy grazing systems is an important issue to mitigate climate change. The aim of this study was to estimate daily CH₄ emissions of dairy cows grazing two mixed pastures with contrasting composition of grasses and legumes: L pasture with 60% legumes on Dry Matter (DM) basis and G pasture with 75% grasses on DM basis. Milk production and CH₄ emissions were compared over two periods of two weeks during spring using eight lactating Holstein cows in a 2 × 2 Latin square design. Herbage organic matter intake (HOMI) was estimated by chromic oxide dilution and herbage organic matter digestibility (OMD) was estimated by faecal index. Methane emission was estimated by using the sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) tracer technique adapted to collect breath samples over 5-day periods. OMD (0.71) and HOMI (15.7 kg OM) were not affected by pasture composition. Milk production (20.3 kg/d), milk fat yield (742 g/d) and milk protein yield (667 g/d) were similar for both pastures. This may be explained by the high herbage allowance (30 kg DM above 5 cm/cow) which allowed the cows to graze selectively, in particular in grass sward. Similarly, methane emission expressed as absolute value (368 g/d or 516 L/d) or expressed as methane yield (6.6% of Gross Energy Intake (GEI)) was not affected by treatments. In conclusion, at high herbage allowance, the quality of the diet selected by grazing cows did not differ between pastures rich in legumes or rich in grasses, and therefore there was no effect on milk or methane production.

Batch co-digestion of multi-component agro-wastes.

PubMed

Misi, S N; Forster, C F

2001-10-01

In certain parts of the developing world conventional energy supplies such as electricity, gas, coal and petroleum by-products are either unavailable, too capital intensive to install, are unjustifiable due to low population densities in some semi-arid regions, or are simply unaffordable to the target population. In Zimbabwe, it has been assessed that only biomass energy can conveniently provide both lighting and space heating. Therefore, means of generating biogas from agricultural and other organic wastes, and to encourage their use is a policy which has been adopted by Zimbabwe's Department of Energy. In this study cattle slurry was mixed with a range of solid wastes and allowed to digest in 11 batch digesters. The mixtures which were used were selected on the basis of centroid design with the objective of determining whether there was either synergism or antagonism. Two trials were carried out, one based on cattle slurry, chicken manure (CM) and molasses (Mol), the other based on sheep and goat manure, chicken manure and surplus activated sludge. The criteria for judging the success of a co-digestion were volatile solids (VS) reduction, total methane production and methane yield. In the first trial, the analysis based on the methane yield showed that there was no antagonism and that the mixture of 30% cattle slurry/30% CM/40% Mol gave a synergistic effect. The analysis based on the VS destruction, however, did show that there was some very slight antagonism. In the second trial, the analysis based on the methane yield showed that there was both antagonism and synergism and that the synergism produced an extra 6.7% methane. The analysis based on the VS destruction also showed that there was both antagonism and synergism but that the effects were small.

Wheat is more potent than corn or barley for dietary mitigation of enteric methane emissions from dairy cows.

PubMed

Moate, P J; Williams, S R O; Jacobs, J L; Hannah, M C; Beauchemin, K A; Eckard, R J; Wales, W J

2017-09-01

Wheat is the most common concentrate fed to dairy cows in Australia, but few studies have examined the effects of wheat feeding on enteric methane emissions, and no studies have compared the relative potencies of wheat, corn, and barley for their effects on enteric methane production. In this 35-d experiment, 32 Holstein dairy cows were offered 1 of 4 diets: a corn diet (CRN) of 10.0 kg of dry matter (DM)/d of single-rolled corn grain, 1.8 kg of DM/d of canola meal, 0.2 kg of DM/d of minerals, and 11.0 kg of DM/d of chopped alfalfa hay; a wheat diet (WHT) similar to the CRN diet but with the corn replaced by single-rolled wheat; a barley diet (SRB) similar to the CRN diet but with the corn replaced by single-rolled barley; and a barley diet (DRB) similar to the CRN diet but with the corn replaced by double-rolled barley. Individual cow feed intakes, milk yields, and milk compositions were measured daily but reported for the last 5 d of the experiment. During the last 5 d of the experiment, individual cow methane emissions were measured using the SF 6 tracer technique for all cows, and ruminal fluid pH was continuously measured by intraruminal sensors for 3 cows in each treatment group. The average DM intake of cows offered the CRN, WHT, SRB, and DRB diets was 22.2, 21.1, 22.6, and 22.6 kg/d. The mean energy-corrected milk of cows fed the WHT diet was less than that of cows fed the other diets. This occurred because the milk fat percentage of cows fed the WHT diet was significantly less than that of cows fed the other diets. The mean methane emissions and methane yields of cows fed the WHT diet were also significantly less than those of cows fed the other diets. Indeed, the CRN, SRB, and DRB diets were associated with 49, 73, and 78% greater methane emissions, respectively, compared with the emissions from the WHT diet. Methane yield was found to be most strongly related to the minimum daily ruminal fluid pH. This study showed that although the inclusion of wheat in the diet of dairy cows could be an effective strategy for substantially reducing their methane emissions, it also reduced their milk fat percentage and production of milk fat and energy-corrected milk. Copyright © 2017 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Metabolic engineering of Methanosarcina acetivorans for lactate production from methane.

PubMed

McAnulty, Michael J; Poosarla, Venkata Giridhar; Li, Jine; Soo, Valerie W C; Zhu, Fayin; Wood, Thomas K

2017-04-01

We previously demonstrated anaerobic conversion of the greenhouse gas methane into acetate using an engineered archaeon that produces methyl-coenzyme M reductase (Mcr) from unculturable microorganisms from a microbial mat in the Black Sea to create the first culturable prokaryote that reverses methanogenesis and grows anaerobically on methane. In this work, we further engineered the same host with the goal of converting methane into butanol. Instead, we discovered a process for converting methane to a secreted valuable product, L-lactate, with sufficient optical purity for synthesizing the biodegradable plastic poly-lactic acid. We determined that the 3-hydroxybutyryl-CoA dehydrogenase (Hbd) from Clostridium acetobutylicum is responsible for lactate production. This work demonstrates the first metabolic engineering of a methanogen with a synthetic pathway; in effect, we produce a novel product (lactate) from a novel substrate (methane) by cloning the three genes for Mcr and one for Hbd. We further demonstrate the utility of anaerobic methane conversion with an increased lactate yield compared to aerobic methane conversion to lactate. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2017;114: 852-861. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The Synthesis and Characterization of Tetrakis [(p - amino phenoxy) methyl] methane

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peng, Yongli; Zou, Qian

2017-06-01

In order to solve the shortcomings of the cured epoxy resin poor toughness, this paper proceeded from the structural design of curing agent to synthesize a special curing agent tetrakis [(p-aminophenoxy) methyl] methane which containing both Benzene ring and amino group. A Symmetric compound of tetrakis [(p - acetamidophenoxy) methyl] methane was prepared by using simple and easy to get pentaerythritoltetratosylate and acetaminophen for raw materials, after Williamson etherification reaction intermediates for synthesis of a symmetrical structure of the compound tetrakis [(p-acetamido phenoxy) methyl] methane, then hydrolysed under acidic conditions it can be tetrakis [(p-amino phenoxy) methyl] methane. The influence of reaction time, reaction temperature and reactant ratio to production yield of tetrakis [(p - acetamidophenoxy) methyl] methane was studied by orthogonal experiment of three factors and three levels, and get the optimal process parameters: the reaction time: 16 h, the reaction temperature: 170 °C, reactant ratio, 1:5. The Structure of tetrakis [(p - acetamidophenoxy) methyl] methane and tetrakis [(p-amino phenoxy) methyl] methane were characterized by infrared and 1H-NMR.

Preliminary Evaluation of Method to Monitor Landfills Resilience against Methane Emission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chusna, Noor Amalia; Maryono, Maryono

2018-02-01

Methane emission from landfill sites contribute to global warming and un-proper methane treatment can pose an explosion hazard. Stakeholder and government in the cities in Indonesia been found significant difficulties to monitor the resilience of landfill from methane emission. Moreover, the management of methane gas has always been a challenging issue for long waste management service and operations. Landfills are a significant contributor to anthropogenic methane emissions. This study conducted preliminary evaluation of method to manage methane gas emission by assessing LandGem and IPCC method. From the preliminary evaluation, this study found that the IPCC method is based on the availability of current and historical country specific data regarding the waste disposed of in landfills while from the LandGEM method is an automated tool for estimating emission rates for total landfill gas this method account total gas of methane, carbon dioxide and other. The method can be used either with specific data to estimate emissions in the site or default parameters if no site-specific data are available. Both of method could be utilize to monitor the methane emission from landfill site in cities of Central Java.

Observation of chemical erosion of carbon based wall materials in the TEXTOR tokamak

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Philipps, V.; Pospieszczyk, A.; Erdweg, M.; Schweer, B.; Vietzke, E.; Winter, J.

1996-01-01

Mass spectroscopy and optical spectroscopy have been used to measure the formation of methane, higher hydrocarbons and of CO during the interaction of limiters with the boundary plasma and of special carbon targets with the scrape-off-layer plasma (SOL) of TEXTOR. Mass spectroscopic data are obtained by the Sniffer probe in the SOL under carbon, boronized and siliconized wall conditions. At target temperatures <=100 °C, methane yields range typically between 0.7 and 1.2%. They vary only little with changing plasma conditions. C2-hydrocarbon formation dominates the overall carbon erosion under many conditions. Their yields increase with decreasing plasma temperature. Siliconization of the walls reduces the methane formation only little but suppresses the formation of higher hydrocarbons significantly. CO formation is dominated by the actual oxygen impurity fluxes and ranges between 0.2% up to 1.5% depending on the wall conditioning. Supporting data on hydrocarbon and CO formation are obtained from the outgassing after the discharge. Optical spectroscopy has been used to determine methane formation yields from CH band emission in front of graphite test limiters positioned at the last closed flux surface. The yields are typically in the range between 1.5 and 5% and are generally a factor 2-3 higher compared to those from mass spectroscopy. The CH4 formation is nearly constant between 200 °C up to 700 °C and decreases beyond 800-1000 °C. It decreases with increasing flux density. C2 hydrocarbon emission from the limiters has not been observed by molecular band emission within the range of normal plasma conditions. They show up only for detached plasma conditions.

Optimization of micro-aeration intensity in acidogenic reactor of a two-phase anaerobic digester treating food waste.

PubMed

Xu, Suyun; Selvam, Ammaiyappan; Wong, Jonathan W C

2014-02-01

Micro-aeration is known to promote the activities of hydrolytic exo-enzymes and used as a strategy to improve the hydrolysis of particulate substrate. The effect of different micro-aeration rates, 0, 129, 258, and 387 L-air/kg TS/d (denoted as LBR-AN, LBR-6h, LBR-3h and LBR-2h, respectively) on the solubilization of food waste was evaluated at 35°C in four leach bed reactors (LBR) coupled with methanogenic upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor. Results indicate that the intensity of micro-aeration influenced the hydrolysis and methane yield. Adequate micro-aeration intensity in LBR-3h and LBR-2h significantly enhanced the carbohydrate and protein hydrolysis by 21-27% and 38-64% respectively. Due to the accelerated acidogenesis, more than 3-fold of acetic acid and butyric acid were produced in LBR-3h as compared to the anaerobic treatment LBR-AN resulting in the maximum methane yield of 0.27 L CH4/g VS(added) in the UASB. The performance of LBR-6h with inadequate aeration was similar to that of LBR-AN with a comparable hydrolysis degree. Nevertheless, higher aeration intensity in LBR-2h was also unfavorable for methane yield due to significant biomass generation and CO2 respiration of up to 18.5% and 32.8% of the total soluble hydrolysate, respectively. To conclude, appropriate micro-aeration rate can promote the hydrolysis of solid organic waste and methane yield without undesirable carbon loss and an aeration intensity of 258 L-air/kg TS/d is recommended for acidogenic LBR treating food waste. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Model development and evaluation of methane potential from anaerobic co-digestion of municipal wastewater sludge and un-dewatered grease trap waste.

PubMed

Yalcinkaya, Sedat; Malina, Joseph F

2015-06-01

The performance of anaerobic co-digestion of municipal wastewater sludge with un-dewatered grease trap waste was assessed using modified biochemical methane potential tests under mesophilic conditions (35°C). Methane potentials, process inhibition and chemical behavior of the process were analyzed at different grease trap waste feed ratios on volatile solids basis. Nonlinear regression analyses of first order reaction and modified Gompertz equations were performed to assist in interpretation of the experimental results. Methane potential of un-dewatered grease trap waste was measured as 606 mL CH4/g VS(added), while methane potential of municipal wastewater sludge was only 223 mL CH4/g VS(added). The results indicated that anaerobic digestion of grease trap waste without dewatering yields less methane potential than concentrated/dewatered grease trap waste because of high wastewater content of un-dewatered grease trap waste. However, anaerobic co-digestion of municipal wastewater sludge and grease trap waste still yields over two times more methane potential and approximately 10% more volatile solids reduction than digestion of municipal wastewater sludge alone. The anaerobic co-digestion process inhibitions were reported at 70% and greater concentrated/dewatered grease trap waste additions on volatile solids basis in previous studies; however, no inhibition was observed at 100% un-dewatered grease trap waste digestion in the present study. These results indicate that anaerobic co-digestion of un-dewatered grease trap waste may reduce the inhibition risk compared to anaerobic co-digestion of concentrated/dewatered grease trap waste. In addition, a mathematical model was developed in this study for the first time to describe the relationship between grease trap waste feed ratio on volatile solids basis and resulting methane potential. Experimental data from the current study as well as previous biochemical methane potential studies were successfully fit to this relationship and allowed estimation of key performance parameters that provide additional insight into the factors affecting biochemical methane potential. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Energetic conversion of European semi-natural grassland silages through the integrated generation of solid fuel and biogas from biomass: energy yields and the fate of organic compounds.

PubMed

Hensgen, Frank; Bühle, Lutz; Donnison, Iain; Heinsoo, Katrin; Wachendorf, Michael

2014-02-01

Twelve European habitat types were investigated to determine the influence of the IFBB technique (integrated generation of biogas and solid fuel from biomass) on the fate of organic compounds and energy yields of semi-natural grassland biomass. Concentration of organic compounds in silage and IFBB press cake (PC), mass flows within that system and methane yields of IFBB press fluids (PF) were determined. The gross energy yield of the IFBB technique was calculated in comparison to hay combustion (HC) and whole crop digestion (WCD). The IFBB treatment increased fibre and organic matter (OM) concentrations and lowered non-fibre carbohydrates and crude protein concentrations. The PF was highly digestible irrespective of habitat types, showing mean methane yields between 312.1 and 405.0 LN CH4 kg(-1) VS. Gross energy yields for the IFBB system (9.75-30.19MWh ha(-1)) were in the range of HC, outperformed WCD and were influenced by the habitat type. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Taylor, J.A.; Brasseur, G.P.; Zimmerman, P.R.

Using the hydroxyl radical field calibrated to the methyl chloroform observations, the globally averaged release of methane and its spatial and temporal distribution were investigated. Two source function models of the spatial and temporal distribution of the flux of methane to the atmosphere were developed. The first model was based on the assumption that methane is emitted as a proportion of net primary productivity (NPP). With the average hydroxyl radical concentration fixed, the methane source term was computed as {approximately}623 Tg CH{sub 4}, giving an atmospheric lifetime for methane {approximately}8.3 years. The second model identified source regions for methane frommore » rice paddies, wetlands, enteric fermentation, termites, and biomass burning based on high-resolution land use data. This methane source distribution resulted in an estimate of the global total methane source of {approximately}611 Tg CH{sub 4}, giving an atmospheric lifetime for methane {approximately}8.5 years. The most significant difference between the two models were predictions of methane fluxes over China and South East Asia, the location of most of the world's rice paddies. Using a recent measurement of the reaction rate of hydroxyl radical and methane leads to estimates of the global total methane source for SF1 of {approximately}524 Tg CH{sub 4} giving an atmospheric lifetime of {approximately}10.0 years and for SF2{approximately}514 Tg CH{sub 4} yielding a lifetime of {approximately}10.2 years.« less

Stable thermophilic anaerobic digestion of dissolved air flotation (DAF) sludge by co-digestion with swine manure.

PubMed

Creamer, K S; Chen, Y; Williams, C M; Cheng, J J

2010-05-01

Environmentally sound treatment of by-products in a value-adding process is an ongoing challenge in animal agriculture. The sludge produced as a result of the dissolved air flotation (DAF) wastewater treatment process in swine processing facilities is one such low-value residue. The objective of this study was to determine the fundamental performance parameters for thermophilic anaerobic digestion of DAF sludge. Testing in a semi-continuous stirred tank reactor and in batch reactors was conducted to determine the kinetics of degradation and biogas yield. Stable operation could not be achieved using pure DAF sludge as a substrate, possibly due to inhibition by long-chain fatty acids or to nutrient deficiencies. However, in a 1:1 ratio (w/w, dry basis) with swine manure, operation was both stable and productive. In the semi-continuous stirred reactor at 54.5 degrees Celsius, a hydraulic residence time of 10 days, and an organic loading rate of 4.68 gVS/day/L, the methane production rate was 2.19 L/L/day and the specific methane production rate was 0.47 L/gVS (fed). Maximum specific methanogenic activity (SMA) in batch testing was 0.15 mmoles CH(4) h(-1) gVS(-1) at a substrate concentration of 6.9 gVS L(-1). Higher substrate concentrations cause an initial lag in methane production, possibly due to long-chain fatty acid or nitrogen inhibition. Copyright 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Testing marine shales' ability to generate catalytic gas at low temperature

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wei, L.; Schimmelmann, A.; Drobniak, A.; Sauer, P. E.; Mastalerz, M.

2013-12-01

Hydrocarbon gases are generally thought to originatevia low-temperature microbial or high-temperature thermogenicpathways (Whiticar, 1996) that can be distinguished by compound-specific hydrogen and carbon stable isotope ratios. An alternative low-temperature catalytic pathway for hydrocarbon generation from sedimentary organic matter has been proposed to be active at temperatures as low as 50oC (e.g.,Mango and Jarvie,2009,2010; Mango et al., 2010; Bartholomew et al., 1999). This hypothesis, however, still requires rigoroustesting by independent laboratory experiments.The possibility of catalytic generation of hydrocarbons in some source rocks (most likely in relatively impermeable and organic-rich shales where reduced catalytic centers can be best preserved) would offer an explanation for the finding of gas of non-microbial origin in formations that lack the thermal maturity for generating thermogenic gas.It is unknown whether catalytically generated methane would be isotopically different from thermogenicmethane (δ13CCH4>-50‰, δ2HCH4from -275‰ to -100‰) ormicrobially generated methane (δ13CCH4from -40‰ to -110‰, δ2HCH4from -400‰to -150‰) (Whiticar, 1998). In order to test for catalytic gas generationin water-wet shales and coals, we are conductinglaboratory experiments at three temperatures (60°C, 100°C, 200°C)and three pressures (ambient pressure, 107 Pa, 3x107 Pa)over periods of six months to several years. So far, our longest running experiments have reached one year. We sealed different types of thermally immature, pre-evacuatedshales (Mowry, New Albany, and Mahoganyshales) and coals (SpringfieldCoal and Wilcoxlignite)with isotopically defined waters in gold cells in the absence of elemental oxygen.Preliminary results show that these samples, depending on conditions, can generate light hydrocarbon gases (methane, ethane and propane) and CO2. Methane, CO2, and traces of H2havebeen generated at 60°C, whereas experiments at 100°C and 200°C also yielded ethane and propane. As of July 2013, our preliminary dataindicate that the amount of light hydrocarbon gasesincreases with temperature and decreases with increasing pressure.Gas yields after 1 year are typically about twice as large as after 6 months. Decreasing the pressure from 3x107 Pato 107 Payields 3 to 6 times more gases, all other factors being equal. A temperature increase from 60°C to 200°C increases gas yields by a factor of ~40. For example, at 60°C over 6 months at 107 Pa, MowryShale can generate 0.4 μmol methane per gram TOC, and the yield decreases to 0.06 μmolat3x107 Pa.δ2HCH4 from Springfield Coal and Mowry Shale decreases with time and temperature, whereas pressure's influence on δ2HCH4value seems to varyamong source rocks.δ2HCH4from Mowry, Wilcox and Mahogany shales andδ2HH2Oare not correlated, which stands in contrast tothe results of traditional hydrous pyrolysis experimentsat temperatures above 300°C (Schimmelmann et al., 1999). If the methane from gold cells was indeed generated via catalysis, the hydrogen isotope data would suggest that the mechanism of catalytic gas generation is different from thermogenesis.

Comparison between Hydrogen and Methane Fuels in a 3-D Scramjet at Mach 8

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-06-24

performance of small chained hydrocarbons ( ethylene and methane) was compared with hydrogen to establish the importance of its lower specific energy...Report Comparison between hydrogen, methane and ethylene fuels in a 3-D Scramjet at Mach 8 Professor Michael K. Smart Chair of Hypersonic Propulsion...hydrocarbons ( ethylene and methane) was compared with hydrogen to establish the importance of its lower specific energy content and slower reaction

Anaerobic digestion of sewage sludge with grease trap sludge and municipal solid waste as co-substrates.

PubMed

Grosser, A; Neczaj, E; Singh, B R; Almås, Å R; Brattebø, H; Kacprzak, M

2017-05-01

The feasibility of simultaneous treatment of multiple wastes via co-digestion was studied in semi-continuous mode at mesophilic conditions. The obtained results indicated that sewage sludge, organic fraction of municipal waste (OFMSW) and grease trap sludge (GTS) possess complementary properties that can be combined for successful anaerobic digestion. During the co-digestion period, methane yield and VS removal were significantly higher in comparison to digestion of sewage sludge alone. Addition of GTS to digesters treating sewage sludge resulted in increased VS removal and methane yield up to 13% (from 50 to 56.4) and 52% (from 300 to 456,547m 3 /Mg VS add ), respectively. While the use of OFMSW as the next co-substrate in the feedstock, can boost methane yield and VS removal up to 82% (300-547m 3 /Mg VS add ) and approximately 29% (from 50% to 64.7%), respectively. Moreover, the results of the present laboratory study revealed that the addition of co-substrates to the feedstock had a significant influence on biogas composition. During the experiment methane content in biogas ranged from 67% to 69%. While, the concentration of LCFAs was increasing with the gradual increase in the share of co-substrates in the mixtures, wherein only the oleic acid was higher than some inhibition concentrations which have been reported in the literature. However, it did not significantly affect the efficiency of the co-digestion process. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Activated carbon enhanced anaerobic digestion of food waste - Laboratory-scale and Pilot-scale operation.

PubMed

Zhang, Le; Zhang, Jingxin; Loh, Kai-Chee

2018-05-01

Effects of activated carbon (AC) supplementation on anaerobic digestion (AD) of food waste were elucidated in lab- and pilot-scales. Lab-scale AD was performed in 1 L and 8 L digesters, while pilot-scale AD was conducted in a 1000 L digester. Based on the optimal dose of 15 g AC per working volume derived from the 1 L digester, for the same AC dosage in the 8 L digester, an improved operation stability coupled with a higher methane yield was achieved even when digesters without AC supplementation failed after 59 days due to accumulation of substantial organic intermediates. At the same time, color removal from the liquid phase of the digestate was dramatically enhanced and the particle size of the digestate solids was increased by 53% through AC supplementation after running for 59 days. Pyrosequencing of 16S rRNA gene showed the abundance of predominant phyla Firmicutes, Elusimicrobia and Proteobacteria selectively enhanced by 1.7-fold, 2.9-fold and 2.1-fold, respectively. Pilot-scale digester without AC gave an average methane yield of 0.466 L⋅(gVS) -1 ⋅d -1 at a composition of 53-61% v/v methane. With AC augmentation, an increase of 41% in methane yield was achieved in the 1000 L digester under optimal organic loading rate (1.6 g VS FW ·L -1 ·d -1 ). Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Electrohydrolysis pretreatment for enhanced methane production from lignocellulose waste pulp and paper mill sludge and its kinetics.

PubMed

Veluchamy, C; Raju, V Wilson; Kalamdhad, Ajay S

2018-03-01

A novel electrohydrolysis pretreatment enhances methane production from lignocellulose material during anaerobic digestion. A biochemical methane potential assay was carried out to determine the effect of direct current and the efficacy of electrohydrolysis pretreatment on biogas production. Methane yield was increased by 13.8%, to 301 ± 3 mL CH 4 /g VS, when lignocellulosic waste was pretreated with electrohydrolysis. A net energy gain of 13,224 kJ was realized after electrohydrolysis pretreatment, which was 1.51 times higher than reported for thermal pretreatment. In addition, two kinetic models were used, including the modified Gompertz model to reproduce the experimental data. These finding support the potential for increased methane recovery from lignocellulosic waste using electrohydrolysis as a pretreatment. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Kinetics of Methane Production from Swine Manure and Buffalo Manure.

PubMed

Sun, Chen; Cao, Weixing; Liu, Ronghou

2015-10-01

The degradation kinetics of swine and buffalo manure for methane production was investigated. Six kinetic models were employed to describe the corresponding experimental data. These models were evaluated by two statistical measurements, which were root mean square prediction error (RMSPE) and Akaike's information criterion (AIC). The results showed that the logistic and Fitzhugh models could predict the experimental data very well for the digestion of swine and buffalo manure, respectively. The predicted methane yield potential for swine and buffalo manure was 487.9 and 340.4 mL CH4/g volatile solid (VS), respectively, which was close to experimental values, when the digestion temperature was 36 ± 1 °C in the biochemical methane potential assays. Besides, the rate constant revealed that swine manure had a much faster methane production rate than buffalo manure.

Enhanced methane production in an anaerobic digestion and microbial electrolysis cell coupled system with co-cultivation of Geobacter and Methanosarcina.

PubMed

Yin, Qi; Zhu, Xiaoyu; Zhan, Guoqiang; Bo, Tao; Yang, Yanfei; Tao, Yong; He, Xiaohong; Li, Daping; Yan, Zhiying

2016-04-01

The anaerobic digestion (AD) and microbial electrolysis cell (MEC) coupled system has been proved to be a promising process for biomethane production. In this paper, it was found that by co-cultivating Geobacter with Methanosarcina in an AD-MEC coupled system, methane yield was further increased by 24.1%, achieving to 360.2 mL/g-COD, which was comparable to the theoretical methane yield of an anaerobic digester. With the presence of Geobacter, the maximum chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal rate (216.8 mg COD/(L·hr)) and current density (304.3A/m(3)) were both increased by 1.3 and 1.8 fold compared to the previous study without Geobacter, resulting in overall energy efficiency reaching up to 74.6%. Community analysis demonstrated that Geobacter and Methanosarcina could coexist together in the biofilm, and the electrochemical activities of both were confirmed by cyclic voltammetry. Our study observed that the carbon dioxide content in total gas generated from the AD reactor with Geobacter was only half of that generated from the same reactor without Geobacter, suggesting that Methanosarcina may obtain the electron transferred from Geobacter for the reduction of carbon dioxide to methane. Taken together, Geobacter not only can improve the performance of the MEC system, but also can enhance methane production. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.

The Effects of Flame Structure on Extinction of CH4-O2-N2 Diffusion Flames

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Du, J.; Axelbaum, R. L.; Gokoglu, S. (Technical Monitor)

1996-01-01

The effects of flame structure on the extinction limits of CH4-O2-N2 counterflow diffusion flames were investigated experimentally and numerically by varying the stoichiometric mixture fraction Z(sub st), Z(sub st) was varied by varying free-stream concentrations, while the adiabatic flame temperature T(sub ad) was held fixed by maintaining a fixed amount of nitrogen at the flame. Z(sub st) was varied between 0.055 (methane-air flame) and 0.78 (diluted- methane-oxygen flame). The experimental results yielded an extinction strain rate K(sub ext) of 375/s for the methane-air flame, increasing monotonically to 1042/s for the diluted-methane-oxygen flame. Numerical results with a 58-step Cl mechanism yielded 494/s and 1488/s, respectively. The increase in K(sub ext) with Z(sub st) for a fixed T(sub ad) is explained by the shift in the O2 profile toward the region of maximum temperature and the subsequent increase in rates for chain-branching reactions. The flame temperature at extinction reached a minimum at Z(sub st) = 0.65, where it was 200 C lower than that of the methane-air flame. This significant increase in resistance to extinction is seen to correspond to the condition in which the OH and O production zones are centered on the location of maximum temperature.

Mild oxidation of methane to methanol or acetic acid on supported isolated rhodium catalysts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shan, Junjun; Li, Mengwei; Allard, Lawrence F.; Lee, Sungsik; Flytzani-Stephanopoulos, Maria

2017-11-01

An efficient and direct method of catalytic conversion of methane to liquid methanol and other oxygenates would be of considerable practical value. However, it remains an unsolved problem in catalysis, as typically it involves expensive or corrosive oxidants or reaction media that are not amenable to commercialization. Although methane can be directly converted to methanol using molecular oxygen under mild conditions in the gas phase, the process is either stoichiometric (and therefore requires a water extraction step) or is too slow and low-yielding to be practical. Methane could, in principle, also be transformed through direct oxidative carbonylation to acetic acid, which is commercially obtained through methane steam reforming, methanol synthesis, and subsequent methanol carbonylation on homogeneous catalysts. However, an effective catalyst for the direct carbonylation of methane to acetic acid, which might enable the economical small-scale utilization of natural gas that is currently flared or stranded, has not yet been reported. Here we show that mononuclear rhodium species, anchored on a zeolite or titanium dioxide support suspended in aqueous solution, catalyse the direct conversion of methane to methanol and acetic acid, using oxygen and carbon monoxide under mild conditions. We find that the two products form through independent pathways, which allows us to tune the conversion: three-hour-long batch-reactor tests conducted at 150 degrees Celsius, using either the zeolite-supported or the titanium-dioxide-supported catalyst, yield around 22,000 micromoles of acetic acid per gram of catalyst, or around 230 micromoles of methanol per gram of catalyst, respectively, with selectivities of 60-100 per cent. We anticipate that these unusually high activities, despite still being too low for commercial application, may guide the development of optimized catalysts and practical processes for the direct conversion of methane to methanol, acetic acid and other useful chemicals.

Mild oxidation of methane to methanol or acetic acid on supported isolated rhodium catalysts

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Shan, Junjun; Li, Mengwei; Allard, Lawrence F.

An efficient and direct method of catalytic conversion of methane to liquid methanol and other oxygenates would be of considerable practical value. However, it remains an unsolved problem in catalysis, as typically it involves expensive or corrosive oxidants or reaction media(5-8) that are not amenable to commercialization. Although methane can be directly converted to methanol using molecular oxygen under mild conditions in the gas phase, the process is either stoichiometric (and therefore requires a water extraction step) or is too slow and low-yielding to be practical. Methane could, in principle, also be transformed through direct oxidative carbonylation to acetic acid,more » which is commercially obtained through methane steam reforming, methanol synthesis, and subsequent methanol carbonylation on homogeneous catalysts. However, an effective catalyst for the direct carbonylation of methane to acetic acid, which might enable the economical small-scale utilization of natural gas that is currently flared or stranded, has not yet been reported. Here we show that mononuclear rhodium species, anchored on a zeolite or titanium dioxide support suspended in aqueous solution, catalyse the direct conversion of methane to methanol and acetic acid, using oxygen and carbon monoxide under mild conditions. Here, we find that the two products form through independent pathways, which allows us to tune the conversion: three-hour-long batch-reactor tests conducted at 150 degrees Celsius, using either the zeolitesupported or the titanium-dioxide-supported catalyst, yield around 22,000 micromoles of acetic acid per gram of catalyst, or around 230 micromoles of methanol per gram of catalyst, respectively, with selectivities of 60-100 per cent. Finally, we anticipate that these unusually high activities, despite still being too low for commercial application, may guide the development of optimized catalysts and practical processes for the direct conversion of methane to methanol, acetic acid and other useful chemicals.« less

Mild oxidation of methane to methanol or acetic acid on supported isolated rhodium catalysts

DOE PAGES

Shan, Junjun; Li, Mengwei; Allard, Lawrence F.; ...

2017-11-30

An efficient and direct method of catalytic conversion of methane to liquid methanol and other oxygenates would be of considerable practical value. However, it remains an unsolved problem in catalysis, as typically it involves expensive or corrosive oxidants or reaction media(5-8) that are not amenable to commercialization. Although methane can be directly converted to methanol using molecular oxygen under mild conditions in the gas phase, the process is either stoichiometric (and therefore requires a water extraction step) or is too slow and low-yielding to be practical. Methane could, in principle, also be transformed through direct oxidative carbonylation to acetic acid,more » which is commercially obtained through methane steam reforming, methanol synthesis, and subsequent methanol carbonylation on homogeneous catalysts. However, an effective catalyst for the direct carbonylation of methane to acetic acid, which might enable the economical small-scale utilization of natural gas that is currently flared or stranded, has not yet been reported. Here we show that mononuclear rhodium species, anchored on a zeolite or titanium dioxide support suspended in aqueous solution, catalyse the direct conversion of methane to methanol and acetic acid, using oxygen and carbon monoxide under mild conditions. Here, we find that the two products form through independent pathways, which allows us to tune the conversion: three-hour-long batch-reactor tests conducted at 150 degrees Celsius, using either the zeolitesupported or the titanium-dioxide-supported catalyst, yield around 22,000 micromoles of acetic acid per gram of catalyst, or around 230 micromoles of methanol per gram of catalyst, respectively, with selectivities of 60-100 per cent. Finally, we anticipate that these unusually high activities, despite still being too low for commercial application, may guide the development of optimized catalysts and practical processes for the direct conversion of methane to methanol, acetic acid and other useful chemicals.« less

Gram-scale, high-yield synthesis of a robust metal-organic framework for storing methane and other gases

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wilmer, CE; Farha, OK; Yildirim, T

We have synthesized and characterized a new metal-organic framework (MOF) material, NU-125, that, in the single-crystal limit, achieves a methane storage density at 58 bar (840 psi) and 298 K corresponding to 86% of that obtained with compressed natural gas tanks (CNG) used in vehicles today, when the latter are pressurized to 248 bar (3600 psi). More importantly, the deliverable capacity (58 bar to 5.8 bar) for NU-125 is 67% of the deliverable capacity of a CNG tank that starts at 248 bar. (For crystalline granules or powders, particle packing inefficiencies will yield densities and deliverable capacities lower than 86%more » and 67% of high-pressure CNG.) This material was synthesized in high yield on a gram-scale in a single-batch synthesis. Methane adsorption isotherms were measured over a wide pressure range (0.1-58 bar) and repeated over twelve cycles on the same sample, which showed no detectable degradation. Adsorption of CO2 and H-2 over a broad range of pressures and temperatures are also reported and agree with our computational findings.« less

Two-Stage Fungal Pre-Treatment for Improved Biogas Production from Sisal Leaf Decortication Residues

PubMed Central

Muthangya, Mutemi; Mshandete, Anthony Manoni; Kivaisi, Amelia Kajumulo

2009-01-01

Sisal leaf decortications residue (SLDR) is amongst the most abundant agro-industrial residues in Tanzania and is a good feedstock for biogas production. Pre-treatment of the residue prior to its anaerobic digestion (AD) was investigated using a two-stage pre-treatment approach with two fungal strains, CCHT-1 and Trichoderma reesei in succession in anaerobic batch bioreactors. AD of the pre-treated residue with CCTH-1 at 10% (wet weight inoculum/SLDR) inoculum concentration incubated for four days followed by incubation for eight days with 25% (wet weight inoculum/SLDR) of T. reesei gave a methane yield of 0.292 ± 0.04 m3 CH4/kg volatile solids (VS)added. On reversing the pre-treatment succession of the fungal inocula using the same parameters followed by AD, methane yield decreased by about 55%. Generally, an increment in the range of 30–101% in methane yield in comparison to the un-treated SLDR was obtained. The results confirmed the potential of CCHT-1 followed by Trichoderma reesei fungi pre-treatment prior to AD to achieve significant improvement in biogas production from SLDR. PMID:20087466

Effects of inoculum to substrate ratio and co-digestion with bagasse on biogas production of fish waste.

PubMed

Xu, Jie; Mustafa, Ahmed M; Sheng, Kuichuan

2017-10-01

To overcome the biogas inhibition in anaerobic digestion of fish waste (FW), effects of inoculum to substrate ratio (I/S, based on VS) and co-digestion with bagasse on biogas production of FW were studied in batch reactors. I/S value was from 0.95 to 2.55, bagasse content in co-digestion (based on VS) was 25%, 50% and 75%. The highest biogas yield (433.4 mL/gVS) with 73.34% methane content was obtained at an I/S value of 2.19 in mono-digestion of FW; the biogas production was inhibited and the methane content was below 70% when I/S was below 1.5. Co-digestion of FW and bagasse could improve the stability and biogas potential, also reducing the time required to obtain 70% of the total biogas production, although the total biogas yield and methane content decreased with the increase in bagasse content in co-digestion. Biogas yield of 409.5 mL/gVS was obtained in co-digestion of 75% FW and 25% bagasse; simultaneously 78.46% of the total biogas production was achieved after 10 days of digestion.

Classes of organic molecules targeted by a methanogenic microbial consortium grown on sedimentary rocks of various maturities

PubMed Central

Meslé, Margaux; Dromart, Gilles; Haeseler, Frank; Oger, Philippe M.

2015-01-01

Organic-rich shales are populated by methanogenic consortia that are able to degrade the fossilized organic matter into methane gas. To identify the organic fraction effectively degraded, we have sequentially depleted two types of organic-rich sedimentary rocks, shale, and coal, at two different maturities, by successive solvent extractions to remove the most soluble fractions (maltenes and asphaltenes) and isolate kerogen. We show the ability of the consortia to produce methane from all rock samples, including those containing the most refractory organic matter, i.e., the kerogen. Shales yielded higher methane production than lignite and coal. Mature rocks yielded more methane than immature rocks. Surprisingly, the efficiency of the consortia was not influenced by the removal of the easily biodegradable fractions contained in the maltenes and asphaltenes. This suggests that one of the limitations of organic matter degradation in situ may be the accessibility to the carbon and energy source. Indeed, bitumen has a colloidal structure that may prevent the microbial consortia from reaching the asphaltenes in the bulk rock. Solvent extractions might favor the access to asphaltenes and kerogen by modifying the spatial organization of the molecules in the rock matrix. PMID:26136731

Drinking water treatment sludge as an effective additive for biogas production from food waste; kinetic evaluation and biomethane potential test.

PubMed

Ebrahimi-Nik, Mohammadali; Heidari, Ava; Ramezani Azghandi, Shamim; Asadi Mohammadi, Fatemeh; Younesi, Habibollah

2018-07-01

The effect of drinking water treatment sludge (DWTS) as a mixture additive, on biogas and methane production from food waste was studied. Mesophilic anaerobic digestion of food waste with 5 concentrations of DWTS (0, 2, 6, 12, and 18 ppm) was carried out. It was found that DWTS can significantly enhance biogas and methane yield. The highest biogas (671 Nml/g VS) as well as methane yield (522 Nml/g VS) was observed when 6 mg/kg DWTS was added. This is equal to 65 and 58 percent increase in comparison with the control digester. The calculated lag time for methane was found to be in between 3.3 and 4.7 days. The DWTS also reduced the lag phase and retention time. The biogas experimental data was fitted with the modified Gompertz and the first-order kinetic models with R 2 higher than 0.994 and 0.949, respectively. The ratio of the experimental biogas production to the theoretical biogas production (ɛ) for control sample was 0.53 while for other samples containing additive were higher than 0.78. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Corn industrial wastewater (nejayote): a promising substrate in Mexico for methane production in a coupled system (APCR-UASB).

PubMed

España-Gamboa, Elda; Domínguez-Maldonado, Jorge Arturo; Tapia-Tussell, Raul; Chale-Canul, Jose Silvano; Alzate-Gaviria, Liliana

2018-01-01

In Mexico, the corn tortilla is a food of great economic importance. Corn tortilla production generates about 1500-2000 m 3 of wastewater per 600 tons of processed corn. Although this wastewater (also known as nejayote) has a high organic matter content, few studies in Mexico have analyzed its treatment. This study presents fresh data on the potential methane production capacity of nejayote in a two-phase anaerobic digestion system using an Anaerobic-Packed Column Reactor (APCR) to optimize the acidogenic phase and an up-flow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor to enhance the methanogenic process. Results indicate that day 8 was ideal to couple the APCR to the UASB reactor. This allowed for a 19-day treatment that yielded 96% COD removal and generated a biogas containing 84% methane. The methane yield was 282 L kg -1 of COD removed . Thus, two-phase anaerobic digestion is an efficient process to treat nejayote; furthermore, this study demonstrated the possibility of using an industrial application by coupling the APCR to the UASB reactor system, in order to assess its feasibility for biomethane generation as a sustainable bioenergy source.

Modified batch anaerobic digestion assay for testing efficiencies of trace metal additives to enhance methane production of energy crops.

PubMed

Brulé, Mathieu; Bolduan, Rainer; Seidelt, Stephan; Schlagermann, Pascal; Bott, Armin

2013-01-01

Batch biochemical methane potential (BMP) assays to evaluate the methane yield of biogas substrates such as energy crops are usually carried out with undiluted inoculum. A BMP assay was performed on two energy crops (green cuttings and grass silage). Anaerobic digestion was performed both with and without supplementation of three commercial additives containing trace metals in liquid, solid or adsorbed form (on clay particles). In order to reveal positive effects of trace metal supplementation on the methane yield, besides undiluted inoculum, 3-fold and 10-fold dilutions of the inoculum were applied for substrate digestion. Diluted inoculum variants were supplemented with both mineral nutrients and pH-buffering substances to prevent a collapse of the digestion process. As expected, commercial additives had no effect on the digestion process performed with undiluted inoculum, while significant increases of methane production through trace element supplementation could be observed on the diluted variants. The effect of inoculum dilution may be twofold: (1) decrease in trace metal supplementation from the inoculum and (2) reduction in the initial number of bacterial cells. Bacteria require higher growth rates for substrate degradation and hence have higher trace element consumption. According to common knowledge of the biogas process, periods with volatile fatty acids accumulation and decreased pH may have occurred in the course ofanaerobic digestion. These effects may have led to inhibition, not only ofmethanogenes and acetogenes involved in the final phases of methane production, but also offibre-degrading bacterial strains involved in polymer hydrolysis. Further research is required to confirm this hypothesis.

Methane production from acid hydrolysates of Agave tequilana bagasse: evaluation of hydrolysis conditions and methane yield.

PubMed

Arreola-Vargas, Jorge; Ojeda-Castillo, Valeria; Snell-Castro, Raúl; Corona-González, Rosa Isela; Alatriste-Mondragón, Felipe; Méndez-Acosta, Hugo O

2015-04-01

Evaluation of diluted acid hydrolysis for sugar extraction from cooked and uncooked Agave tequilana bagasse and feasibility of using the hydrolysates as substrate for methane production, with and without nutrient addition, in anaerobic sequencing batch reactors (AnSBR) were studied. Results showed that the hydrolysis over the cooked bagasse was more effective for sugar extraction at the studied conditions. Total sugars concentration in the cooked and uncooked bagasse hydrolysates were 27.9 g/L and 18.7 g/L, respectively. However, 5-hydroxymethylfurfural was detected in the cooked bagasse hydrolysate, and therefore, the uncooked bagasse hydrolysate was selected as substrate for methane production. Interestingly, results showed that the AnSBR operated without nutrient addition obtained a constant methane production (0.26 L CH4/g COD), whereas the AnSBR operated with nutrient addition presented a gradual methane suppression. Molecular analyses suggested that methane suppression in the experiment with nutrient addition was due to a negative effect over the archaeal/bacterial ratio. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Semi-continuous methane production from undiluted brown algae using a halophilic marine microbial community.

PubMed

Miura, Toyokazu; Kita, Akihisa; Okamura, Yoshiko; Aki, Tsunehiro; Matsumura, Yukihiko; Tajima, Takahisa; Kato, Junichi; Nakashimada, Yutaka

2016-01-01

Acclimated marine sediment-derived culture was used for semi-continuous methane production from materials equivalent to raw brown algae, without dilution of salinity and without nutrient supply, under 3 consecutive conditions of varying organic loading rates (OLRs) and hydraulic retention time (HRT). Methane production was stable at 2.0gVS/kg/day (39-day HRT); however, it became unstable at 2.9gVS/kg/day (28-day HRT) due to acetate and propionate accumulation. OLR subsequently decreased to 1.7gVS/kg/day (46-day HRT), stabilizing methane production beyond steady state. Methane yield was above 300mL/g VS at all OLRs. These results indicated that the acclimated marine sediment culture was able to produce methane semi-continuously from raw brown algae without dilution and nutrient supply under steady state. Microbial community analysis suggested that hydrogenotrophic methanogens predominated among archaea during unstable methane production, implying a partial shift of the methanogenic pathway from acetoclastic methanogenesis to acetate oxidation. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Biologically derived fertilizer: A multifaceted bio-tool in methane mitigation.

PubMed

Singh, Jay Shankar; Strong, P J

2016-02-01

Methane emissions are affected by agricultural practices. Agriculture has increased in scale and intensity because of greater food, feed and energy demands. The application of chemical fertilizers in agriculture, particularly in paddy fields, has contributed to increased atmospheric methane emissions. Using organic fertilizers may improve crop yields and the methane sink potential within agricultural systems, which may be further improved when combined with beneficial microbes (i.e. biofertilizers) that improve the activity of methane oxidizing bacteria such as methanotrophs. Biofertilizers may be an effective tool for agriculture that is environmentally beneficial compared to conventional inorganic fertilizers. This review highlights and discusses the interplay between ammonia and methane oxidizing bacteria, the potential interactions of microbial communities with microbially-enriched organic amendments and the possible role of these biofertilizers in augmenting the methane sink potential of soils. It is suggested that biofertilizer applications should not only be investigated in terms of sustainable agriculture productivity and environmental management, but also in terms of their effects on methanogen and methanotroph populations. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Template-Assisted Wet-Combustion Synthesis of Fibrous Nickel-Based Catalyst for Carbon Dioxide Methanation and Methane Steam Reforming.

PubMed

Aghayan, M; Potemkin, D I; Rubio-Marcos, F; Uskov, S I; Snytnikov, P V; Hussainova, I

2017-12-20

Efficient capture and recycling of CO 2 enable not only prevention of global warming but also the supply of useful low-carbon fuels. The catalytic conversion of CO 2 into an organic compound is a promising recycling approach which opens new concepts and opportunities for catalytic and industrial development. Here we report about template-assisted wet-combustion synthesis of a one-dimensional nickel-based catalyst for carbon dioxide methanation and methane steam reforming. Because of a high temperature achieved in a short time during reaction and a large amount of evolved gases, the wet-combustion synthesis yields homogeneously precipitated nanoparticles of NiO with average particle size of 4 nm on alumina nanofibers covered with a NiAl 2 O 4 nanolayer. The as-synthesized core-shell structured fibers exhibit outstanding activity in steam reforming of methane and sufficient activity in carbon dioxide methanation with 100% selectivity toward methane formation. The as-synthesized catalyst shows stable operation under the reaction conditions for at least 50 h.

30 CFR 22.7 - Specific requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... APPROVAL OF MINING PRODUCTS PORTABLE METHANE DETECTORS § 22.7 Specific requirements. (a) Design. In the... shall be of such design that it will not produce sparks that will ignite an explosive mixture of methane and air. (5) Detectors of the flame type. Methane detectors of the flame type shall be subject to the...

Long-term effect of the antibiotic cefalexin on methane production during waste activated sludge anaerobic digestion.

PubMed

Lu, Xueqin; Zhen, Guangyin; Liu, Yuan; Hojo, Toshimasa; Estrada, Adriana Ledezma; Li, Yu-You

2014-10-01

Long-term experiments herein were conducted to investigate the effect of cefalexin (CLX) on methane production during waste activated sludge (WAS) anaerobic digestion. CLX exhibited a considerable inhibition in methane production during the initial 25 days while the negative effect attenuated subsequently and methane production recovered depending on CLX doses used (600 and 1000 mg/L). The highest methane yield reached 450 mL at 1000 mg-CLX/L after 157 days of digestion, 63.8% higher than CLX-free one. Stimulated excretion of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) by CLX served as microbial protecting layers, creating a suitable environment for microbes' growth and fermentation. Further examination via ultraviolet visible (UV-Vis) spectra also verified the elevated slime EPS, LB-EPS and TB-EPS indicated by UV-254 in the presence of CLX. Unlike the commonly accepted adverse effect, this study demonstrated the beneficial role of CLX in methane production, providing new insights into its true environmental impacts. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Biochemical methane potential (BMP) of agro-food wastes from the Cider Region (Spain).

PubMed

Nieto, P P; Hidalgo, D; Irusta, R; Kraut, D

2012-01-01

An inventory of agro-food industry organic waste streams with a high potential for biogas transformation was studied in a logistically viable area (Cider Region, Asturias, Spain). Three industries were selected as the most viable ones: livestock, dairy and beverage. The potential for methane production from six wastes (beverage waste, BW; milled apple waste, MA; milk waste, MK; yogurt waste, YG; fats and oils from dairy wastewater treatment, F&O and cattle manure, CM) at five different substrate:inoculum ratios (0.25, 0.50, 0.75, 1.00 and 1.50) was evaluated in laboratory batch assays. Obtained methane yields ranged from 202-549 mL STP CH(4)·g VS waste(-1), and the methane content in biogas ranged from 58-76%. The ultimate practical biochemical methane potentials were slightly affected by the substrate:inoculum ratio. The estimation of the regional fluxes of waste and methane potentials suggests anaerobic digestion as a sustainable solution for the valorization of the organic wastes generated in this Region.

Electroactive microorganisms in bulk solution contribute significantly to methane production in bioelectrochemical anaerobic reactor.

PubMed

Feng, Qing; Song, Young-Chae; Ahn, Yongtae

2018-07-01

The role of anaerobic microorganisms suspended in the bulk solution on methane production was investigated in a bioelectrochemical anaerobic reactor with the electrode polarized at 0.5 V. The electron transfer from substrate to methane and hydrogen were 25% and 7.5%, respectively, in the absence of the anaerobic microorganisms in the bulk solution. As the anaerobic microorganisms increased to 4400 mg/L, the electrons transferred to methane increased to 83.3% but decreased to 0.3% in hydrogen. The electroactive microorganisms (EAM), including exoelectrogens and electrotrophs, enriched in the bulk solution that confirmed by the redox peaks in the cyclic voltammogram was proportional to the anaerobic microorganism. The methane yield based on COD removal was dependent on the anaerobic microorganisms in the bulk solution rather than on the bioelectrode surface. The EAM suspended in the bulk solution are enriched by the polarized electrode, and significantly improve methane production in bioelectrochemical anaerobic reactor. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Anaerobic co-digestion of acetate-rich with lignin-rich wastewater and the effect of hydrotalcite addition.

PubMed

Rodriguez-Chiang, Lourdes; Llorca, Jordi; Dahl, Olli

2016-10-01

The methane potential and biodegradability of different ratios of acetate and lignin-rich effluents from a neutral sulfite semi-chemical (NSSC) pulp mill were investigated. Results showed ultimate methane yields up to 333±5mLCH4/gCOD when only acetate-rich substrate was added and subsequently lower methane potentials of 192±4mLCH4/gCOD when the lignin fraction was increased. The presence of lignin showed a linear decay in methane production, resulting in a 41% decrease in methane when the lignin-rich feed had a 30% increase. A negative linear correlation between lignin content and biodegradability was also observed. Furthermore, the effect of hydrotalcite (HT) addition was evaluated and showed increase in methane potential of up to 8%, a faster production rate and higher soluble lignin removal (7-12% higher). Chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal efficiencies between 64 and 83% were obtained for all samples. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of surfactant assisted sonic pretreatment on liquefaction of fruits and vegetable residue: Characterization, acidogenesis, biomethane yield and energy ratio.

PubMed

Shanthi, M; Rajesh Banu, J; Sivashanmugam, P

2018-05-15

The present study explored the disintegration potential of fruits and vegetable residue through sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS) assisted sonic pretreatment (SSP). In SSP method, initially the biomass barrier (lignin) was removed using SDS at different dosage, subsequently it was sonically disintegrated. The effect of SSP were assessed based on dissolved organic release (DOR) of fruits and vegetable waste and specific energy input. SSP method achieved higher DOR rate and suspended solids reduction (26% and 16%) at optimum SDS dosage of 0.035 g/g SS with least specific energy input of 5400 kJ/kg TS compared to ultrasonic pretreatment (UP) (16% and 10%). The impact of fermentation and biomethane potential assay revealed highest production of volatile fatty acid and methane yield in SSP (1950 mg/L, 0.6 g/g COD) than UP. The energy ratio obtained was 0.9 for SSP, indicating proposed method is energetically efficient. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Isolation and Characterization of Microbes Mediating Thermodynamically Favorable Coupling of Anaerobic Oxidation of Methane and Metal Reduction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Glass, J. B.; Reed, B. C.; Sarode, N. D.; Kretz, C. B.; Bray, M. S.; DiChristina, T. J.; Stewart, F. J.; Fowle, D. A.; Crowe, S.

2014-12-01

Methane is the third most reduced environmentally relevant electron donor for microbial metabolisms after organic carbon and hydrogen. In anoxic ecosystems, the major sink for methane is anaerobic oxidation of methane (AOM) mediated by syntrophic microbial consortia that couple AOM to reduction of an oxidized electron acceptor to yield free energy. In marine sediments, AOM is generally coupled to reduction of sulfate despite an extremely small amount of free energy yield because sulfate is the most abundant electron acceptor in seawater. While AOM coupled to Fe(III) and Mn(IV) reduction (Fe- and Mn-AOM) is 10-30x more thermodynamically favorable than sulfate-AOM, and geochemical data suggests that it occurs in diverse environments, the microorganisms mediating Fe- and Mn-AOM remain unknown. Lake Matano, Indonesia is an ideal ecosystem to enrich for Fe- and Mn-AOM microbes because its anoxic ferruginous deep waters and sediments contain abundant Fe(III), Mn(IV) and methane, and extremely low sulfate and nitrate. Our research aims to isolate and characterize the microbes mediating Fe- and Mn-AOM from three layers of Lake Matano sediments through serial enrichment cultures in minimal media lacking nitrate and sulfate. 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing of sediment inoculum revealed the presence of the Fe(III)-reducing bacterium Geobacter (5-10% total microbial community in shallow sediment and 35-60% in deeper sediment) as well as 1-2% Euryarchaeota implicated in methane cycling, including ANME-1 and 2d and Methanosarcinales. After 90 days of primary enrichment, all three sediment layers showed high levels of Fe(III) reduction (60-90 μM Fe(II) d-1) in the presence of methane compared to no methane and heat-killed controls. Treatments with added Fe(III) as goethite contained higher abundances of Geobacter than the inoculum (60-80% in all layers), suggesting that Geobacter may be mediating Fe(III) reduction in these enrichments. Quantification of AOM rates is underway, and will be used to estimate the plausibility of metal-AOM as a thermodynamically favorable methane sink in anoxic ecosystems of both the modern and ancient Earth.

Hydrogenation of Carbon Dioxide to Methane by Ruthenium Nanoparticles in Ionic Liquid.

PubMed

Melo, Catarina I; Szczepańska, Anna; Bogel-Łukasik, Ewa; Nunes da Ponte, Manuel; Branco, Luís C

2016-05-23

The efficient transformation of carbon dioxide into fuels can be an excellent alternative to sequestration. In this work, we describe CO2 hydrogenation to methane in imidazolium-based ionic liquid media, using ruthenium nanoparticles prepared in situ as catalyst. The best yield of methane (69 %) was achieved using 0.24 mol % ruthenium catalyst (in [omim][NTf2 ], 1-octyl-3-methylimidazolium bistrifluoromethanesulfonylimide, at 40 bar of hydrogen pressure plus 40 bar of CO2 pressure, and at 150 °C. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

APPROACH FOR ESTIMATING GLOBAL LANDFILL METHANE EMISSIONS

EPA Science Inventory

The report is an overview of available country-specific data and modeling approaches for estimating global landfill methane. Current estimates of global landfill methane indicate that landfills account for between 4 and 15% of the global methane budget. The report describes an ap...

BIODEGRADATIVE ANALYSIS OF MUNICIPAL SOLID WASTE IN LABORATORY-SCALE LANDFILLS

EPA Science Inventory

The report gives results of research to characterize the anaerobic biodegradability of the major biodegradable components of municipal solid waste (MSW). Tests were conducted in quadruplicate in 2-L reactors operated to obtain maximum yields. Measured methane (CH4) yields for gra...

Crop yield changes induced by emissions of individual climate-altering pollutants

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shindell, Drew T.

2016-08-01

Climate change damages agriculture, causing deteriorating food security and increased malnutrition. Many studies have examined the role of distinct physical processes, but impacts have not been previously attributed to individual pollutants. Using a simple model incorporating process-level results from detailed models, here I show that although carbon dioxide (CO2) is the largest driver of climate change, other drivers appear to dominate agricultural yield changes. I calculate that anthropogenic emissions to date have decreased global agricultural yields by 9.5 ± 3.0%, with roughly 93% stemming from non-CO2 emissions, including methane (-5.2 ± 1.7%) and halocarbons (-1.4 ± 0.4%). The differing impacts stem from atmospheric composition responses: CO2 fertilizes crops, offsetting much of the loss induced by warming; halocarbons do not fertilize; methane leads to minimal fertilization but increases surface ozone which augments warming-induced losses. By the end of the century, strong CO2 mitigation improves agricultural yields by ˜3 ± 5%. In contrast, strong methane and hydrofluorocarbon mitigation improve yields by ˜16 ± 5% and ˜5 ± 4%, respectively. These are the first quantitative analyses to include climate, CO2 and ozone simultaneously, and hence, additional studies would be valuable. Nonetheless, as policy makers have leverage over pollutant emissions rather than isolated processes, the perspective presented here may be more useful for decision making than that in the prior work upon which this study builds. The results suggest that policies should target a broad portfolio of pollutant emissions in order to optimize mitigation of societal damages.

Effect of technical cashew nut shell liquid on rumen methane emission and lactation performance of dairy cows.

PubMed

Branco, A F; Giallongo, F; Frederick, T; Weeks, H; Oh, J; Hristov, A N

2015-06-01

Technical-grade cashew nut shell liquid (TCNSL) is a by-product of the cashew nut industry in tropical countries, and is known to exhibit a wide range of biological activities, including inhibitory effect against gram-positive bacteria. This study was conducted to investigate the effects of TCNSL (73.3% cardanol, 16.4% cardol, and 3.0% methylcardol) on rumen methane emission, nutrient digestibility, dry matter intake, and milk yield and composition in dairy cows. Eight multiparous Holstein cows were used in a crossover design trial with two 21-d experimental periods. The diet was based on corn silage and alfalfa haylage and was formulated to meet or exceed the energy and metabolizable protein requirements of the cows. Treatments were control (no TCNSL supplementation) or 30 g/cow per day of TCNSL. Rumen carbon dioxide emission was not affected by TCNSL. Treatment had no effect on methane emission (542 vs. 511±35.3 g/cow per day, respectively) and methane emission intensity (15.0 vs. 13.9±0.58 g/kg of energy-corrected milk, respectively) and tended to decrease methane emission per kilogram of dry matter intake (20.2 vs. 18.6±1.04 g/kg, respectively). Dry matter intake (average 26.9±1.00 kg/d), milk yield (40.0±1.73 kg/d), and milk composition were not different between treatments. The TCNSL had no effect on N losses in urine and feces and total-tract apparent digestibility of nutrients, except digestibility of neutral detergent fiber tended to be increased compared with the control. Plasma urea and glucose concentrations were not affected by TCNSL. Concentration of milk C18:0 tended to be decreased (17%) by TCNSL compared with the control. In this study, TCNSL did not alter absolute methane emission in the rumen, but tended to decrease it by 8% per kilogram of dry matter intake. The TCNSL had no effect on milk yield and composition in dairy cows. Copyright © 2015 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Influence of organic loading rate on methane production in a CSTR from physicochemical sludge generated in a poultry slaughterhouse.

PubMed

López-Escobar, Luis A; Martínez-Hernández, Sergio; Corte-Cano, Grisel; Méndez-Contreras, Juan M

2014-01-01

The influence of the increase of the organic loading rate (OLR) on methane production in a continuous stirred-tank reactor (CSTR) from physicochemical sludge generated in a poultry slaughterhouse was evaluated. Total solid (TS) to obtain OLR of 1, 5, 10 and 15 g VS L(-1) day(-1), with hydraulic retention times of 29, 6, 6 and 4, respectively, were conditioned. The results showed a decrease in pH levels and an increase in the theoretical volatile fatty acids (VFA). While the yield of methane production decreased from 0.48 to 0.10 LCH4/g VSremoved, respectively, the OLR-10 managed on average 38% removal of volatile solids (VS) and a yield biogas production of 0.81 Lbiogas g(-1) VSremoved and 1.35 L day(-1). This suggests that the OLR increases in an anaerobic system from physicochemical sludge only inhibits the methanogenic metabolism, because there is still substrate consumption and biogas production.

New alternative energy pathway for chemical pulp mills: From traditional fibers to methane production.

PubMed

Rodriguez-Chiang, Lourdes; Vanhatalo, Kari; Llorca, Jordi; Dahl, Olli

2017-07-01

Chemical pulp mills have a need to diversify their end-product portfolio due to the current changing bio-economy. In this study, the methane potential of brown, oxygen delignified and bleached pulp were evaluated in order to assess the potential of converting traditional fibers; as well as microcrystalline cellulose and filtrates; to energy. Results showed that high yields (380mL CH 4 /gVS) were achieved with bleached fibers which correlates with the lower presence of lignin. Filtrates from the hydrolysis process on the other hand, had the lowest yields (253mL CH 4 /gVS) due to the high amount of acid and lignin compounds that cause inhibition. Overall, substrates had a biodegradability above 50% which demonstrates that they can be subjected to efficient anaerobic digestion. An energy and cost estimation showed that the energy produced can be translated into a significant profit and that methane production can be a promising new alternative option for chemical pulp mills. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Mesophilic-hydrothermal-thermophilic (M-H-T) digestion of green corn straw.

PubMed

Li, Dong; Wang, Qingjing; Li, Jiang; Li, Zhidong; Yuan, Yuexiang; Yan, Zhiying; Mei, Zili; Liu, Xiaofeng

2016-02-01

Mesophilic-hydrothermal (80-160 °C, 30 min)-thermophilic (M-H-T) digestion and control tests of mesophilic (M), thermophilic (T), hydrothermal-mesophilic (H-M), and mesophilic-thermophilic digestion (M-T) of green corn straw were conducted for a 20-day fermentation period. The results indicate that M-H-T is an efficient method to improve methane production. A maximum methane yield of 371.74 mL/g volatile solid was obtained by the M (3 days)-H (140 °C)-T (17 days) process, which was 20.44%, 16.55%, 31.44%, and 14.31% higher than the yields of the M, T, 140-M, and M-T processes. The enhanced methane production was attributed to (1) the improved hemicellulose degradation and lignin disorganization; (2) prevention of the degradation of soluble sugar, easily hydrolyzed hemicellulose and cellulose into furfural and methylfurfural; and (3) lack of formation of Maillard reaction products during initial hydrothermal treatment. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Kinetics of methane production from the codigestion of switchgrass and Spirulina platensis algae.

PubMed

El-Mashad, Hamed M

2013-03-01

Anaerobic batch digestion of four feedstocks was conducted at 35 and 50 °C: switchgrass; Spirulina platensis algae; and two mixtures of both switchgrass and S. platensis. Mixture 1 was composed of 87% switchgrass (based on volatile solids) and 13% S. platensis. Mixture 2 was composed of 67% switchgrass and 33% S. platensis. The kinetics of methane production from these feedstocks was studied using four first order models: exponential, Gompertz, Fitzhugh, and Cone. The methane yields after 40days of digestion at 35 °C were 355, 127, 143 and 198 ml/g VS, respectively for S. platensis, switchgrass, and Mixtures 1 and 2, while the yields at 50 °C were 358, 167, 198, and 236 ml/g VS, respectively. Based on Akaike's information criterion, the Cone model best described the experimental data. The Cone model was validated with experimental data collected from the digestion of a third mixture that was composed of 83% switchgrass and 17% S. platensis. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Enhancement of biogas production from microalgal biomass through cellulolytic bacterial pretreatment.

PubMed

Kavitha, S; Subbulakshmi, P; Rajesh Banu, J; Gobi, Muthukaruppan; Tae Yeom, Ick

2017-06-01

Generation of bioenergy from microalgal biomass has been a focus of interest in recent years. The recalcitrant nature of microalgal biomass owing to its high cellulose content limits methane generation. Thus, the present study investigates the effect of bacterial-based biological pretreatment on liquefaction of the microalga Chlorella vulgaris prior to anaerobic biodegradation to gain insights into energy efficient biomethanation. Liquefaction of microalgae resulted in a higher biomass stress index of about 18% in the experimental (pretreated with cellulose-secreting bacteria) vs. 11.8% in the control (non-pretreated) group. Mathematical modelling of the biomethanation studies implied that bacterial pretreatment had a greater influence on sustainable methane recovery, with a methane yield of about 0.08 (g Chemical Oxygen Demand/g Chemical Oxygen Demand), than did control pretreatment, with a yield of 0.04 (g Chemical Oxygen Demand/g Chemical Oxygen Demand). Energetic analysis of the proposed method of pretreatment showed a positive energy ratio of 1.04. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of alkaline addition on anaerobic sludge digestion with combined pretreatment of alkaline and high pressure homogenization.

PubMed

Fang, Wei; Zhang, Panyue; Zhang, Guangming; Jin, Shuguang; Li, Dongyi; Zhang, Meixia; Xu, Xiangzhe

2014-09-01

To improve anaerobic digestion efficiency, combination pretreatment of alkaline and high pressure homogenization was applied to pretreat sewage sludge. Effect of alkaline dosage on anaerobic sludge digestion was investigated in detail. SCOD of sludge supernatant significantly increased with the alkaline dosage increase after the combined pretreatment because of sludge disintegration. Organics were significantly degraded after the anaerobic digestion, and the maximal SCOD, TCOD and VS removal was 73.5%, 61.3% and 43.5%, respectively. Cumulative biogas production, methane content in biogas and biogas production rate obviously increased with the alkaline dosage increase. Considering both the biogas production and alkaline dosage, the optimal alkaline dosage was selected as 0.04 mol/L. Relationships between biogas production and sludge disintegration showed that the accumulative biogas was mainly enhanced by the sludge disintegration. The methane yield linearly increased with the DDCOD increase as Methane yield (ml/gVS)=4.66 DDCOD-9.69. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Biochar enables anaerobic digestion of aqueous phase from intermediate pyrolysis of biomass.

PubMed

Torri, Cristian; Fabbri, Daniele

2014-11-01

Intermediate pyrolysis produces a two-phase liquid whose aqueous phase is characterized by low heating value and high water content (aqueous pyrolysis liquid, APL). Anaerobic digestion can be the straightest way to produce a fuel (methane) from this material. Batch tests showed poor performance in anaerobic digestion of APL, which underlined the inhibition of biological process. Nutrient supplementation was ineffective, whereas biochar addition increased yield of methane (60±15% of theoretical) with respect to pure APL (34±6% of theoretical) and improved the reaction rate. On the basis of batch results, a semi-continuous biomethanation test was set up, by adding an increasingly amount of APL in a 30ml reactor preloaded with biochar (0.8gml(-1)). With a daily input of 5gd(-1)l(-1) of APL (corresponding to overall amount of 0.1kgl(-1) added before the end of the study) the yield of methane was 65±5% of the theoretical. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Biogas energy production from tropical biomass wastes by anaerobic digestion.

PubMed

Ge, Xumeng; Matsumoto, Tracie; Keith, Lisa; Li, Yebo

2014-10-01

Anaerobic digestion (AD) is an attractive technology in tropical regions for converting locally abundant biomass wastes into biogas which can be used to produce heat, electricity, and transportation fuels. However, investigations on AD of tropical forestry wastes, such as albizia biomass and food wastes, such as taro, papaya, and sweet potato, are limited. In this study, these tropical biomass wastes were evaluated for biogas production by liquid AD (L-AD) and/or solid-state AD (SS-AD), depending on feedstock characteristics. When albizia leaves and chips were used as feedstocks, L-AD had greater methane yields (161 and 113 L kg(-1)VS, respectively) than SS-AD (156.8 and 59.6 L kg(-1)VS, respectively), while SS-AD achieved 5-fold higher volumetric methane productivity than L-AD. Mono-digestion and co-digestion of taro skin, taro flesh, papaya, and sweet potato achieved methane yields from 345 to 411 L kg(-1)VS, indicating the robustness of AD technology. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Bioconversion of methane to lactate by an obligate methanotrophic bacterium

DOE PAGES

Henard, Calvin A.; Smith, Holly; Dowe, Nancy; ...

2016-02-23

Methane is the second most abundant greenhouse gas (GHG), with nearly 60% of emissions derived from anthropogenic sources. Microbial conversion of methane to fuels and value-added chemicals offers a means to reduce GHG emissions, while also valorizing this otherwise squandered high-volume, high-energy gas. However, to date, advances in methane biocatalysis have been constrained by the low-productivity and limited genetic tractability of natural methane-consuming microbes. Here, leveraging recent identification of a novel, tractable methanotrophic bacterium, Methylomicrobium buryatense, we demonstrate microbial biocatalysis of methane to lactate, an industrial platform chemical. Heterologous overexpression of a Lactobacillus helveticus L-lactate dehydrogenase in M. buryatense resultedmore » in an initial titer of 0.06 g lactate/L from methane. Cultivation in a 5 L continuously stirred tank bioreactor enabled production of 0.8 g lactate/L, representing a 13-fold improvement compared to the initial titer. The yields (0.05 g lactate/g methane) and productivity (0.008 g lactate/L/h) indicate the need and opportunity for future strain improvement. Additionally, real-time analysis of methane utilization implicated gas-to-liquid transfer and/or microbial methane consumption as process limitations. This work opens the door to develop an array of methanotrophic bacterial strain-engineering strategies currently employed for biocatalytic sugar upgrading to “green” chemicals and fuels.« less

Bioconversion of methane to lactate by an obligate methanotrophic bacterium

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Henard, Calvin A.; Smith, Holly; Dowe, Nancy

Methane is the second most abundant greenhouse gas (GHG), with nearly 60% of emissions derived from anthropogenic sources. Microbial conversion of methane to fuels and value-added chemicals offers a means to reduce GHG emissions, while also valorizing this otherwise squandered high-volume, high-energy gas. However, to date, advances in methane biocatalysis have been constrained by the low-productivity and limited genetic tractability of natural methane-consuming microbes. Here, leveraging recent identification of a novel, tractable methanotrophic bacterium, Methylomicrobium buryatense, we demonstrate microbial biocatalysis of methane to lactate, an industrial platform chemical. Heterologous overexpression of a Lactobacillus helveticus L-lactate dehydrogenase in M. buryatense resultedmore » in an initial titer of 0.06 g lactate/L from methane. Cultivation in a 5 L continuously stirred tank bioreactor enabled production of 0.8 g lactate/L, representing a 13-fold improvement compared to the initial titer. The yields (0.05 g lactate/g methane) and productivity (0.008 g lactate/L/h) indicate the need and opportunity for future strain improvement. Additionally, real-time analysis of methane utilization implicated gas-to-liquid transfer and/or microbial methane consumption as process limitations. This work opens the door to develop an array of methanotrophic bacterial strain-engineering strategies currently employed for biocatalytic sugar upgrading to “green” chemicals and fuels.« less

Bioconversion of methane to lactate by an obligate methanotrophic bacterium

PubMed Central

Henard, Calvin A.; Smith, Holly; Dowe, Nancy; Kalyuzhnaya, Marina G.; Pienkos, Philip T.; Guarnieri, Michael T.

2016-01-01

Methane is the second most abundant greenhouse gas (GHG), with nearly 60% of emissions derived from anthropogenic sources. Microbial conversion of methane to fuels and value-added chemicals offers a means to reduce GHG emissions, while also valorizing this otherwise squandered high-volume, high-energy gas. However, to date, advances in methane biocatalysis have been constrained by the low-productivity and limited genetic tractability of natural methane-consuming microbes. Here, leveraging recent identification of a novel, tractable methanotrophic bacterium, Methylomicrobium buryatense, we demonstrate microbial biocatalysis of methane to lactate, an industrial platform chemical. Heterologous overexpression of a Lactobacillus helveticus L-lactate dehydrogenase in M. buryatense resulted in an initial titer of 0.06 g lactate/L from methane. Cultivation in a 5 L continuously stirred tank bioreactor enabled production of 0.8 g lactate/L, representing a 13-fold improvement compared to the initial titer. The yields (0.05 g lactate/g methane) and productivity (0.008 g lactate/L/h) indicate the need and opportunity for future strain improvement. Additionally, real-time analysis of methane utilization implicated gas-to-liquid transfer and/or microbial methane consumption as process limitations. This work opens the door to develop an array of methanotrophic bacterial strain-engineering strategies currently employed for biocatalytic sugar upgrading to “green” chemicals and fuels. PMID:26902345

Oxidation of methane over palladium catalysts: effect of the support.

PubMed

Escandón, Lara S; Ordóñez, Salvador; Vega, Aurelio; Díez, Fernando V

2005-01-01

This work is focused on the deep catalytic oxidation of methane over supported palladium catalysts. The influences of the metal loading, oxidation state of palladium, nature of supports, presence of promoters in the supports (for zirconia-based supports), and thermal stability have been studied experimentally. Catalysts were prepared by incipient wetness of commercially available supports with aqueous solutions of palladium nitrate. For gamma-alumina support, it was observed that the optimal amount of palladium is between 0.5% and 2%, with higher amounts leading to a loss in specific activity. Concerning the oxidation state of the catalyst, it is concluded that for all the supports tested in the present work, a reduction of the catalyst is not needed, yielding the same conversion at steady state catalysts reduced and oxidised. The thermal stability of various supported catalysts were also studied, zirconia supports being the most active. These supports, specially Y-modified zirconia support, do not suffer appreciable deactivation below 500 degrees C.

Methane eddy covariance flux measurements from a low flying aircraft: Bridging the scale gap between local and regional emissions estimates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sayres, D. S.; Dobosy, R.; Dumas, E. J.; Kochendorfer, J.; Wilkerson, J.; Anderson, J. G.

2017-12-01

The Arctic contains a large reservoir of organic matter stored in permafrost and clathrates. Varying geology and hydrology across the Arctic, even on small scales, can cause large variability in surface carbon fluxes and partitioning between methane and carbon dioxide. This makes upscaling from point source measurements such as small flux towers or chambers difficult. Ground based measurements can yield high temporal resolution and detailed information about a specific location, but due to the inaccessibility of most of the Arctic to date have only made measurements at very few sites. In August 2013, a small aircraft, flying low over the surface (5-30 m), and carrying an air turbulence probe and spectroscopic instruments to measure methane, carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, water vapor and their isotopologues, flew over the North Slope of Alaska. During the six flights multiple comparisons were made with a ground based Eddy Covariance tower as well as three region surveys flights of fluxes over three areas each approximately 2500 km2. We present analysis using the Flux Fragment Method and surface landscape classification maps to relate the fluxes to different surface land types. We show examples of how we use the aircraft data to upscale from a eddy covariance tower and map spatial variability across different ecotopes.

Production of biogas from co-digestion of livestock and agricultural residues: A case study.

PubMed

Arhoun, Brahim; Gomez-Lahoz, Cesar; Abdala-Diaz, Roberto Teofilo; Rodriguez-Maroto, Jose Miguel; Garcia-Herruzo, Francisco; Vereda-Alonso, Carlos

2017-07-29

This study was undertaken to determine the possible changes in the digester yield and performance for the anaerobic co-digestion under mesophilic conditions of strawberry residues (SRs) together with pig manure (PM). The first part of this paper deals with the digestion of SR as a single substrate. For organic loading rates (OLRs) of 4.4 (g L -1 d -1 ) or less, the experimental specific biogas and methane productions are 0.588 and 0.231 L g -1 , respectively. When higher OLRs (5.5 g L -1 d -1 ) are used the digester fails due to acidification. In the second part, the co-digestion of both residues is explored using a wide variety of SR:PM ratios and OLRs of 5.5 g L -1 d -1 with good stability. Therefore, it is demonstrated that co-digestion allows the improvement of the treatment capacity as compared with SR as a single residue. The methane and biogas productions increase as the SR:PM ratio increases. It may be concluded that, when a digester works with a certain OLR, the performance for co-digestion is always better than for single substrates because the presence of PM provides a better stability and the presence of SR improves the biogas and methane production.

Kinetic study on anaerobic oxidation of methane coupled to denitrification.

PubMed

Yu, Hou; Kashima, Hiroyuki; Regan, John M; Hussain, Abid; Elbeshbishy, Elsayed; Lee, Hyung-Sool

2017-09-01

Monod kinetic parameters provide information required for kinetic analysis of anaerobic oxidation of methane coupled to denitrification (AOM-D). This information is critical for engineering AOM-D processes in wastewater treatment facilities. We first experimentally determined Monod kinetic parameters for an AOM-D enriched culture and obtained the following values: maximum specific growth rate (μ max ) 0.121/d, maximum substrate-utilization rate (q max ) 28.8mmol CH 4 /g cells-d, half maximum-rate substrate concentration (K s ) 83μΜ CH 4 , growth yield (Y) 4.76gcells/mol CH 4 , decay coefficient (b) 0.031/d, and threshold substrate concentration (S min ) 28.8μM CH 4 . Clone library analysis of 16S rRNA and mcrA gene fragments suggested that AOM-D reactions might have occurred via the syntrophic interaction between denitrifying bacteria (e.g., Ignavibacterium, Acidovorax, and Pseudomonas spp.) and hydrogenotrophic methanogens (Methanobacterium spp.), supporting reverse methanogenesis-dependent AOM-D in our culture. High μ max and q max , and low K s for the AOM-D enrichment imply that AOM-D could play a significant role in mitigating atmospheric methane efflux. In addition, these high kinetic features suggest that engineered AOM-D systems may provide a sustainable alternative to nitrogen removal in wastewater treatment. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Production of biogas (methane and hydrogen) from anaerobic digestion of hemicellulosic hydrolysate generated in the oxidative pretreatment of coffee husks.

PubMed

Santos, Lívia Caroline Dos; Adarme, Oscar Fernando Herrera; Baêta, Bruno Eduardo Lobo; Gurgel, Leandro Vinícius Alves; Aquino, Sérgio Francisco de

2018-05-21

Ozone pretreatment of coffee husks (CH) was evaluated to generate hydrolysates for biogas production and to preserve cellulose of the solid phase for 2G ethanol production. Pretreatment variables included liquid-to-solid ratio (LSR), pH and specific applied ozone load (SAOL). Considering single-stage anaerobic digestion (AD), the highest methane production (36 NmL CH 4 /g CH) was achieved with the hydrolysate generated in the experiment using LSR 10 mL/g, pH 11 and SAOL 18.5 mg O 3 /g CH, leading to 0.064 kJ/g CH energy recovery. Due to the presence of toxic compounds in the hydrolysate, the addition of powdered activated carbon (4 g/L) to the reactor enhanced biogas production, leading to 86 NmL CH 4 /g CH yield and 0.58 kJ/g CH energy recovery. When two-stage AD was applied, methane production resulted in 49 NmL CH 4 /g CH, with additional 19 NmL H 2 /g CH production, resulting in a net 0.26 kJ/g CH energy recovery. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Production of radiohalogens and [11C]-methane at high specific activity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nye, Jonathon Andrew

2005-07-01

The halogens, occupying Group VII of the periodic table, play an important role in the biochemical processes underlying health and disease. A variety of positron emitters covering a broad range of half-lives permit the imaging of the body's physiochemical behavior using PET. Neutron deficient isotopes of the halogen group can be produced by (p,n) reactions from enriched targets with low energy (<13MeV) biomedical cyclotrons. These cyclotrons are distributed relatively evenly throughout the United States at research institutions and commercial distribution sites (i.e., 100+ CTI RDS 11MeV proton cyclotrons). However, these sites concentrate on the core group of positron emitters: 15O, 13N, 11C, and primarily 18F-fluoride. The simplicity of the production process insures their role in the clinical/research environment, labeling H215 O, 13NH3, CH3-compounds and 18F-FDG. Halogens with half-lives longer than 18F have been avoided due to a combination of several factors, such as complexity of the target systems, expense of the enriched substrate, low reaction yields, and extensive post-processing to reclaim the target material. PET research over the last decade has forced a match between drug development and emerging small animal instrumentation, shifting focus to agents labeled with high specific activity 11CH3I and the long-lived radiohalogens, 76Br and 124I. A steady local supply of 18F-fluoride, 11C-methane, 76B-bromide, and 124I-iodide is essential to seize today's research opportunities or for limited distribution outside of our local area. To keep pace, new targetry developments are implemented to reliably produce these isotopes on a batch basis. The research presented details improvements on existing production methods for 18F-fluoride intended for nucleophilic substitution and high specific activity 11C-methane (→CH3I) for the N-methylation of a half-dozen neuroligands. A significant effort is placed on the novel use of low energy cyclotrons for the production of 76Br and 124I involved in labeling antibody and protein agents. Performance of these new designs and the success of the solid targetry development will be described. The ten-fold scale-up in yields at end-of-bombardment promises new hope for the synthesis of PET tracers, previously limited by access to the radio-halogen precursors.

Starvation and recovery in the deep-sea methanotroph Methyloprofundus sedimenti.

PubMed

Tavormina, Patricia L; Kellermann, Matthias Y; Antony, Chakkiath Paul; Tocheva, Elitza I; Dalleska, Nathan F; Jensen, Ashley J; Valentine, David L; Hinrichs, Kai-Uwe; Jensen, Grant J; Dubilier, Nicole; Orphan, Victoria J

2017-01-01

In the deep ocean, the conversion of methane into derived carbon and energy drives the establishment of diverse faunal communities. Yet specific biological mechanisms underlying the introduction of methane-derived carbon into the food web remain poorly described, due to a lack of cultured representative deep-sea methanotrophic prokaryotes. Here, the response of the deep-sea aerobic methanotroph Methyloprofundus sedimenti to methane starvation and recovery was characterized. By combining lipid analysis, RNA analysis, and electron cryotomography, it was shown that M. sedimenti undergoes discrete cellular shifts in response to methane starvation, including changes in headgroup-specific fatty acid saturation levels, and reductions in cytoplasmic storage granules. Methane starvation is associated with a significant increase in the abundance of gene transcripts pertinent to methane oxidation. Methane reintroduction to starved cells stimulates a rapid, transient extracellular accumulation of methanol, revealing a way in which methane-derived carbon may be routed to community members. This study provides new understanding of methanotrophic responses to methane starvation and recovery, and lays the initial groundwork to develop Methyloprofundus as a model chemosynthesizing bacterium from the deep sea. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Identifying sources, formation pathways and geological controls of methane in shallow groundwater above unconventional natural gas plays in Alberta, Canada

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mayer, B.; Humez, P.; Nightingale, M.; Ing, J.; Kingston, A. W.; Clarkson, C.; Cahill, A.; Parker, B. L.; Cherry, J. A.; Millot, R.; Kloppmann, W.; Osadetz, K.; Lawton, D.

2015-12-01

With the advent of shale gas development facilitated by hydraulic fracturing it has become increasingly important to develop tracer tools to scientifically determine potential impacts of stray gases on shallow aquifers. To assess potential future impacts on shallow aquifers by leakage of natural gas from unconventional energy resource development, it is essential to establish a reliable baseline. Occurrence of methane in shallow groundwater in Alberta (Canada) between 2006 and 2014 was assessed and was ubiquitous in 186 sampled monitoring wells. Free and dissolved gas sampling and measurement approaches yielded comparable results with often low methane concentrations in shallow groundwater, but in 28 samples methane exceeded 10 mg/L in dissolved gas and 300,000 ppmv in free gas. Methane concentrations in free and dissolved gas samples were found to increase with well depth and were especially elevated in groundwater obtained from aquifers containing coal seams and shale units. Carbon isotope ratios of methane averaged -69.7 ± 11.1 ‰ in free gas and -65.6 ± 8.9 ‰ in dissolved gas. δ13C values were not found to vary with well depth or lithology indicating that the methane in Alberta groundwater was formed via a similar mechanism. The low δ13C values in concert with average δ2H values of -289 ± 44 ‰ suggest that most methane was of biogenic origin predominantly generated via CO2 reduction. This interpretation is confirmed by gas dryness parameters typically >500 due to only small amounts of ethane and a lack of propane in most samples. Novel approaches of in-situ concentration and isotope measurements for methane during drilling of a 530 m deep well yielded a mud-gas profile characterizing natural gas occurrences in the intermediate zone. Comparison with mudgas profile carbon isotope data revealed that methane in the investigated shallow groundwater in Alberta is isotopically similar to hydrocarbon gases found in 100-250 meter depths in the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin and is currently not sourced from thermogenic hydrocarbon occurrences in deeper portions of the basin. The assembled data set provides evidence that potential stray gas contamination by isotopically distinct deeper thermogenic gases from the intermediate or from production zones can be effectively detected by suitable monitoring programs.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Pancost, R.D.; Damste, J.S.S.; Lint, S. De

Although abundant geochemical data indicate that anaerobic methane oxidation occurs in marine sediments, the linkage to specific microorganisms remains unclear. In order to examine processes of methane consumption and oxidation, sediment samples from mud volcanoes at two distinct sites on the Mediterranean consumption and oxidation, sediment samples from mud volcanoes at two distinct sites on the Mediterranean Ridge were collected via the submersible Nautile. Geochemical data strongly indicate that methane is oxidized under aerobic conditions, and compound-specific carbon isotope analyses indicate that methane is oxidized under anaerobic conditions, and compound-specific carbon isotope analyses indicate that this reaction is facilitated bymore » a consortium of archaea and bacteria. Specifically, these methane-rich sediments contain high abundances of methanogen-specific biomarkers that are significantly depleted in {sup 13}C ({delta}{sup 13}C values are as low as {minus}95%). Biomarkers inferred to derive from sulfate-reducing bacteria and other heterotrophic bacteria are similarly depleted. Consistent with previous work, such depletion can be explained by consumption of {sup 13}C-depleted methane by methanogens operating in reverse and as part a consortium of organisms in which sulfate serves as the terminal electron acceptor. Moreover, their results indicate that this process is widespread in Mediterranean mud volcanoes and in some localized settings in the predominant microbiological process.« less

Methane emissions from termites - landscape level estimates and methods of measurement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jamali, Hizbullah; Livesley, Stephen J.; Hutley, Lindsay B.; Arndt, Stefan K.

2013-04-01

Termites contribute between <5 and 19% of the global methane emissions. These estimates have large uncertainties because of the limited number of field-based studies and species investgated, as well as issues of diurnal and seasonal variations. We measured methane fluxes from four common mound-building termite species diurnally and seasonally in tropical savannas in the Northern Territory, Australia. Our results showed that there were significant diel and seasonal variations of methane emissions from termite mounds and we observed large species-specific differences. On a diurnal basis, methane fluxes were least at the coolest time of the day and greatest at the warmest for all species for both wet and dry seasons. We observed a strong and significant positive correlation between methane flux and mound temperature for all species. Fluxes in the wet season were 5-26-fold greater than those in the dry season and this was related to population dynamics of the termites. We observed significant relationships between mound methane flux and mound carbon dioxide flux, enabling the prediction of methane flux from measured carbon dioxide flux. However, these relationships were clearly termite species specific. We also determined significant relationships between mound flux and gas concentration inside mound, for both gases, and for all termite species, thereby enabling the prediction of flux from measured mound internal gas concentration. However, these relationships were also termite species specific. Consequently, there was no generic relationship that would enable an easier prediction of methane flux from termite mounds. On a landscape scale we estimated that termites were a methane source of +0.24 kg methane-C ha-1 year-1 whilst savanna soils were a methane sink of 1.14 kg methane-C ha-1 year-1. Termites therefore only offset 21% of methane consumed by savanna soil resulting in net sink strength of -0.90 kg methane-C ha-1 year-1 for these savannas. Assuming a similar contribution of termites in the savannas and tropical rain forests worldwide, termites would globally produce around 27 Tg CO2-e year-1, which is 0.2% of the global methane source budget or an order of magnitude smaller than many of the previous estimates.

Anaerobic co-digestion of Tunisian green macroalgae Ulva rigida with sugar industry wastewater for biogas and methane production enhancement.

PubMed

Karray, Raida; Karray, Fatma; Loukil, Slim; Mhiri, Najla; Sayadi, Sami

2017-03-01

Ulva rigida is a green macroalgae, abundantly available in the Mediterranean which offers a promising source for the production of valuable biomaterials, including methane. In this study, anaerobic digestion assays in a batch mode was performed to investigate the effects of various inocula as a mixture of fresh algae, bacteria, fungi and sediment collected from the coast of Sfax, on biogas production from Ulva rigida. The results revealed that the best inoculum to produce biogas and feed an anaerobic reactor is obtained through mixing decomposed macroalgae with anaerobic sludge and water, yielding into 408mL of biogas. The process was then investigated in a sequencing batch reactor (SBR) which led to an overall biogas production of 375mL with 40% of methane. Further co-digestion studies were performed in an anaerobic up-flow bioreactor using sugar wastewater as a co-substrate. A high biogas production yield of 114mL g -1 VS added was obtained with 75% of methane. The co-digestion proposed in this work allowed the recovery of natural methane, providing a promising alternative to conventional anaerobic microbial fermentation using Tunisian green macroalgae. Finally, in order to identify the microbial diversity present in the reactor during anaerobic digestion of Ulva rigida, the prokaryotic diversity was investigated in this bioreactor by the denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) method targeting the 16S rRNA gene. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of bioaugmentation by cellulolytic bacteria enriched from sheep rumen on methane production from wheat straw.

PubMed

Ozbayram, E Gozde; Kleinsteuber, Sabine; Nikolausz, Marcell; Ince, Bahar; Ince, Orhan

2017-08-01

The aim of this study was to determine the potential of bioaugmentation with cellulolytic rumen microbiota to enhance the anaerobic digestion of lignocellulosic feedstock. An anaerobic cellulolytic culture was enriched from sheep rumen fluid using wheat straw as substrate under mesophilic conditions. To investigate the effects of bioaugmentation on methane production from straw, the enrichment culture was added to batch reactors in proportions of 2% (Set-1) and 4% (Set-2) of the microbial cell number of the standard inoculum slurry. The methane production in the bioaugmented reactors was higher than in the control reactors. After 30 days of batch incubation, the average methane yield was 154 mL N CH 4 g VS -1 in the control reactors. Addition of 2% enrichment culture did not enhance methane production, whereas in Set-2 the methane yield was increased by 27%. The bacterial communities were examined by 454 amplicon sequencing of 16S rRNA genes, while terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP) fingerprinting of mcrA genes was applied to analyze the methanogenic communities. The results highlighted that relative abundances of Ruminococcaceae and Lachnospiraceae increased during the enrichment. However, Cloacamonaceae, which were abundant in the standard inoculum, dominated the bacterial communities of all batch reactors. T-RFLP profiles revealed that Methanobacteriales were predominant in the rumen fluid, whereas the enrichment culture was dominated by Methanosarcinales. In the batch rectors, the most abundant methanogens were affiliated to Methanobacteriales and Methanomicrobiales. Our results suggest that bioaugmentation with sheep rumen enrichment cultures can enhance the performance of digesters treating lignocellulosic feedstock. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Microbial Diversity of Hydrothermal Sediments in the Guaymas Basin: Evidence for Anaerobic Methanotrophic Communities†

PubMed Central

Teske, Andreas; Hinrichs, Kai-Uwe; Edgcomb, Virginia; de Vera Gomez, Alvin; Kysela, David; Sylva, Sean P.; Sogin, Mitchell L.; Jannasch, Holger W.

2002-01-01

Microbial communities in hydrothermally active sediments of the Guaymas Basin (Gulf of California, Mexico) were studied by using 16S rRNA sequencing and carbon isotopic analysis of archaeal and bacterial lipids. The Guaymas sediments harbored uncultured euryarchaeota of two distinct phylogenetic lineages within the anaerobic methane oxidation 1 (ANME-1) group, ANME-1a and ANME-1b, and of the ANME-2c lineage within the Methanosarcinales, both previously assigned to the methanotrophic archaea. The archaeal lipids in the Guaymas Basin sediments included archaeol, diagnostic for nonthermophilic euryarchaeota, and sn-2-hydroxyarchaeol, with the latter compound being particularly abundant in cultured members of the Methanosarcinales. The concentrations of these compounds were among the highest observed so far in studies of methane seep environments. The δ-13C values of these lipids (δ-13C = −89 to −58‰) indicate an origin from anaerobic methanotrophic archaea. This molecular-isotopic signature was found not only in samples that yielded predominantly ANME-2 clones but also in samples that yielded exclusively ANME-1 clones. ANME-1 archaea therefore remain strong candidates for mediation of the anaerobic oxidation of methane. Based on 16S rRNA data, the Guaymas sediments harbor phylogenetically diverse bacterial populations, which show considerable overlap with bacterial populations of geothermal habitats and natural or anthropogenic hydrocarbon-rich sites. Consistent with earlier observations, our combined evidence from bacterial phylogeny and molecular-isotopic data indicates an important role of some novel deeply branching bacteria in anaerobic methanotrophy. Anaerobic methane oxidation likely represents a significant and widely occurring process in the trophic ecology of methane-rich hydrothermal vents. This study stresses a high diversity among communities capable of anaerobic oxidation of methane. PMID:11916723

The effect of seasonal variation on biomethane production from seaweed and on application as a gaseous transport biofuel.

PubMed

Tabassum, Muhammad Rizwan; Xia, Ao; Murphy, Jerry D

2016-06-01

Biomethane produced from seaweed may be used as a transport biofuel. Seasonal variation will have an effect on this industry. Laminaria digitata, a typical Irish brown seaweed species, shows significant seasonal variation both in proximate, ultimate and biochemical composition. The characteristics in August were optimal with the lowest level of ash (20% of volatile solids), a C:N ratio of 32 and the highest specific methane yield measured at 327LCH4kgVS(-1), which was 72% of theoretical yield. The highest yield per mass collected of 53m(3)CH4t(-1) was achieved in August, which is 4.5 times higher than the lowest value, obtained in December. A seaweed cultivation area of 11,800ha would be required to satisfy the 2020 target for advanced biofuels in Ireland, of 1.25% renewable energy supply in transport (RES-T) based on the optimal gross energy yield obtained in August (200GJha(-1)yr(-1)). Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Biomarker Evidence for Widespread Anaerobic Methane Oxidation in Mediterranean Sediments by a Consortium of Methanogenic Archaea and Bacteria†

PubMed Central

Pancost, Richard D.; Sinninghe Damsté, Jaap S.; de Lint, Saskia; van der Maarel, Marc J. E. C.; Gottschal, Jan C.

2000-01-01

Although abundant geochemical data indicate that anaerobic methane oxidation occurs in marine sediments, the linkage to specific microorganisms remains unclear. In order to examine processes of methane consumption and oxidation, sediment samples from mud volcanoes at two distinct sites on the Mediterranean Ridge were collected via the submersible Nautile. Geochemical data strongly indicate that methane is oxidized under anaerobic conditions, and compound-specific carbon isotope analyses indicate that this reaction is facilitated by a consortium of archaea and bacteria. Specifically, these methane-rich sediments contain high abundances of methanogen-specific biomarkers that are significantly depleted in 13C (δ13C values are as low as −95‰). Biomarkers inferred to derive from sulfate-reducing bacteria and other heterotrophic bacteria are similarly depleted. Consistent with previous work, such depletion can be explained by consumption of 13C-depleted methane by methanogens operating in reverse and as part a consortium of organisms in which sulfate serves as the terminal electron acceptor. Moreover, our results indicate that this process is widespread in Mediterranean mud volcanoes and in some localized settings is the predominant microbiological process. PMID:10698781

Optimization of the Alkaline Pretreatment of Rice Straw for Enhanced Methane Yield

PubMed Central

Song, Zilin; Yang, Gaihe; Han, Xinhui; Feng, Yongzhong; Ren, Guangxin

2013-01-01

The lime pretreatment process for rice straw was optimized to enhance the biodegradation performance and increase biogas yield. The optimization was implemented using response surface methodology (RSM) and Box-Behnken experimental design. The effects of biodegradation, as well as the interactive effects of Ca(OH)2 concentration, pretreatment time, and inoculum amount on biogas improvement, were investigated. Rice straw compounds, such as lignin, cellulose, and hemicellulose, were significantly degraded with increasing Ca(OH)2 concentration. The optimal conditions for the use of pretreated rice straw in anaerobic digestion were 9.81% Ca(OH)2 (w/w TS), 5.89 d treatment time, and 45.12% inoculum content, which resulted in a methane yield of 225.3 mL/g VS. A determination coefficient (R 2) of 96% was obtained, indicating that the model used to predict the anabolic digestion process shows a favorable fit with the experimental parameters. PMID:23509824

Improving methane yield and quality via co-digestion of cow dung mixed with food waste.

PubMed

Awasthi, Sanjeev Kumar; Joshi, Rutu; Dhar, Hiya; Verma, Shivpal; Awasthi, Mukesh Kumar; Varjani, Sunita; Sarsaiya, Surendra; Zhang, Zengqiang; Kumar, Sunil

2018-03-01

Methane (CH 4 ) production and quality were enhanced by the co-digestion of cow dung and food waste (FW) mixed with organic fraction of municipal solid waste (OFMSW) under optimized conditions in bench and semi continuous-scale mode for a period of 30 days. A bacterium capable of high yield of CH 4 was enriched and isolated by employing activated sewage sludge as the inoculums. The thirteen bacterial isolates were identified through morphological and biochemical tests. Gas chromatography was used to analyze the chemical compositions of the generated biogas. CH 4 yields were significantly higher during co-digestion of Run II (7.59 L) than Run I (3.7 L). Therefore, the co-digestion of FW with OFMSW and Run II was observed to be a competent method for biogas conversion from organic waste resources. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Corn stover for biogas production: Effect of steam explosion pretreatment on the gas yields and on the biodegradation kinetics of the primary structural compounds.

PubMed

Lizasoain, Javier; Trulea, Adrian; Gittinger, Johannes; Kral, Iris; Piringer, Gerhard; Schedl, Andreas; Nilsen, Paal J; Potthast, Antje; Gronauer, Andreas; Bauer, Alexander

2017-11-01

This study evaluated the effect of steam explosion on the chemical composition and biomethane potential of corn stover using temperatures ranging between 140 and 220°C and pretreatment times ranging between 2 and 15min. Biodegradation kinetics during the anaerobic digestion of untreated and corn stover, pretreated at two different intensities, 140°C for 5min and 180°C for 5min, were studied in tandem. Results showed that pretreatment at 160°C for 2min improved the methane yield by 22%. Harsher pretreatment conditions led to lower hemicellulose contents and methane yields, as well as higher lignin contents, which may be due to the formation of pseudo-lignin. The biodegradation kinetics trial demonstrated that steam explosion enhances the degradation of structural carbohydrates and acid insoluble lignin. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Steam explosion pretreatment for enhancing biogas production of late harvested hay.

PubMed

Bauer, Alexander; Lizasoain, Javier; Theuretzbacher, Franz; Agger, Jane W; Rincón, María; Menardo, Simona; Saylor, Molly K; Enguídanos, Ramón; Nielsen, Paal J; Potthast, Antje; Zweckmair, Thomas; Gronauer, Andreas; Horn, Svein J

2014-08-01

Grasslands are often abandoned due to lack of profitability. Extensively cultivating grassland for utilization in a biogas-based biorefinery concept could mend this problem. Efficient bioconversion of this lignocellulosic biomass requires a pretreatment step. In this study the effect of different steam explosion conditions on hay digestibility have been investigated. Increasing severity in the pretreatment induced degradation of the hemicellulose, which at the same time led to the production of inhibitors and formation of pseudo-lignin. Enzymatic hydrolysis showed that the maximum glucose yields were obtained under pretreatment at 220 °C for 15 min, while higher xylose yields were obtained at 175 °C for 10 min. Pretreatment of hay by steam explosion enhanced 15.9% the methane yield in comparison to the untreated hay. Results indicate that hay can be effectively converted to methane after steam explosion pretreatment. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Anaerobic sludge digestion with a biocatalytic additive

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ghosh, S.; Henry, M.P.; Fedde, P.A.

1982-01-01

The objective of this research was to evaluate the effects of a lactobacillus additive an anaerobic sludge digestion under normal, variable, and overload operating conditions. The additive was a whey fermentation product of an acid-tolerant strain of Lactobacillus acidophilus fortified with CaCO/sub 3/, (NH/sub 4/)/sub 2/HPO/sub 4/, ferrous lactate, and lactic acid. The lactobacillus additive is multifunctional in nature and provides growth factors, metabolic intermediates, and enzymes needed for substrate degradation and cellular synthesis. The experimental work consisted of several pairs of parallel mesophilic (35/sup 0/C) digestion runs (control and test) conducted in five experimental phases. Baseline runs without themore » additive showed that the two experimental digesters had the same methane content, gas production rate (GPR), and ethane yield. The effect of the additive was to increase methane yield and GPR by about 5% (which was statistically significant) during digester operation at a loading rate (LR) of 3.2 kg VS/m/sup 3/-day and a hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 14 days. Data collected from the various experimental phases showed that the biochemical additive increased methane yield, gas production rate, and VS reduction, and decreased volatile acids accumulation. In addition, it enhanced digester buffer capacity and improved the fertilizer value and dewatering characteristics of the digested residue.« less

Improving biogas quality and methane yield via co-digestion of agricultural and urban biomass wastes.

PubMed

Poulsen, Tjalfe G; Adelard, Laetitia

2016-08-01

Impact of co-digestion versus mono-digestion on biogas and CH4 yield for a set of five biomass materials (vegetable food waste, cow dung, pig manure, grass clippings, and chicken manure) was investigated considering 95 different biomass mixes of the five materials under thermophilic conditions in bench-scale batch experiments over a period of 65days. Average biogas and CH4 yields were significantly higher during co-digestion than during mono-digestion of the same materials. This improvement was most significant for co-digestion experiments involving three biomass types, although it was independent of the specific biomasses being co-digested. Improvement in CH4 production was further more prominent early in the digestion process during co-digestion compared to mono-digestion. Co-digestion also appeared to increase the ultimate CH4/CO2 ratio of the gas produced compared to mono-digestion although this tendency was relatively weak and not statistically significant. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

What's the Deal with Methane at LUST Spill Sites? Part 2: Vapor Intrusion

EPA Science Inventory

This article is specifically intended to discuss methane produced from releases of ethanol and gasoline-ethanol mixtures. There may be other sources of methane at a site, including leaks of natural gas or methane produced from the natural decay of buried plant tissues or from the...

What's the Deal with Methane at LUST Spill Sites? Part 1

EPA Science Inventory

This article is specifically intended to discuss methane produced from releases of ethanol and gasoline-ethanol mixtures. There may be other sources of methane at a site, including leaks of natural gas or methane produced from the natural decay of buried plant tissues or from th...

Understanding the impact of cationic polyacrylamide on anaerobic digestion of waste activated sludge.

PubMed

Wang, Dongbo; Liu, Xuran; Zeng, Guangming; Zhao, Jianwei; Liu, Yiwen; Wang, Qilin; Chen, Fei; Li, Xiaoming; Yang, Qi

2018-03-01

Previous investigations showed that cationic polyacrylamide (cPAM), a flocculant widely used in wastewater pretreatment and waste activated sludge dewatering, deteriorated methane production during anaerobic digestion of sludge. However, details of how cPAM affects methane production are poorly understood, hindering deep control of sludge anaerobic digestion systems. In this study, the mechanisms of cPAM affecting sludge anaerobic digestion were investigated in batch and long-term tests using either real sludge or synthetic wastewaters as the digestion substrates. Experimental results showed that the presence of cPAM not only slowed the process of anaerobic digestion but also decreased methane yield. The maximal methane yield decreased from 139.1 to 86.7 mL/g of volatile suspended solids (i.e., 1861.5 to 1187.0 mL/L) with the cPAM level increasing from 0 to 12 g/kg of total suspended solids (i.e., 0-236.7 mg/L), whereas the corresponding digestion time increased from 22 to 26 d. Mechanism explorations revealed that the addition of cPAM significantly restrained the sludge solubilization, hydrolysis, acidogenesis, and methanogenesis processes. It was found that ∼46% of cAPM was degraded in the anaerobic digestion, and the degradation products significantly affected methane production. Although the theoretically biochemical methane potential of cPAM is higher than that of protein and carbohydrate, only 6.7% of the degraded cPAM was transformed to the final product, methane. Acrylamide, acrylic acid, and polyacrylic acid were found to be the main degradation metabolites, and their amount accounted for ∼50% of the degraded cPAM. Further investigations showed that polyacrylic acid inhibited all the solubilization, hydrolysis, acidogenesis, and methanogenesis processes while acrylamide and acrylic acid inhibited the methanogenesis significantly. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Zero-valent iron enhanced methanogenic activity in anaerobic digestion of waste activated sludge after heat and alkali pretreatment.

PubMed

Zhang, Yaobin; Feng, Yinghong; Quan, Xie

2015-04-01

Heat or alkali pretreatment is the effective method to improve hydrolysis of waste sludge and then enhance anaerobic sludge digestion. However the pretreatment may inactivate the methanogens in the sludge. In the present work, zero-valent iron (ZVI) was used to enhance the methanogenic activity in anaerobic sludge digester under two methanogens-suppressing conditions, i.e. heat-pretreatment and alkali condition respectively. With the addition of ZVI, the lag time of methane production was shortened, and the methane yield increased by 91.5% compared to the control group. The consumption of VFA was accelerated by ZVI, especially for acetate, indicating that the acetoclastic methanogenesis was enhanced. In the alkali-condition experiment, the hydrogen produced decreased from 27.6 to 18.8 mL when increasing the ZVI dosage from 0 to 10 g/L. Correspondingly, the methane yield increased from 1.9 to 32.2 mL, which meant that the H2-utilizing methanogenes was enriched. These results suggested that the addition of ZVI into anaerobic digestion of sludge after pretreated by the heat or alkali process could efficiently recover the methanogenic activity and increase the methane production and sludge reduction. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Direct Conversion of Methane to Value-Added Chemicals over Heterogeneous Catalysts: Challenges and Prospects.

PubMed

Schwach, Pierre; Pan, Xiulian; Bao, Xinhe

2017-07-12

The quest for an efficient process to convert methane efficiently to fuels and high value-added chemicals such as olefins and aromatics is motivated by their increasing demands and recently discovered large reserves and resources of methane. Direct conversion to these chemicals can be realized either oxidatively via oxidative coupling of methane (OCM) or nonoxidatively via methane dehydroaromatization (MDA), which have been under intensive investigation for decades. While industrial applications are still limited by their low yield (selectivity) and stability issues, innovations in new catalysts and concepts are needed. The newly emerging strategy using iron single sites to catalyze methane conversion to olefins, aromatics, and hydrogen (MTOAH) attracted much attention when it was reported. Because the challenge lies in controlled dehydrogenation of the highly stable CH 4 and selective C-C coupling, we focus mainly on the fundamentals of C-H activation and analyze the reaction pathways toward selective routes of OCM, MDA, and MTOAH. With this, we intend to provide some insights into their reaction mechanisms and implications for future development of highly selective catalysts for direct conversion of methane to high value-added chemicals.

Investigation of the applicability of using the triple redundant hydrogen sensor for methane sensing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lantz, J. B.; Wynveen, R. A.

1983-01-01

Application specifications for the methane sensor were assembled and design guidelines, development goals and evaluation criteria were formulated. This was done to provide a framework to evaluate sensor performance and any design adjustments to the preprototype sensor that could be required to provide methane sensitivity. Good response to hydrogen was experimentally established for four hydrogen sensor elements to be later evaluated for methane response. Prior results were assembled and analyzed for other prototype hydrogen sensor performance parameters to form a comparison base. The four sensor elements previously shown to have good hydrogen response were experimentally evaluated for methane response in 2.5% methane-in-air. No response was obtained for any of the elements, despite the high methane concentration used (50% of the Lower Flammability Limit). It was concluded that the preprototype sensing elements were insensitive to methane and were hydrogen specific. Alternative sensor operating conditions and hardware design changes were considered to provide methane sensitivity to the preprototype sensor, including a variety of different methane sensing techniques. Minor changes to the existing sensor elements, sensor geometry and operating conditions will not make the preprototype hydrogen sensor respond to methane. New sensor elements that will provide methane and hydrogen sensitivity require replacement of the existing thermistor type elements. Some hydrogen sensing characteristics of the modified sensor will be compromised (larger in situ calibration gas volume and H2 nonspecificity). The preprototype hydrogen sensor should be retained for hydrogen monitoring and a separate methane sensor should be developed.

An inhibitor persistently decreased enteric methane emission from dairy cows with no negative effect on milk production

PubMed Central

Hristov, Alexander N.; Oh, Joonpyo; Giallongo, Fabio; Frederick, Tyler W.; Harper, Michael T.; Weeks, Holley L.; Branco, Antonio F.; Moate, Peter J.; Deighton, Matthew H.; Williams, S. Richard O.; Kindermann, Maik; Duval, Stephane

2015-01-01

A quarter of all anthropogenic methane emissions in the United States are from enteric fermentation, primarily from ruminant livestock. This study was undertaken to test the effect of a methane inhibitor, 3-nitrooxypropanol (3NOP), on enteric methane emission in lactating Holstein cows. An experiment was conducted using 48 cows in a randomized block design with a 2-wk covariate period and a 12-wk data collection period. Feed intake, milk production, and fiber digestibility were not affected by the inhibitor. Milk protein and lactose yields were increased by 3NOP. Rumen methane emission was linearly decreased by 3NOP, averaging about 30% lower than the control. Methane emission per unit of feed dry matter intake or per unit of energy-corrected milk were also about 30% less for the 3NOP-treated cows. On average, the body weight gain of 3NOP-treated cows was 80% greater than control cows during the 12-wk experiment. The experiment demonstrated that the methane inhibitor 3NOP, applied at 40 to 80 mg/kg feed dry matter, decreased methane emissions from high-producing dairy cows by 30% and increased body weight gain without negatively affecting feed intake or milk production and composition. The inhibitory effect persisted over 12 wk of treatment, thus offering an effective methane mitigation practice for the livestock industries. PMID:26229078

An inhibitor persistently decreased enteric methane emission from dairy cows with no negative effect on milk production.

PubMed

Hristov, Alexander N; Oh, Joonpyo; Giallongo, Fabio; Frederick, Tyler W; Harper, Michael T; Weeks, Holley L; Branco, Antonio F; Moate, Peter J; Deighton, Matthew H; Williams, S Richard O; Kindermann, Maik; Duval, Stephane

2015-08-25

A quarter of all anthropogenic methane emissions in the United States are from enteric fermentation, primarily from ruminant livestock. This study was undertaken to test the effect of a methane inhibitor, 3-nitrooxypropanol (3NOP), on enteric methane emission in lactating Holstein cows. An experiment was conducted using 48 cows in a randomized block design with a 2-wk covariate period and a 12-wk data collection period. Feed intake, milk production, and fiber digestibility were not affected by the inhibitor. Milk protein and lactose yields were increased by 3NOP. Rumen methane emission was linearly decreased by 3NOP, averaging about 30% lower than the control. Methane emission per unit of feed dry matter intake or per unit of energy-corrected milk were also about 30% less for the 3NOP-treated cows. On average, the body weight gain of 3NOP-treated cows was 80% greater than control cows during the 12-wk experiment. The experiment demonstrated that the methane inhibitor 3NOP, applied at 40 to 80 mg/kg feed dry matter, decreased methane emissions from high-producing dairy cows by 30% and increased body weight gain without negatively affecting feed intake or milk production and composition. The inhibitory effect persisted over 12 wk of treatment, thus offering an effective methane mitigation practice for the livestock industries.

A GIS approach to conducting biogeochemical research in wetlands

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brannon, David P.; Irish, Gary J.

1985-01-01

A project was initiated to develop an environmental data base to address spatial aspects of both biogeochemical cycling and resource management in wetlands. Specific goals are to make regional methane flux estimates and site specific water level predictions based on man controlled water releases within a wetland study area. The project will contribute to the understanding of the Earth's biosphere through its examination of the spatial variability of methane emissions. Although wetlands are thought to be one of the primary sources for release of methane to the atmosphere, little is known about the spatial variability of methane flux. Only through a spatial analysis of methane flux rates and the environmental factors which influence such rates can reliable regional and global methane emissions be calculated. Data will be correlated and studied from Landsat 4 instruments, from a ground survey of water level recorders, precipitation recorders, evaporation pans, and supplemental gauges, and from flood gate water release; and regional methane flux estimates will be made.

Prospects in straw disintegration for biogas production.

PubMed

Maroušek, Josef

2013-10-01

The pretreatment methods for enhancing biogas production from oat straw under study include hot maceration, steam explosion, and pressure shockwaves. The micropore area (9, 55, and 64 m(2) g(-1)) inhibitor formations (0, 15, and 0 mL L(-1)) as well as the overall methane yields (67, 179, and 255 CH4 VS t(-1)) were robustly analyzed. It was confirmed that the operating conditions of the steam explosion must be precisely tailored to the substrate. Furthermore, it was beneficial to prepend the hot maceration before the steam explosion and the pressure shockwaves. The second alternative may give increased methane yields (246 in comparison to 273 CH4 VS t(-1)); however, the application of pressure shockwaves still faces limitations for deployment on a commercial scale.

Commercial-scale utilization of greenhouse residues.

PubMed

Maroušek, Josef; Kondo, Yoshikazu; Ueno, Masami; Kawamitsu, Yoshinobu

2013-01-01

Development of techniques utilizing waste without any additional energy or rare catalysts is a starting point for becoming sustainable. In the present work, the complex utilization of greenhouse residues was studied on a commercial scale. Only the energy produced by the process (8%) was used to run the technology, thanks to multilevel heat recuperation and high methane yields (over 340 m(3) volatile solid t(-1) ). Manifestations of labile carbon in relation to available nitrogen, methane yields, and the formation of inhibitors were investigated in detail. The results sweep away many false beliefs about the ratios of carbon to nitrogen and highlight the role of the availability of carbon in phytomass utilization. © 2013 International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

Reductive elimination/oxidative addition of carbon-hydrogen bonds at Pt(IV)/Pt(II) centers: mechanistic studies of the solution thermolyses of Tp(Me2)Pt(CH3)2H.

PubMed

Jensen, Michael P; Wick, Douglas D; Reinartz, Stefan; White, Peter S; Templeton, Joseph L; Goldberg, Karen I

2003-07-16

Reductive elimination of methane occurs upon solution thermolysis of kappa(3)-Tp(Me)2Pt(IV)(CH(3))(2)H (1, Tp(Me)2 = hydridotris(3,5-dimethylpyrazolyl)borate). The platinum product of this reaction is determined by the solvent. C-D bond activation occurs after methane elimination in benzene-d(6), to yield kappa(3)-Tp(Me)2Pt(IV)(CH(3))(C(6)D(5))D (2-d(6)), which undergoes a second reductive elimination/oxidative addition reaction to yield isotopically labeled methane and kappa(3)-Tp(Me)2Pt(IV)(C(6)D(5))(2)D (3-d(11)). In contrast, kappa(2)-Tp(Me)2Pt(II)(CH(3))(NCCD(3)) (4) was obtained in the presence of acetonitrile-d(3), after elimination of methane from 1. Reductive elimination of methane from these Pt(IV) complexes follows first-order kinetics, and the observed reaction rates are nearly independent of solvent. Virtually identical activation parameters (DeltaH(++)(obs) = 35.0 +/- 1.1 kcal/mol, DeltaS(++)(obs) = 13 +/- 3 eu) were measured for the reductive elimination of methane from 1 in both benzene-d(6) and toluene-d(8). A lower energy process (DeltaH(++)(scr) = 26 +/- 1 kcal/mol, DeltaS(++)(scr) = 1 +/- 4 eu) scrambles hydrogen atoms of 1 between the methyl and hydride positions, as confirmed by monitoring the equilibration of kappa(3)-Tp(Me)()2Pt(IV)(CH(3))(2)D (1-d(1)()) with its scrambled isotopomer, kappa(3)-Tp(Me)2Pt(IV)(CH(3))(CH(2)D)H (1-d(1'). The sigma-methane complex kappa(2)-Tp(Me)2Pt(II)(CH(3))(CH(4)) is proposed as a common intermediate in both the scrambling and reductive elimination processes. Kinetic results are consistent with rate-determining dissociative loss of methane from this intermediate to produce the coordinatively unsaturated intermediate [Tp(Me)2Pt(II)(CH(3))], which reacts rapidly with solvent. The difference in activation enthalpies for the H/D scrambling and C-H reductive elimination provides a lower limit for the binding enthalpy of methane to [Tp(Me)2Pt(II)(CH(3))] of 9 +/- 2 kcal/mol.

Biohydrogen and methane production via a two-step process using an acid pretreated native microalgae consortium.

PubMed

Carrillo-Reyes, Julian; Buitrón, Germán

2016-12-01

A native microalgae consortium treated under thermal-acidic hydrolysis was used to produce hydrogen and methane in a two-step sequential process. Different acid concentrations were tested, generating hydrogen and methane yields of up to 45mLH 2 gVS -1 and 432mLCH 4 gVS -1 , respectively. The hydrogen production step solubilized the particulate COD (chemical oxygen demand) up to 30%, creating considerable amounts of volatile fatty acids (up to 10gCODL -1 ). It was observed that lower acid concentration presented higher hydrogen and methane production potential. The results revealed that thermal acid hydrolysis of a native microalgae consortium is a simple but effective strategy for producing hydrogen and methane in the sequential process. In addition to COD removal (50-70%), this method resulted in an energy recovery of up to 15.9kJ per g of volatile solids of microalgae biomass, one of the highest reported. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Simulation studies of chemical erosion on carbon based materials at elevated temperatures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kenmotsu, T.; Kawamura, T.; Li, Zhijie; Ono, T.; Yamamura, Y.

1999-06-01

We simulated the fluence dependence of methane reaction yield in carbon with hydrogen bombardment using the ACAT-DIFFUSE code. The ACAT-DIFFUSE code is a simulation code based on a Monte Carlo method with a binary collision approximation and on solving diffusion equations. The chemical reaction model in carbon was studied by Roth or other researchers. Roth's model is suitable for the steady state methane reaction. But this model cannot estimate the fluence dependence of the methane reaction. Then, we derived an empirical formula based on Roth's model for methane reaction. In this empirical formula, we assumed the reaction region where chemical sputtering due to methane formation takes place. The reaction region corresponds to the peak range of incident hydrogen distribution in the target material. We adopted this empirical formula to the ACAT-DIFFUSE code. The simulation results indicate the similar fluence dependence compared with the experiment result. But, the fluence to achieve the steady state are different between experiment and simulation results.

Methane production from wheat straw with anaerobic sludge by heme supplementation.

PubMed

Xi, Yonglan; Chang, Zhizhou; Ye, Xiaomei; Xu, Rong; Du, Jing; Chen, Guangyin

2014-11-01

Wheat straw particles were directly used as substrate for batch anaerobic digestion with anaerobic sludge under 35°C to evaluate the effects of adding heme on methane production. When 1mg/l heme was added to the fermentation process with no agitated speed, a maximum cumulative methane production of 12227.8ml was obtained with cumulative methane yield of wheat straw was 257.4ml/g-TS (total solid), which was increased by 20.6% compared with 213.5ml/g-TS of no heme was added in the reactor. Meanwhile, oxido-reduction potential (ORP) level was decreased, the activity of coenzyme F420 was significantly improved and NADH/NAD(+) ratio were the highest than other experimental groups. These results suggest that heme-supplemented anaerobic sludge with no agitated speed may be providing a more reductive environment, which is a cost-effective method of anaerobic digestion from biomass waste to produce methane with less energy consuming. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Enhanced Solid-State Biogas Production from Lignocellulosic Biomass by Organosolv Pretreatment

PubMed Central

Mirmohamadsadeghi, Safoora; Zamani, Akram; Horváth, Ilona Sárvári

2014-01-01

Organosolv pretreatment was used to improve solid-state anaerobic digestion (SSAD) for methane production from three different lignocellulosic substrates (hardwood elm, softwood pine, and agricultural waste rice straw). Pretreatments were conducted at 150 and 180°C for 30 and 60 min using 75% ethanol solution as an organic solvent with addition of sulfuric acid as a catalyst. The statistical analyses showed that pretreatment temperature was the significant factor affecting methane production. Optimum temperature was 180°C for elmwood while it was 150°C for both pinewood and rice straw. Maximum methane production was 152.7, 93.7, and 71.4 liter per kg carbohydrates (CH), which showed up to 32, 73, and 84% enhancement for rice straw, elmwood, and pinewood, respectively, compared to those from the untreated substrates. An inverse relationship between the total methane yield and the lignin content of the substrates was observed. Kinetic analysis of the methane production showed that the process followed a first-order model for all untreated and pretreated lignocelluloses. PMID:25243134

Anaerobic co-digestion of spent coffee grounds with different waste feedstocks for biogas production.

PubMed

Kim, Jaai; Kim, Hakchan; Baek, Gahyun; Lee, Changsoo

2017-02-01

Proper management of spent coffee grounds has become a challenging problem as the production of this waste residue has increased rapidly worldwide. This study investigated the feasibility of the anaerobic co-digestion of spent coffee ground with various organic wastes, i.e., food waste, Ulva, waste activated sludge, and whey, for biomethanation. The effect of co-digestion was evaluated for each tested co-substrate in batch biochemical methane potential tests by varying the substrate mixing ratio. Co-digestion with waste activated sludge had an apparent negative effect on both the yield and production rate of methane. Meanwhile, the other co-substrates enhanced the reaction rate while maintaining methane production at a comparable or higher level to that of the mono-digestion of spent coffee ground. The reaction rate increased with the proportion of co-substrates without a significant loss in methanation potential. These results suggest the potential to reduce the reaction time and thus the reactor capacity without compromising methane production. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Catalytic conversion of methane to methanol using Cu-zeolites.

PubMed

Alayon, Evalyn Mae C; Nachtegaal, Maarten; Ranocchiari, Marco; van Bokhoven, Jeroen A

2012-01-01

The conversion of methane to value-added liquid chemicals is a promising answer to the imminent demand for fuels and chemical synthesis materials in the advent of a dwindling petroleum supply. Current technology requires high energy input for the synthesis gas production, and is characterized by low overall selectivity, which calls for alternative reaction routes. The limitation to achieve high selectivity is the high C-H bond strength of methane. High-temperature reaction systems favor gas-phase radical reactions and total oxidation. This suggests that the catalysts for methane activation should be active at low temperatures. The enzymatic-inspired metal-exchanged zeolite systems apparently fulfill this need, however, methanol yield is low and a catalytic process cannot yet be established. Homogeneous and heterogeneous catalytic systems have been described which stabilize the intermediate formed after the first C-H activation. The understanding of the reaction mechanism and the determination of the active metal sites are important for formulating strategies for the upgrade of methane conversion catalytic technologies.

Improving aerobic stability and biogas production of maize silage using silage additives.

PubMed

Herrmann, Christiane; Idler, Christine; Heiermann, Monika

2015-12-01

The effects of air stress during storage, exposure to air at feed-out, and treatment with silage additives to enhance aerobic stability on methane production from maize silage were investigated at laboratory scale. Up to 17% of the methane potential of maize without additive was lost during seven days exposure to air on feed-out. Air stress during storage reduced aerobic stability and further increased methane losses. A chemical additive containing salts of benzoate and propionate, and inoculants containing heterofermentative lactic acid bacteria were effective to increase aerobic stability and resulted in up to 29% higher methane yields after exposure to air. Exclusion of air to the best possible extent and high aerobic stabilities should be primary objectives when ensiling biogas feedstocks. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Biogas production from vietnamese animal manure, plant residues and organic waste: influence of biomass composition on methane yield.

PubMed

Cu, T T T; Nguyen, T X; Triolo, J M; Pedersen, L; Le, V D; Le, P D; Sommer, S G

2015-02-01

Anaerobic digestion is an efficient and renewable energy technology that can produce biogas from a variety of biomasses such as animal manure, food waste and plant residues. In developing countries this technology is widely used for the production of biogas using local biomasses, but there is little information about the value of these biomasses for energy production. This study was therefore carried out with the objective of estimating the biogas production potential of typical Vietnamese biomasses such as animal manure, slaughterhouse waste and plant residues, and developing a model that relates methane (CH4) production to the chemical characteristics of the biomass. The biochemical methane potential (BMP) and biomass characteristics were measured. Results showed that piglet manure produced the highest CH4 yield of 443 normal litter (NL) CH4 kg(-1) volatile solids (VS) compared to 222 from cows, 177 from sows, 172 from rabbits, 169 from goats and 153 from buffaloes. Methane production from duckweed (Spirodela polyrrhiza) was higher than from lawn grass and water spinach at 340, 220, and 110.6 NL CH4 kg(-1) VS, respectively. The BMP experiment also demonstrated that the CH4 production was inhibited with chicken manure, slaughterhouse waste, cassava residue and shoe-making waste. Statistical analysis showed that lipid and lignin are the most significant predictors of BMP. The model was developed from knowledge that the BMP was related to biomass content of lipid, lignin and protein from manure and plant residues as a percentage of VS with coefficient of determination (R-square) at 0.95. This model was applied to calculate the CH4 yield for a household with 17 fattening pigs in the highlands and lowlands of northern Vietnam.

Biogas Production from Vietnamese Animal Manure, Plant Residues and Organic Waste: Influence of Biomass Composition on Methane Yield

PubMed Central

Cu, T. T. T.; Nguyen, T. X.; Triolo, J. M.; Pedersen, L.; Le, V. D.; Le, P. D.; Sommer, S. G.

2015-01-01

Anaerobic digestion is an efficient and renewable energy technology that can produce biogas from a variety of biomasses such as animal manure, food waste and plant residues. In developing countries this technology is widely used for the production of biogas using local biomasses, but there is little information about the value of these biomasses for energy production. This study was therefore carried out with the objective of estimating the biogas production potential of typical Vietnamese biomasses such as animal manure, slaughterhouse waste and plant residues, and developing a model that relates methane (CH4) production to the chemical characteristics of the biomass. The biochemical methane potential (BMP) and biomass characteristics were measured. Results showed that piglet manure produced the highest CH4 yield of 443 normal litter (NL) CH4 kg−1 volatile solids (VS) compared to 222 from cows, 177 from sows, 172 from rabbits, 169 from goats and 153 from buffaloes. Methane production from duckweed (Spirodela polyrrhiza) was higher than from lawn grass and water spinach at 340, 220, and 110.6 NL CH4 kg−1 VS, respectively. The BMP experiment also demonstrated that the CH4 production was inhibited with chicken manure, slaughterhouse waste, cassava residue and shoe-making waste. Statistical analysis showed that lipid and lignin are the most significant predictors of BMP. The model was developed from knowledge that the BMP was related to biomass content of lipid, lignin and protein from manure and plant residues as a percentage of VS with coefficient of determination (R-square) at 0.95. This model was applied to calculate the CH4 yield for a household with 17 fattening pigs in the highlands and lowlands of northern Vietnam. PMID:25557826

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yuan Qi; Saunders, Samuel E.; Bartelt-Hunt, Shannon L., E-mail: sbartelt2@unl.edu

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer This study evaluates methane and carbon dioxide production after land burial of cattle carcasses. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Disposal of animal mortalities is often overlooked in evaluating the environmental impacts of animal production. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer we quantify annual emissions from cattle carcass disposal in the United States as 1.6 Tg CO{sub 2} equivalents. - Abstract: Approximately 2.2 million cattle carcasses require disposal annually in the United States. Land burial is a convenient disposal method that has been widely used in animal production for disposal of both daily mortalities as well as during catastrophic mortality events. To date, greenhouse gas production after mortalitymore » burial has not been quantified, and this study represents the first attempt to quantify greenhouse gas emissions from land burial of animal carcasses. In this study, anaerobic decomposition of both homogenized and unhomogenized cattle carcass material was investigated using bench-scale reactors. Maximum yields of methane and carbon dioxide were 0.33 and 0.09 m{sup 3}/kg dry material, respectively, a higher methane yield than that previously reported for municipal solid waste. Variability in methane production rates were observed over time and between reactors. Based on our laboratory data, annual methane emissions from burial of cattle mortalities in the United States could total 1.6 Tg CO{sub 2} equivalents. Although this represents less than 1% of total emissions produced by the agricultural sector in 2009, greenhouse gas emissions from animal carcass burial may be significant if disposal of swine and poultry carcasses is also considered.« less

Synthesis and Investigation of Advanced Energetic Materials Based on Bispyrazolylmethanes.

PubMed

Fischer, Dennis; Gottfried, Jennifer L; Klapötke, Thomas M; Karaghiosoff, Konstantin; Stierstorfer, Jörg; Witkowski, Tomasz G

2016-12-23

Herein we present the preparation and characterization of three new bispyrazolyl-based energetic compounds with great potential as explosive materials. The reaction of sodium 4-amino-3,5-dinitropyrazolate (5) with dimethyl iodide yielded bis(4-amino-3,5-dinitropyrazolyl)methane (6), which is a secondary explosive with high heat resistance (T dec =310 °C). The oxidation of this compound afforded bis(3,4,5-trinitropyrazolyl)methane (7), which is a combined nitrogen- and oxygen-rich secondary explosive with very high theoretical and estimated experimental detonation performance (V det (theor)=9304 m s -1 versus V det (exp)=9910 m s -1 ) in the range of that of CL-20. Also, the thermal stability (T dec =205 °C) and sensitivities of 7 are auspicious. The reaction of 6 with in situ generated nitrous acid yielded the primary explosive bis(4-diazo-5-nitro-3-oxopyrazolyl)methane (8), which showed superior properties to those of currently used diazodinitrophenol (DDNP). © 2016 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Bioelectrochemical methane (CH4) production in anaerobic digestion at different supplemental voltages.

PubMed

Choi, Kwang-Soon; Kondaveeti, Sanath; Min, Booki

2017-12-01

Microbial electrolysis cells (MECs) at various cell voltages (0.5, 0.7 1.0 and 1.5V) were operated in anaerobic fermentation. During the start-up period, the cathode potential decreased from -0.63 to -1.01V, and CH 4 generation increased from 168 to 199ml. At an applied voltage of 1.0V, the highest methane yields of 408.3ml CH 4 /g COD glucose was obtained, which was 30.3% higher than in the control tests (313.4ml CH 4 /g COD glucose). The average current of 5.1mA was generated at 1.0V at which the maximum methane yield was obtained. The other average currents were 1.42, 3.02, 0.53mA at 0.5, 0.7, and 1.5V, respectively. Cyclic voltammetry and EIS analysis revealed that enhanced reduction currents were present at all cell voltages with biocatalyzed cathode electrodes (no reduction without biofilm), and the highest value was obtained with 1V external voltage. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Mesophilic and thermophilic anaerobic co-digestion of rendering plant and slaughterhouse wastes.

PubMed

Bayr, Suvi; Rantanen, Marianne; Kaparaju, Prasad; Rintala, Jukka

2012-01-01

Co-digestion of rendering and slaughterhouse wastes was studied in laboratory scale semi-continuously fed continuously stirred tank reactors (CSTRs) at 35 and 55 °C. All in all, 10 different rendering plant and slaughterhouse waste fractions were characterised showing high contents of lipids and proteins, and methane potentials of 262-572 dm(3)CH(4)/kg volatile solids(VS)(added). In mesophilic CSTR methane yields of ca 720 dm(3) CH(4)/kg VS(fed) were obtained with organic loading rates (OLR) of 1.0 and 1.5 kg VS/m(3) d, and hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 50 d. For thermophilic process, the lowest studied OLR of 1.5 kg VS/m(3) d, turned to be unstable after operation of 1.5 HRT, due to accumulating ammonia, volatile fatty acids (VFAs) and probably also long chain fatty acids (LCFAs). In conclusion, mesophilic process was found to be more feasible for co-digestion than thermophilic process, methane yields being higher and process more stable in mesophilic conditions. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Recovery of biogas as a source of renewable energy from ice-cream production residues and wastewater.

PubMed

Demirel, Burak; Orok, Murat; Hot, Elif; Erkişi, Selin; Albükrek, Metin; Onay, Turgut T

2013-01-01

Proper management of waste streams and residues from agro-industry is very important to prevent environmental pollution. In particular, the anaerobic co-digestion process can be used as an important tool for safe disposal and energy recovery from agro-industry waste streams and residues. The primary objective of this laboratory-scale study was to determine whether it was possible to recover energy (biogas) from ice-cream production residues and wastewater, through a mesophilic anaerobic co-digestion process. A high methane yield of 0.338 L CH4/gCOD(removed) could be achieved from anaerobic digestion of ice-cream wastewater alone, with almost 70% of methane in biogas, while anaerobic digestion of ice-cream production residue alone did not seem feasible. When wastewater and ice-cream production residue were anaerobically co-digested at a ratio of 9:1 by weight, the highest methane yield of 0.131 L CH4/gCOD(removed) was observed. Buffering capacity seemed to be imperative in energy recovery from these substrates in the anaerobic digestion process.

Methanogenesis from wastewater stimulated by addition of elemental manganese

PubMed Central

Qiao, Sen; Tian, Tian; Qi, Benyu; Zhou, Jiti

2015-01-01

This study presents a novel procedure for accelerating methanogenesis from wastewater by adding elemental manganese into the anaerobic digestion system. The results indicated that elemental manganese effectively enhanced both the methane yield and the production rate. Compared to the control test without elemental manganese, the total methane yield and production rate with 4 g/L manganese addition increased 3.4-fold (from 0.89 ± 0.03 to 2.99 ± 0.37 M/gVSS within 120 h) and 4.4-fold (from 6.2 ± 0.1 to 27.2 ± 2.2 mM/gVSS/h), respectively. Besides, more acetate consumption and less propionate generation were observed during the methanogenesis with manganese. Further studies demonstrated that the elemental manganese served as electron donors for the methanogenesis from carbon dioxide, and the final proportion of methane in the total generated gas with 4 g/L manganese addition reached 96.9%, which was 2.1-fold than that of the control (46.6%). PMID:26244609

Optimization of hydrolysis and volatile fatty acids production from sugarcane filter cake: Effects of urea supplementation and sodium hydroxide pretreatment.

PubMed

Janke, Leandro; Leite, Athaydes; Batista, Karla; Weinrich, Sören; Sträuber, Heike; Nikolausz, Marcell; Nelles, Michael; Stinner, Walter

2016-01-01

Different methods for optimization the anaerobic digestion (AD) of sugarcane filter cake (FC) with a special focus on volatile fatty acids (VFA) production were studied. Sodium hydroxide (NaOH) pretreatment at different concentrations was investigated in batch experiments and the cumulative methane yields fitted to a dual-pool two-step model to provide an initial assessment on AD. The effects of nitrogen supplementation in form of urea and NaOH pretreatment for improved VFA production were evaluated in a semi-continuously operated reactor as well. The results indicated that higher NaOH concentrations during pretreatment accelerated the AD process and increased methane production in batch experiments. Nitrogen supplementation resulted in a VFA loss due to methane formation by buffering the pH value at nearly neutral conditions (∼ 6.7). However, the alkaline pretreatment with 6g NaOH/100g FCFM improved both the COD solubilization and the VFA yield by 37%, mainly consisted by n-butyric and acetic acids. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Comparison of anaerobic digestion characteristics and kinetics of four livestock manures with different substrate concentrations.

PubMed

Li, Kun; Liu, Ronghou; Sun, Chen

2015-12-01

Anaerobic digestions of pig manure (PM), dairy manure (DM), chicken manure (CM) and rabbit manure (RM) at initial volatile solid loading (VSL) of 8 g VS/L, 16 g VS/L, 32 g VS/L, 64 g VS/L were investigated under mesophilic conditions. The maximum methane yields of 410, 270, 377 and 323 mL CH4/g VSadded for PM, DM, CM and RM were all obtained at initial VSL of 8 g VS/L, respectively. The improvement of substrate concentration to 64 g VS/L not only decreased the methane yield and biodegradability both by 22.4%, 37.3%, 49.1% and 34.6% for PM, DM, CM and RM respectively, but also reduced the methane content in final biogas production. The Cone model (R(2): 0.9910-0.9974) showed a better fit to the experiment data and the calculated parameters indicated that anaerobic digestion of manures at higher loading has longer lag phase and lower hydrolysis rate. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Anaerobic co-digestion of pig manure and algae: impact of intracellular algal products recovery on co-digestion performance.

PubMed

Astals, S; Musenze, R S; Bai, X; Tannock, S; Tait, S; Pratt, S; Jensen, P D

2015-04-01

This paper investigates anaerobic co-digestion of pig manure and algae (Scenedesmus sp.) with and without extraction of intracellular algal co-products, with views towards the development of a biorefinery concept for lipid, protein and/or biogas production. Protein and/or lipids were extracted from Scenedesmus sp. using free nitrous acid pre-treatments and solvent-based Soxhlet extraction, respectively. Processing increased algae methane yield between 29% and 37% compared to raw algae (VS basis), but reduced the amount of algae available for digestion. Co-digestion experiments showed a synergy between pig manure and raw algae that increased raw algae methane yield from 0.163 to 0.245 m(3) CH4 kg(-1)VS. No such synergy was observed when algal residues were co-digested with pig manure. Finally, experimental results were used to develop a high-level concept for an integrated biorefinery processing pig manure and onsite cultivated algae, evaluating methane production and co-product recovery per mass of pig manure entering the refinery. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Semi-aerobic fermentation as a novel pre-treatment to obtain VFA and increase methane yield from primary sludge.

PubMed

Peces, M; Astals, S; Clarke, W P; Jensen, P D

2016-01-01

There is a growing trend to consider organic wastes as potential sources of renewable energy and value-add products. Fermentation products have emerged as attractive value-add option due to relative easy production and broad application range. However, pre-fermentation and extraction of soluble products may impact down-stream treatment processes, particularly energy recovery by anaerobic digestion. This paper investigates primary sludge pre-fermentation at different temperatures (20, 37, 55, and 70°C), treatment times (12, 24, 48, and 72h), and oxygen availability (semi-aerobic, anaerobic); and its impact on anaerobic digestion. Pre-fermentation at 20 and 37°C succeeded for VFA production with acetate and propionate being major products. Pre-fermentation at 37, 55, and 70°C resulted in higher solubilisation yield but it reduced sludge methane potential by 20%. Under semi-aerobic conditions, pre-fermentation allowed both VFA recovery (43gCODVFAkg(-1)VS) and improved methane potential. The latter phenomenon was linked to fungi that colonised the sludge top layer during pre-fermentation. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Anaerobic co-digestion of microalgal biomass and wheat straw with and without thermo-alkaline pretreatment.

PubMed

Solé-Bundó, Maria; Eskicioglu, Cigdem; Garfí, Marianna; Carrère, Hélène; Ferrer, Ivet

2017-08-01

This study aimed at analyzing the anaerobic co-digestion of microalgal biomass grown in wastewater and wheat straw. To this end, Biochemical Methane Potential (BMP) tests were carried out testing different substrate proportions (20-80, 50-50 and 80-20%, on a volatile solid basis). In order to improve their biodegradability, the co-digestion of both substrates was also evaluated after applying a thermo-alkaline pretreatment (10% CaO at 75°C for 24h). The highest synergies in degradation rates were observed by adding at least 50% of wheat straw. Therefore, the co-digestion of 50% microalgae - 50% wheat straw was investigated in mesophilic lab-scale reactors. The results showed that the methane yield was increased by 77% with the co-digestion as compared to microalgae mono-digestion, while the pretreatment only increased the methane yield by 15% compared to the untreated mixture. Thus, the anaerobic co-digestion of microalgae and wheat straw was successful even without applying a thermo-alkaline pretreatment. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Anaerobic digestion characteristics of pig manures depending on various growth stages and initial substrate concentrations in a scaled pig farm in Southern China.

PubMed

Zhang, Wanqin; Lang, Qianqian; Wu, Shubiao; Li, Wei; Bah, Hamidou; Dong, Renjie

2014-03-01

The characteristics of anaerobic digestion of pig manure from different growth stages were investigated. According to growth stage, batch experiments were performed using gestating sow manure (GSM), swine nursery with post-weaned piglet manure (SNM), growing fattening manure (GFM) and mixed manure (MM) as substrates at four substrate concentrations (40, 50, 65 and 80gVS/L) under mesophilic conditions. The maximum methane yields of MM, SNM, GSM and GFM were 354.7, 328.7, 282.4 and 263.5mLCH4/gVSadded, respectively. Volatile fatty acids/total inorganic carbon (VFA/TIC) ratio increased from 0.10 to 0.89 when loading increased from 40 to 80gVS/L for GFM. The modified Gompertz model shows a better fit to the experimental results than the first order model with a lower difference between measured and predicted methane yields. The kinetic parameters indicated that the methane production curve on the basis of differences in biodegradability of the pig manure at different growth stages. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Anaerobic degradation of aircraft deicing fluid (ADF) in upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactors and the fate of ADF additives

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pham, Thi Tham

2002-11-01

A central composite design was employed to methodically investigate anaerobic treatment of aircraft deicing fluid (ADF) in bench-scale Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket (UASB) reactors. A total of 23 runs at 17 different operating conditions were conducted in continuous mode. The development of four empirical models describing process responses (i.e., chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal efficiency, biomass specific acetoclastic activity, methane production rate, and methane production potential) as functions of ADF concentration, hydraulic retention time (HRT), and biomass concentration is presented. Model verification indicated that predicted responses (COD removal efficiencies, biomass specific acetoclastic activity, and methane production rates and potential) were in good agreement with experimental results. Biomass specific acetoclastic activity was improved by almost two-fold during ADF treatment in UASB reactors. For the design window, COD removal efficiencies were higher than 90%. Predicted methane production potentials were close to theoretical values, and methane production rates increased as the organic loading rate (OLR) was increased. ADF toxicity effects were evident for 1.6% ADF at medium specific organic loadings (SOLR above 0.5 g COD/g VSS/d). In contrast, good reactor stability and excellent removal efficiencies were achieved at 1.2% ADF for reactor loadings approaching that of highly loaded systems (0.73 g COD/g VSS/d). Acclimation to ADF resulted in an initial reduction in the biomass settling velocity. The fate of ADF additives was also investigated. There was minimal sorption of benzotriazole (BT), 5-methyl-1 H-benzotriazole (MeBT), and 5,6-dimethyl-1 H-benzotriazole (DiMeBT) to anaerobic granules. A higher sorption capacity was measured for NP. Active transport may be one of the mechanisms for NP sorption. Ethylene glycol degradation experiments indicated that BT, MeBT, DiMeBT, and the nonionic surfactant Tergitol NP-4 had no significant effects on acidogenesis and methanogenesis at the concentration levels studied. A significant inhibition of acetoclastic activity was observed for NP at 100 mg/L, with acetic acid consumption rate at 38% of that for controls. No evidence for anaerobic degradation of benzotriazole and its derivatives was observed; however, both batch and continuous experiments suggested that anaerobic degradation of NP occurred. Kinetic analysis of operational data obtained for the anaerobic treatment of ADF in UASB reactors indicated that the substrate utilization rate was independent of the reactor biomass concentration. The maximum rate of substrate utilization and the half-velocity constants for ADF treatment were 28.4 g COD/L/d and 648 mg COD/L, respectively. For 1.2% ADF, the biomass yield and endogenous decay coefficients were 0.027 g VSS/g COD and 0.012 d-1 , respectively.

Sealing rice field boundaries in Bangladesh: a pilot study demonstrating reductions in water use, arsenic loading to field soils, and methane emissions from irrigation water.

PubMed

Neumann, Rebecca B; Pracht, Lara E; Polizzotto, Matthew L; Badruzzaman, A Borhan M; Ali, M Ashraf

2014-08-19

Irrigation of rice fields in Bangladesh with arsenic-contaminated and methane-rich groundwater loads arsenic into field soils and releases methane into the atmosphere. We tested the water-savings potential of sealing field bunds (raised boundaries around field edges) as a way to mitigate these negative outcomes. We found that, on average, bund sealing reduced seasonal water use by 52 ± 17% and decreased arsenic loading to field soils by 15 ± 4%; greater savings in both water use and arsenic loading were achieved in fields with larger perimeter-to-area ratios (i.e., smaller fields). Our study is the first to quantify emission of methane from irrigation water in Bangladesh, a currently unaccounted-for methane source. Irrigation water applied to unsealed fields at our site emits 18 to 31 g of methane per square-meter of field area per season, potentially doubling the atmospheric input of methane from rice cultivation. Bund sealing reduced the emission of methane from irrigation water by 4 to 19 g/m(2). While the studied outcomes of bund sealing are positive and compelling, widespread implementation of the technique should consider other factors, such as effect on yields, financial costs, and impact on the hydrologic system. We provide an initial and preliminary assessment of these implementation factors.

Inventory of methane emissions from U.S. cattle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Westberg, H.; Lamb, B.; Johnson, K. A.; Huyler, M.

2001-01-01

Many countries, including the United States, are in the process of inventorying greenhouse gas emissions as a prerequisite for designing control strategies. We have developed a measurement-based inventory of methane emissions from cattle in the United States. Methane emission factors were established for the major livestock groups using an internal tracer method. The groups studied included cows, replacement heifers, slaughter cattle, calves, and bulls in the beef sector and cows plus replacement heifers in the dairy industry. Since methane emission is dependent on the quality and quantity of feed, diets were chosen that are representative of the feed regimes utilized by producers in the United States. Regional cattle populations, obtained from U.S. Department of Agriculture statistics, were combined with the methane emission factors to yield regional emission estimates. The methane totals from the five regions were then summed to give a U.S. inventory of cattle emissions for 1990, 1992, 1994, 1996, and 1998. Annual releases ranged from 6.50 Tg in 1990 to a high of 6.98 Tg in 1996. On a regional scale the North Central region of the United States had the largest methane emissions from livestock followed by the South Central and the West. The beef cow group released the most methane (˜2.5 Tg yr-1) followed by slaughter cattle (˜1.7 Tg yr-1) and dairy cows at about 1.5 Tg yr-1. Methane released by cattle in the United States contributes about 11% of the global cattle source.

Mechanistic insights into heterogeneous methane activation

DOE PAGES

Latimer, Allegra A.; Aljama, Hassan; Kakekhani, Arvin; ...

2017-01-11

While natural gas is an abundant chemical fuel, its low volumetric energy density has prompted a search for catalysts able to transform methane into more useful chemicals. This search has often been aided through the use of transition state (TS) scaling relationships, which estimate methane activation TS energies as a linear function of a more easily calculated descriptor, such as final state energy, thus avoiding tedious TS energy calculations. It has been shown that methane can be activated via a radical or surface-stabilized pathway, both of which possess a unique TS scaling relationship. Herein, we present a simple model tomore » aid in the prediction of methane activation barriers on heterogeneous catalysts. Analogous to the universal radical TS scaling relationship introduced in a previous publication, we show that a universal TS scaling relationship that transcends catalysts classes also seems to exist for surface-stabilized methane activation if the relevant final state energy is used. We demonstrate that this scaling relationship holds for several reducible and irreducible oxides, promoted metals, and sulfides. By combining the universal scaling relationships for both radical and surface-stabilized methane activation pathways, we show that catalyst reactivity must be considered in addition to catalyst geometry to obtain an accurate estimation for the TS energy. Here, this model can yield fast and accurate predictions of methane activation barriers on a wide range of catalysts, thus accelerating the discovery of more active catalysts for methane conversion.« less

Mechanistic insights into heterogeneous methane activation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Latimer, Allegra A.; Aljama, Hassan; Kakekhani, Arvin

While natural gas is an abundant chemical fuel, its low volumetric energy density has prompted a search for catalysts able to transform methane into more useful chemicals. This search has often been aided through the use of transition state (TS) scaling relationships, which estimate methane activation TS energies as a linear function of a more easily calculated descriptor, such as final state energy, thus avoiding tedious TS energy calculations. It has been shown that methane can be activated via a radical or surface-stabilized pathway, both of which possess a unique TS scaling relationship. Herein, we present a simple model tomore » aid in the prediction of methane activation barriers on heterogeneous catalysts. Analogous to the universal radical TS scaling relationship introduced in a previous publication, we show that a universal TS scaling relationship that transcends catalysts classes also seems to exist for surface-stabilized methane activation if the relevant final state energy is used. We demonstrate that this scaling relationship holds for several reducible and irreducible oxides, promoted metals, and sulfides. By combining the universal scaling relationships for both radical and surface-stabilized methane activation pathways, we show that catalyst reactivity must be considered in addition to catalyst geometry to obtain an accurate estimation for the TS energy. Here, this model can yield fast and accurate predictions of methane activation barriers on a wide range of catalysts, thus accelerating the discovery of more active catalysts for methane conversion.« less

Effect of Ultrasonic Pretreatment on Biomethane Potential of Two-Phase Olive Mill Solid Waste: Kinetic Approach and Process Performance

PubMed Central

Rincón, B.; Bujalance, L.; Fermoso, F. G.; Martín, A.

2014-01-01

The effect of ultrasound (US) pretreatment on two-phase olive mil solid waste (OMSW) composition and subsequent anaerobic biodegradation was evaluated by chemical oxygen demand solubilization and biochemical methane potential (BMP) tests. OMSW was ultrasonically pretreated at a power of 200 W and frequency of 24 kHz for time periods of 20, 40, 60, 90, 120, and 180 minutes, corresponding to specific energies of 11367, 21121, 34072, 51284, 68557, and 106003 kJ/kg total solids, respectively. In order to evaluate the US pretreatment, a low, medium, and high exposure time, that is, 20, 90, and 180 min, were selected for BMP tests. Methane yields of 311 ± 15, 393 ± 14, and 370 ± 20 mL CH4/g VSadded (VS: volatile solids) were obtained for 20, 90, and 180 minutes, respectively, while the untreated OMSW gave 373 ± 4 mL CH4/g VSadded. From a kinetic point of view, the BMP tests showed a first exponential stage and a second sigmoidal stage. In the first stage, the kinetic constant obtained for US pretreated OMSW at 20 minutes was 46% higher than those achieved for the pretreated OMSW at 90 and 180 minutes and 48% higher than that for untreated OMSW. The maximum methane production rate achieved was 12% higher than that obtained for untreated OMSW. PMID:25197705

Cometary Origin of Atmospheric Methane Variations on Mars Unlikely

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Roos-Serote, M.; Atreya, S. K.; Webster, C. R.; Mahaffy, P. R.

2016-01-01

The detection of methane in the atmosphere of Mars was first reported in 2004. Since then a number of independent observations of methane have been reported, all showing temporal variability. Up until recently, the origin of methane was attributed to sources either indigenous to Mars or exogenous, where methane is a UV degradation byproduct of organics falling on to the surface. Most recently, a new hypothesis has been proposed that argues that the appearance and variation of methane are correlated with specific meteor events at Mars. Indeed, extraplanetary material can be brought to a planet when it passes through a meteoroid stream left behind by cometary bodies orbiting the Sun. This occurs repeatedly at specific times in a planet's year as streams tend to be fairly stable in space. In this paper, we revisit this latest hypothesis by carrying out a complete analysis of all available data on Mars atmospheric methane, including the very recent data not previously published, together with all published predicted meteor events for Mars. Whether we consider the collection of individual data points and predicted meteor events, whether we apply statistical analysis, or whether we consider different time spans between high methane measurements and the occurrence of meteor events, we find no compelling evidence for any correlation between atmospheric methane and predicted meteor events.

Cometary origin of atmospheric methane variations on Mars unlikely

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roos-Serote, M.; Atreya, S. K.; Webster, C. R.; Mahaffy, P. R.

2016-10-01

The detection of methane in the atmosphere of Mars was first reported in 2004. Since then a number of independent observations of methane have been reported, all showing temporal variability. Up until recently, the origin of methane was attributed to sources either indigenous to Mars or exogenous, where methane is a UV degradation byproduct of organics falling on to the surface. Most recently, a new hypothesis has been proposed that argues that the appearance and variation of methane are correlated with specific meteor events at Mars. Indeed, extraplanetary material can be brought to a planet when it passes through a meteoroid stream left behind by cometary bodies orbiting the Sun. This occurs repeatedly at specific times in a planet's year as streams tend to be fairly stable in space. In this paper, we revisit this latest hypothesis by carrying out a complete analysis of all available data on Mars atmospheric methane, including the very recent data not previously published, together with all published predicted meteor events for Mars. Whether we consider the collection of individual data points and predicted meteor events, whether we apply statistical analysis, or whether we consider different time spans between high methane measurements and the occurrence of meteor events, we find no compelling evidence for any correlation between atmospheric methane and predicted meteor events.

Analyzing the Effects of Nitrogen Deficiency on the PHB Production of Methylosinus trichosporium OB3b

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kyauk, E.

2011-12-01

Polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) is a biodegradable thermoplastic that is produced by various microorganisms. Because of its potential to replace conventional plastics, it has been closely researched in the past few years. Methanotrophic bacteria, bacteria that consume methane, produce this bioplastic when it lacks certain nutrients. The utilization of methane to produce PHB shows much promise as methane is a cheap, plentiful gas. In this study, we observed the methanotroph, Methylosinus trichosporium OB3b , and its yield of PHB in the absence of nitrogen. The optical density of Methylosinus trichosporium OB3b was measured in order to observe cell growth and PHB production patterns over a 48 hour period.

Catalysts for conversion of methane to higher hydrocarbons

DOEpatents

Siriwardane, Ranjani V.

1993-01-01

Catalysts for converting methane to higher hydrocarbons such as ethane and ethylene in the presence of oxygen at temperatures in the range of about 700.degree. to 900.degree. C. are described. These catalysts comprise calcium oxide or gadolinium oxide respectively promoted with about 0.025-0.4 mole and about 0.1-0.7 mole sodium pyrophosphate. A preferred reaction temperature in a range of about 800.degree. to 850.degree. C. with a preferred oxygen-to-methane ratio of about 2:1 provides an essentially constant C.sub.2 hydrocarbon yield in the range of about 12 to 19 percent over a period of time greater than about 20 hours.

Biological Pretreatment of Chicken Feather and Biogas Production from Total Broth.

PubMed

Patinvoh, Regina J; Feuk-Lagerstedt, Elisabeth; Lundin, Magnus; Sárvári Horváth, Ilona; Taherzadeh, Mohammad J

2016-12-01

Chicken feathers are available in large quantities around the world causing environmental challenges. The feathers are composed of keratin that is a recalcitrant protein and is hard to degrade. In this work, chicken feathers were aerobically pretreated for 2-8 days at total solid concentrations of 5, 10, and 20 % by Bacillus sp. C 4 , a bacterium that produces both α- and β-keratinases. Then, the liquid fraction (feather hydrolysate) as well as the total broth (liquid and solid fraction of pretreated feathers) was used as substrates for biogas production using anaerobic sludge or bacteria granules as inoculum. The biological pretreatment of feather waste was productive; about 75 % of feather was converted to soluble crude protein after 8 days of degradation at initial feather concentration of 5 %. Bacteria granules performed better during anaerobic digestion of untreated feathers, resulting in approximately two times more methane yield (i.e., 199 mlCH 4 /gVS compared to 105 mlCH 4 /gVS when sludge was used). Pretreatment improved methane yield by 292 and 105 % when sludge and granules were used on the hydrolysate. Bacteria granules worked effectively on the total broth, yielded 445 mlCH 4 /gVS methane, which is 124 % more than that obtained with the same type of inoculum from untreated feather.

An Eco-Friendly Improved Protocol for the Synthesis of Bis(3-indolyl)methanes Using Poly(4-vinylpyridinium)hydrogen Sulfate as Efficient, Heterogeneous, and Recyclable Solid Acid Catalyst

PubMed Central

Banothu, Janardhan; Gali, Rajitha; Velpula, Ravibabu; Bavantula, Rajitha; Crooks, Peter A.

2013-01-01

Highly efficient and eco-friendly protocol for the synthesis of bis(3-indolyl)methanes by the electrophilic substitution reaction of indole with aldehydes catalyzed by poly(4-vinylpyridinium)hydrogen sulfate was described. Excellent yields, shorter reaction times, simple work-up procedure, avoiding hazardous organic solvents, and reusability of the catalyst are the most obvious advantages of this method. PMID:24052864

Need for a marginal methodology in assessing natural gas system methane emissions in response to incremental consumption.

PubMed

Mac Kinnon, Michael; Heydarzadeh, Zahra; Doan, Quy; Ngo, Cuong; Reed, Jeff; Brouwer, Jacob

2018-05-17

Accurate quantification of methane emissions from the natural gas system is important for establishing greenhouse gas inventories and understanding cause and effect for reducing emissions. Current carbon intensity methods generally assume methane emissions are proportional to gas throughput so that increases in gas consumption yield linear increases in emitted methane. However, emissions sources are diverse and many are not proportional to throughput. Insights into the causal drivers of system methane emissions, and how system-wide changes affect such drivers are required. The development of a novel cause-based methodology to assess marginal methane emissions per unit of fuel consumed is introduced. The carbon intensities of technologies consuming natural gas are critical metrics currently used in policy decisions for reaching environmental goals. For example, the low-carbon fuel standard in California uses carbon intensity to determine incentives provided. Current methods generally assume methane emissions from the natural gas system are completely proportional to throughput. The proposed cause-based marginal emissions method will provide a better understanding of the actual drivers of emissions to support development of more effective mitigation measures. Additionally, increasing the accuracy of carbon intensity calculations supports the development of policies that can maximize the environmental benefits of alternative fuels, including reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Comparison of the methane production potential and biodegradability of kitchen waste from different sources under mesophilic and thermophilic conditions.

PubMed

Yang, Ziyi; Wang, Wen; Zhang, Shuyu; Ma, Zonghu; Anwar, Naveed; Liu, Guangqing; Zhang, Ruihong

2017-04-01

The methane production potential of kitchen waste (KW) obtained from different sources was compared through mesophilic and thermophilic anaerobic digestion. The methane yields (MYs) obtained with the same KW sample under different temperatures were similar, whereas the MYs obtained with different samples differed significantly. The highest MY obtained in S7 was 54%-60% higher than the lowest MY in S3. The modified Gompertz model was utilized to simulate the methane production process. The maximum production rate of methane under thermophilic conditions was 2%-86% higher than that under mesophilic conditions. The characteristics of different KW samples were studied. In the distribution of total chemical oxygen demand, the diversity of organic compounds of KW was the most dominant factor that affected the potential MYs of KW. The effect of the C/N and C/P ratios or the concentration of metal ions was insignificant. Two typical methods to calculate the theoretical MY (TMY) were compared, the organic composition method can simulate methane production more precisely than the elemental analysis method. Significant linear correlations were found between TMY org and MYs under mesophilic and thermophilic conditions. The organic composition method can thus be utilized as a fast technique to predict the methane production potential of KW.

Production of H2 from aluminium/water reaction and its potential for CO2 methanation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khai Phung, Khor; Sethupathi, Sumathi; Siang Piao, Chai

2018-04-01

Carbon dioxide (CO2) is a natural gas that presents in excess in the atmosphere. Owing to its ability to cause global warming, capturing and conversion of CO2 have attracted much attention worldwide. CO2 methanation using hydrogen (H2) is believed to be a promising route for CO2 removal. In the present work, H2 is produced using aluminum-water reaction and tested for its ability to convert CO2 to methane (CH4). Different type of water i.e. tap water, distilled water, deionized water and ultrapure water, concentration of sodium hydroxide (NaOH) (0.2 M to 1.0 M) and particle size of aluminum (45 m to 500 μm) were varied as parameter study. It was found that the highest yield of H2 was obtained using distilled water, 1.0 M of NaOH and 45μm particle size of aluminium. However, the highest yield of methane was achieved using a moderate and progressive H2 production (distilled water, 0.6 M of NaOH and 45 μm particle size of aluminium) which allowed sufficient time for H2 to react with CO2. It was concluded that 1130 ml of H2 can produce about 560 ppm of CH4 within 25 min of batch reaction using nickel catalyst.

Formate oxidation-driven calcium carbonate precipitation by Methylocystis parvus OBBP.

PubMed

Ganendra, Giovanni; De Muynck, Willem; Ho, Adrian; Arvaniti, Eleni Charalampous; Hosseinkhani, Baharak; Ramos, Jose Angel; Rahier, Hubert; Boon, Nico

2014-08-01

Microbially induced carbonate precipitation (MICP) applied in the construction industry poses several disadvantages such asammonia release to the air and nitric acid production. An alternative MICP from calcium formate by Methylocystis parvus OBBP is presented here to overcome these disadvantages. To induce calcium carbonate precipitation, M. parvus was incubated at different calcium formate concentrations and starting culture densities. Up to 91.4% ± 1.6% of the initial calcium was precipitated in the methane-amended cultures compared to 35.1% ± 11.9% when methane was not added. Because the bacteria could only utilize methane for growth, higher culture densities and subsequently calcium removals were exhibited in the cultures when methane was added. A higher calcium carbonate precipitate yield was obtained when higher culture densities were used but not necessarily when more calcium formate was added. This was mainly due to salt inhibition of the bacterial activity at a high calcium formate concentration. A maximum 0.67 ± 0.03 g of CaCO3 g of Ca(CHOOH)2(-1) calcium carbonate precipitate yield was obtained when a culture of 10(9) cells ml(-1) and 5 g of calcium formate liter(-)1 were used. Compared to the current strategy employing biogenic urea degradation as the basis for MICP, our approach presents significant improvements in the environmental sustainability of the application in the construction industry.

Formate Oxidation-Driven Calcium Carbonate Precipitation by Methylocystis parvus OBBP

PubMed Central

Ganendra, Giovanni; De Muynck, Willem; Ho, Adrian; Arvaniti, Eleni Charalampous; Hosseinkhani, Baharak; Ramos, Jose Angel; Rahier, Hubert

2014-01-01

Microbially induced carbonate precipitation (MICP) applied in the construction industry poses several disadvantages such as ammonia release to the air and nitric acid production. An alternative MICP from calcium formate by Methylocystis parvus OBBP is presented here to overcome these disadvantages. To induce calcium carbonate precipitation, M. parvus was incubated at different calcium formate concentrations and starting culture densities. Up to 91.4% ± 1.6% of the initial calcium was precipitated in the methane-amended cultures compared to 35.1% ± 11.9% when methane was not added. Because the bacteria could only utilize methane for growth, higher culture densities and subsequently calcium removals were exhibited in the cultures when methane was added. A higher calcium carbonate precipitate yield was obtained when higher culture densities were used but not necessarily when more calcium formate was added. This was mainly due to salt inhibition of the bacterial activity at a high calcium formate concentration. A maximum 0.67 ± 0.03 g of CaCO3 g of Ca(CHOOH)2−1 calcium carbonate precipitate yield was obtained when a culture of 109 cells ml−1 and 5 g of calcium formate liter−1 were used. Compared to the current strategy employing biogenic urea degradation as the basis for MICP, our approach presents significant improvements in the environmental sustainability of the application in the construction industry. PMID:24837386

Cellulose accessibility and microbial community in solid state anaerobic digestion of rape straw.

PubMed

Tian, Jiang-Hao; Pourcher, Anne-Marie; Bureau, Chrystelle; Peu, Pascal

2017-01-01

Solid state anaerobic digestion (SSAD) with leachate recirculation is an appropriate method for the valorization of agriculture residues. Rape straw is a massively produced residue with considerable biochemical methane potential, but its degradation in SSAD remains poorly understood. A thorough study was conducted to understand the performance of rape straw as feedstock for laboratory solid state anaerobic digesters. We investigated the methane production kinetics of rape straw in relation to cellulose accessibility to cellulase and the microbial community. Improving cellulose accessibility through milling had a positive influence on both the methane production rate and methane yield. The SSAD of rape straw reached 60% of its BMP in a 40-day pilot-scale test. Distinct bacterial communities were observed in digested rape straw and leachate, with Bacteroidales and Sphingobacteriales as the most abundant orders, respectively. Archaeal populations showed no phase preference and increased chronologically. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Design and operation of an anaerobic digester for waste management and fuel generation during long term lunar mission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dhoble, Abhishek S.; Pullammanappallil, Pratap C.

2014-10-01

Waste treatment and management for manned long term exploratory missions to moon will be a challenge due to longer mission duration. The present study investigated appropriate digester technologies that could be used on the base. The effect of stirring, operation temperature, organic loading rate and reactor design on the methane production rate and methane yield was studied. For the same duration of digestion, the unmixed digester produced 20-50% more methane than mixed system. Two-stage design which separated the soluble components from the solids and treated them separately had more rapid kinetics than one stage system, producing the target methane potential in one-half the retention time than the one stage system. The two stage system degraded 6% more solids than the single stage system. The two stage design formed the basis of a prototype digester sized for a four-person crew during one year exploratory lunar mission.

Methane emission from animals: A Global High-Resolution Data Base

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lerner, Jean; Matthews, Elaine; Fung, Inez

1988-06-01

We present a high-resolution global data base of animal population densities and associated methane emission. Statistics on animal populations from the Food and Agriculture Organization and other sources have been compiled. Animals were distributed using a 1° resolution data base of countries of the world and a 1° resolution data base of land use. The animals included are cattle and dairy cows, water buffalo, sheep, goats, camels, pigs, horses and caribou. Published estimates of methane production from each type of animal have been applied to the animal populations to yield a global distribution of annual methane emission by animals. There is large spatial variability in the distribution of animal populations and their methane emissions. Emission rates greater than 5000 kg CH4 km-2 yr-1 are found in small regions such as Bangladesh, the Benelux countries, parts of northern India, and New Zealand. Of the global annual emission of 75.8 Tg CH4 for 1984, about 55% is concentrated between 25°N and 55°N, a significant contribution to the observed north-south gradient of atmospheric methane concentration. A magnetic tape of the global data bases is available from the authors.

Why Methane Increasing in the Atmosphere is Pushing us Towards New Analytical Approaches for Stable Isotope Ratios

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

White, J. W. C.; Michel, S. E.; Vaughn, B. H.; Miller, J. B.; Masarie, K. A.; Dlugokencky, E. J.; Sherwood, O.; Tans, P. P.

2015-12-01

Methane is increasing again in the atmosphere after nearly a decade of stable concentrations. As methane has risen by 2.5 times since the beginning of the industrial era, such a rise in concentrations is not surprising. Carbon isotopes, however, make it clear that the recent rise is not simply a resumption of the dramatic rise in the 1900s, but that other causes are at play, and that multiple fluxes may be interacting to yield the observed rise. At the same time, cautious attention is focused on the Arctic, where vast stores of carbon are poised for release as frozen soils melt, and some of that carbon will be released as methane. These realities make it imperative that we improve our monitoring of methane and methane isotopes in the atmosphere. This talk will address the issues that we face in meeting this challenge in the NOAA Global Greenhouse Gas Reference Network, including targets for precision and accuracy needed to calculate regional and global fluxes, technological advances in analytical equipment, maintaining standards, ensuring adequate monitoring sites and meeting all of these needs in an era of funding cuts and uncertainty for environmental monitoring.

Effect of liquid nitrogen pre-treatment on various types of wool waste fibres for biogas production.

PubMed

Kuzmanova, Elena; Zhelev, Nikolai; Akunna, Joseph C

2018-05-01

This study investigated the role of liquid nitrogen (LN 2 ) in increasing microbial accessibility of wool proteins for biogas production. It involves a mechanical size reduction of four different types of raw wool fibres, namely, Blackface, Bluefaced Leicester, Texel and Scotch Mule, in presence of liquid nitrogen, followed by the determination of the methane production potential of the pre-treated wool fibres. The highest methane yield, 157.3 cm 3 g -1 VS, was obtained from pre-treated Scotch mule wool fibre culture, and represented more than 80% increase when compared to the yield obtained from its raw equivalent culture. The increase in biogas yield was attributed to the effectiveness of LN 2 in enhancing particle size reduction and the consequent increase in wool solubility and bioavailability. Results also showed that LN 2 pre-treatment can enhance size reduction but has limited effect on the molecular structure. The study also showed that the biogas potential of waste wool fibres varies with the type and source of wool.

Low-temperature limitation of bioreactor sludge in anaerobic treatment of domestic wastewater.

PubMed

Bowen, Emma J; Dolfing, Jan; Davenport, Russell J; Read, Fiona L; Curtis, Thomas P

2014-01-01

Two strategies exist for seeding low-temperature anaerobic reactors: the use of specialist psychrophilic biomass or mesophilic bioreactor sludge acclimated to low temperature. We sought to determine the low-temperature limitation of anaerobic sludge from a bioreactor acclimated to UK temperatures (<15 °C). Anaerobic incubation tests using low-strength real domestic wastewater (DWW) and various alternative soluble COD sources were conducted at 4, 8 and 15 °C; methanogenesis and acidogenesis were monitored separately. Production of methane and acetate was observed; decreasing temperature resulted in decreased yields and increased 'start-up' times. At 4 °C methanogenesis not hydrolysis/acidogenesis was rate-limiting. The final methane yields at 4 °C were less than 35% of the theoretical potential whilst at 8 and 15 °C more than 75 and 100% of the theoretical yield was achieved respectively. We propose that the lower temperature limit for DWW treatment with anaerobic bioreactor sludge lies between 8 and 4 °C and that 8 °C is the threshold for reliable operation.

Sequential high gravity ethanol fermentation and anaerobic digestion of steam explosion and organosolv pretreated corn stover.

PubMed

Katsimpouras, Constantinos; Zacharopoulou, Maria; Matsakas, Leonidas; Rova, Ulrika; Christakopoulos, Paul; Topakas, Evangelos

2017-11-01

The present work investigates the suitability of pretreated corn stover (CS) to serve as feedstock for high gravity (HG) ethanol production at solids-content of 24wt%. Steam explosion, with and without the addition of H 2 SO 4 , and organosolv pretreated CS samples underwent a liquefaction/saccharification step followed by simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF). Maximum ethanol concentration of ca. 76g/L (78.3% ethanol yield) was obtained from steam exploded CS (SECS) with 0.2% H 2 SO 4 . Organosolv pretreated CS (OCS) also resulted in high ethanol concentration of ca. 65g/L (62.3% ethanol yield). Moreover, methane production through anaerobic digestion (AD) was conducted from fermentation residues and resulted in maximum methane yields of ca. 120 and 69mL/g volatile solids (VS) for SECS and OCS samples, respectively. The results indicated that the implementation of a liquefaction/saccharification step before SSF employing a liquefaction reactor seemed to handle HG conditions adequately. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Synergistic impact of sonic-tenside on biomass disintegration potential: Acidogenic and methane potential studies, kinetics and cost analytics.

PubMed

Tamilarasan, K; Arulazhagan, P; Rani, R Uma; Kaliappan, S; Banu, J Rajesh

2018-04-01

An exploration into the symbiotic impact of sonic-tenside (SDBS - sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate) on biomass disintegration potential and to reduce the energy consumption was studied. At optimized condition (specific energy input 9600 kJ/kg TS; SDBS dosage 0.07 g/g SS), higher percentage of biomass lysis and solids reduction (23.9% and 19.8%) was obtained in blended sonic-tenside disintegration (STD), than sonic disintegration (SD) (17.6% and 9.8%). The bioacidogenic potential (BAP) assay in terms of volatile fatty acids (VFA) production (722 mg/L) was found to be higher for STD, in comparison to SD (350 mg/L). The impact of STD on anaerobic digestion was evident from its methane yield (0.239 g/g COD), higher than SD (0.182 g/g COD). A monetary evaluation of the present study provides a net gain of 2 USD/ton for STD, indicating the profitability of the technique. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Methanogenic community composition in an organic waste mixture in an anaerobic bioreactor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gryta, Agata; Oszust, Karolina; Brzezińska, Małgorzata; Ziemiński, Krzysztof; Bilińska-Wielgus, Nina; Frąc, Magdalena

2017-07-01

The aim of the study was to elucidate the substantial relationship between the compositions of methanogen community that assembles in the anaerobic digester mass and link it to methane production activity. The results of the metagenomic studies were used to evaluate how the methanogen structure changes during an anaerobic digestion process under various waste retention times (21, 23, 25, 29, 33, 39, 47 and 61 days). Phylogenetically coherent populations of methanogens were assessed by 16S rRNA gene next-generation sequencing and terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism fingerprinting of a specific molecular marker, the mcrA gene. The results indicated multiple phylogenetically diverse methanogen populations associated with the various steps of anaerobic digestion. The stages of the anaerobic digestion process and waste retention times determine the microbial composition. The most dominant and acclimated microbial communities in all samples belonged to the genera Methanosaeta and Methanobacterium. The methane yield was consistent with the results of the microbial community structure, which indicated that acetotrophic Methanosaeta was the most active and most important during the methanogenic stage.

Thermophilic co-digestion of cattle manure and food waste supplemented with crude glycerin in induced bed reactor (IBR).

PubMed

Castrillón, L; Marañón, E; Fernández-Nava, Y; Ormaechea, P; Quiroga, G

2013-05-01

The aim of the present research work was to boost biogas production from cattle manure (CM) by adding food waste (FW) and crude glycerin (Gly) from the biodiesel industry as co-substrates. For this purpose, different quantities of FW and Gly were added to CM and co-digested in an induced bed reactor (IBR) at 55 °C. Sonication pre-treatment was implemented in the CM+Gly mixture, applying 550 kJ/kg TS to enhance the biodegradability of these co-substrates. The best results were obtained with mixtures of 87/10/3 (CM/FW/Gly) (w/w) operating at an organic loading rate of 7 g COD/L day, obtaining 92% COD removal, a specific methane yield of 640 L CH4/kg VS and a methane production rate of 2.6L CH4/L day. These results doubled those obtained in the co-digestion of CM and FW without the addition of Gly (330 L CH4/kg VS and 1.2L CH4/L day). Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Co-digestion of food waste in a municipal wastewater treatment plant: Comparison of batch tests and full-scale experiences.

PubMed

Koch, Konrad; Plabst, Markus; Schmidt, Andreas; Helmreich, Brigitte; Drewes, Jörg E

2016-01-01

The effects of co-digestion of food waste in a municipal wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) were studied in batch tests. The results obtained were compared with the mass balance of a digester at a full-scale WWTP for a one-year period without and with the addition of co-substrate. The specific methane yield calculated from the balance was 18% higher than the one in the batch tests, suggesting a stimulation of methane generation by co-digestion. It was hypothesized that this increase was caused by shifting the C/N ratio of raw sludge (8.8) to a more favourable ratio of the added food waste (17.7). In addition, potential benefits by adding food waste for energy autarky was investigated. While just 25% of the total energy demand of the plant could be recovered by biogas generation when no co-substrate was fed, this percentage has more than doubled when food waste was added at a ratio of 10% (w/w). Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Methane emissions from different coastal wetlands in New England, US

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, F.; Tang, J.; Kroeger, K. D.; Gonneea, M. E.

2017-12-01

According to the IPCC, methane have 25 times warming effect than CO2, and natural wetlands contribute 20-39 % to the global emission of methane. Although most of these methane was from inland wetlands, there was still large uncertain in the methane emissions in coastal wetlands. In the past three years, we have investigated methane emissions in coastal wetlands in MA, USA. Contrary to previous assumptions, we have observed relative larger methane flux in some salt marshes than freshwater wetlands. We further detect the methane source, and found that plant activities played an important role in methane flux, for example, the growth of S. aterniflora, the dominate plants in salt marsh, could enhance methane emission, while in an fresh water wetland that was dominated by cattail, plant activity oxided methane and reduced total flux. Phragmite, an invasive plant at brackish marsh, have the highest methane flux among all coastal wetland investigated. This study indicated that coastal wetland could still emit relatively high amount of methane even under high water salinity condiations, and plant activity played an important role in methane flux, and this role was highly species-specific.

A Multifaceted Study of Methane Adsorption in Metal-Organic Frameworks by Using Three Complementary Techniques.

PubMed

Zhang, Yue; Lucier, Bryan E G; Fischer, Michael; Gan, Zhehong; Boyle, Paul D; Desveaux, Bligh; Huang, Yining

2018-03-25

Methane is a promising clean and inexpensive energy alternative to traditional fossil fuels, however, its low volumetric energy density at ambient conditions has made devising viable, efficient methane storage systems very challenging. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are promising candidates for methane storage. In order to improve the methane storage capacity of MOFs, a better understanding of the methane adsorption, mobility, and host-guest interactions within MOFs must be realized. In this study, methane adsorption within α-Mg 3 (HCO 2 ) 6 , α-Zn 3 (HCO 2 ) 6 , SIFSIX-3-Zn, and M-MOF-74 (M=Mg, Zn, Ni, Co) has been comprehensively examined. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction (SCXRD) experiments and DFT calculations of the methane adsorption locations were performed for α-Mg 3 (HCO 2 ) 6 , α-Zn 3 (HCO 2 ) 6 , and SIFSIX-3-Zn. The SCXRD thermal ellipsoids indicate that methane possesses significant mobility at the adsorption sites in each system. 2 H solid-state NMR (SSNMR) experiments targeting deuterated CH 3 D guests in α-Mg 3 (HCO 2 ) 6 , α-Zn 3 (HCO 2 ) 6 , SIFSIX-3-Zn, and MOF-74 yield an interesting finding: the 2 H SSNMR spectra of methane adsorbed in these MOFs are significantly influenced by the chemical shielding anisotropy in addition to the quadrupolar interaction. The chemical shielding anisotropy contribution is likely due mainly to the nuclear independent chemical shift effect on the MOF surfaces. In addition, the 2 H SSNMR results and DFT calculations strongly indicate that the methane adsorption strength is linked to the MOF pore size and that dispersive forces are responsible for the methane adsorption in these systems. This work lays a very promising foundation for future studies of methane adsorption locations and dynamics within adsorbent MOF materials. © 2018 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Site-Specific Management of Miscanthus Genotypes for Combustion and Anaerobic Digestion: A Comparison of Energy Yields.

PubMed

Kiesel, Andreas; Nunn, Christopher; Iqbal, Yasir; Van der Weijde, Tim; Wagner, Moritz; Özgüven, Mensure; Tarakanov, Ivan; Kalinina, Olena; Trindade, Luisa M; Clifton-Brown, John; Lewandowski, Iris

2017-01-01

In Europe, the perennial C 4 grass miscanthus is currently mainly cultivated for energy generation via combustion. In recent years, anaerobic digestion has been identified as a promising alternative utilization pathway. Anaerobic digestion produces a higher-value intermediate (biogas), which can be upgraded to biomethane, stored in the existing natural gas infrastructure and further utilized as a transport fuel or in combined heat and power plants. However, the upgrading of the solid biomass into gaseous fuel leads to conversion-related energy losses, the level of which depends on the cultivation parameters genotype, location, and harvest date. Thus, site-specific crop management needs to be adapted to the intended utilization pathway. The objectives of this paper are to quantify (i) the impact of genotype, location and harvest date on energy yields of anaerobic digestion and combustion and (ii) the conversion losses of upgrading solid biomass into biogas. For this purpose, five miscanthus genotypes (OPM 3, 6, 9, 11, 14), three cultivation locations (Adana, Moscow, Stuttgart), and up to six harvest dates (August-March) were assessed. Anaerobic digestion yielded, on average, 35% less energy than combustion. Genotype, location, and harvest date all had significant impacts on the energy yield. For both, this is determined by dry matter yield and ash content and additionally by substrate-specific methane yield for anaerobic digestion and moisture content for combustion. Averaged over all locations and genotypes, an early harvest in August led to 25% and a late harvest to 45% conversion losses. However, each utilization option has its own optimal harvest date, determined by biomass yield, biomass quality, and cutting tolerance. By applying an autumn green harvest for anaerobic digestion and a delayed harvest for combustion, the conversion-related energy loss was reduced to an average of 18%. This clearly shows that the delayed harvest required to maintain biomass quality for combustion is accompanied by high energy losses through yield reduction over winter. The pre-winter harvest applied in the biogas utilization pathway avoids these yield losses and largely compensates for the conversion-related energy losses of anaerobic digestion.

Site-Specific Management of Miscanthus Genotypes for Combustion and Anaerobic Digestion: A Comparison of Energy Yields

PubMed Central

Kiesel, Andreas; Nunn, Christopher; Iqbal, Yasir; Van der Weijde, Tim; Wagner, Moritz; Özgüven, Mensure; Tarakanov, Ivan; Kalinina, Olena; Trindade, Luisa M.; Clifton-Brown, John; Lewandowski, Iris

2017-01-01

In Europe, the perennial C4 grass miscanthus is currently mainly cultivated for energy generation via combustion. In recent years, anaerobic digestion has been identified as a promising alternative utilization pathway. Anaerobic digestion produces a higher-value intermediate (biogas), which can be upgraded to biomethane, stored in the existing natural gas infrastructure and further utilized as a transport fuel or in combined heat and power plants. However, the upgrading of the solid biomass into gaseous fuel leads to conversion-related energy losses, the level of which depends on the cultivation parameters genotype, location, and harvest date. Thus, site-specific crop management needs to be adapted to the intended utilization pathway. The objectives of this paper are to quantify (i) the impact of genotype, location and harvest date on energy yields of anaerobic digestion and combustion and (ii) the conversion losses of upgrading solid biomass into biogas. For this purpose, five miscanthus genotypes (OPM 3, 6, 9, 11, 14), three cultivation locations (Adana, Moscow, Stuttgart), and up to six harvest dates (August–March) were assessed. Anaerobic digestion yielded, on average, 35% less energy than combustion. Genotype, location, and harvest date all had significant impacts on the energy yield. For both, this is determined by dry matter yield and ash content and additionally by substrate-specific methane yield for anaerobic digestion and moisture content for combustion. Averaged over all locations and genotypes, an early harvest in August led to 25% and a late harvest to 45% conversion losses. However, each utilization option has its own optimal harvest date, determined by biomass yield, biomass quality, and cutting tolerance. By applying an autumn green harvest for anaerobic digestion and a delayed harvest for combustion, the conversion-related energy loss was reduced to an average of 18%. This clearly shows that the delayed harvest required to maintain biomass quality for combustion is accompanied by high energy losses through yield reduction over winter. The pre-winter harvest applied in the biogas utilization pathway avoids these yield losses and largely compensates for the conversion-related energy losses of anaerobic digestion. PMID:28367151

Linseed plus nitrate in the diet for fattening bulls: effects on methane emission, animal health and residues in offal.

PubMed

Doreau, M; Arbre, M; Popova, M; Rochette, Y; Martin, C

2018-03-01

The combination of linseed and nitrate is known to decrease enteric methane emission in dairy cows but few studies have been carried out in fattening cattle for animal liveweight gain, enteric methane emission, animal health and presence of residues in beef products. To address this gap, 16 young bulls received a control (C) diet between weaning at 9 months and 14 months, then were split into two groups of eight balanced on feed intake, BW gain and methane emission to receive either the C diet or a diet moderately supplemented with extruded linseed and calcium nitrate (LN) for 2 months before being slaughtered. On a dry matter (DM) basis, the C diet contained 70% baled grass silage and 30% concentrate mainly made of maize, wheat and rapeseed meal. In the LN diet, rapeseed meal and a fraction of cereals were replaced by 35% extruded linseed and 6% calcium nitrate; linseed fatty acids and nitrate supply in the LN diet were 1.9% and 1.0%, respectively. Methane emission was measured continuously using the GreenFeed system. Methaemoglobin was determined every week in peripheral blood from bulls receiving the LN diet. Nitrate and nitrite concentrations were determined in rumen, liver and tongue sampled at slaughter. Dry matter intake tended to be lower for LN diet (P=0.10). Body weight gain was lower for LN diet (P=0.01; 1.60 and 1.26 kg/day for C and LN diet, respectively). Daily methane emission was 9% lower (P<0.001) for LN than C diet (249 and 271 g/day, respectively) but methane yield did not differ between diets (24.1 and 23.2 g/kg DM intake for C and LN diet, respectively, P=0.34). Methaemoglobin was under the limit of detection (<2% of total haemoglobin) for most animals and was always lower than 5.6%, suggesting an absence of risk to animal health. Nitrite and nitrate concentrations in offal did not differ between C and LN diets. In conclusion, a moderate supply of linseed and nitrate in bull feed failed to decrease enteric methane yield and impaired bull liveweight gain but without adverse effects for animal health and food safety.

Anaerobic digestion performance of sweet potato vine and animal manure under wet, semi-dry, and dry conditions.

PubMed

Zhang, Enlan; Li, Jiajia; Zhang, Keqiang; Wang, Feng; Yang, Houhua; Zhi, Suli; Liu, Guangqing

2018-03-22

Sweet potato vine (SPV) is an abundant agricultural waste, which is easy to obtain at low cost and has the potential to produce clean energy via anaerobic digestion (AD). The main objectives of this study were to reveal methane production and process stability of SPV and the mixtures with animal manure under various total solid conditions, to verify synergetic effect in co-digestion of SPV and manure in AD systems, and to determine the kinetics characteristics during the full AD process. The results showed that SPV was desirable feedstock for AD with 200.22 mL/g VS added of methane yield in wet anaerobic digestion and 12.20 L methane /L working volume in dry anaerobic digestion (D-AD). Synergistic effects were found in semi-dry anaerobic digestion and D-AD with each two mixing feedstock. In contrast with SPV mono-digestion, co-digestion with manure increased methane yield within the range of 14.34-49.11% in different AD digesters. The values of final volatile fatty acids to total alkalinity (TA) were below 0.4 and the values of final pH were within the range of 7.4-8.2 in all the reactors, which supported a positive relationship between carbohydrate hydrolysis and methanogenesis during AD process. The mathematical modified first order model was applied to estimate substrate biodegradability and methane production potential well with conversion constant ranged from 0.0003 to 0.0953 1/day, which indicated that co-digestion increased hydrolysis efficiency and metabolic activity. This work provides useful information to improve the utilization and stability of digestion using SPV and livestock or poultry manure as substrates.

The seasonal evolution of fruit, vegetable and yard wastes by mono, co and tri-digestion at Hyderabad, Sindh Pakistan.

PubMed

Korai, Muhammad Safar; Mahar, Rasool Bux; Uqaili, Muhammad Aslam

2018-01-01

The contribution of biowastes in municipal solid waste (MSW) is increasing day by day and being dumped in open atmosphere along with other wastes in every city of Pakistan. This study was formulated to evaluate the feasibility of biowastes such as fruit, vegetable and yard wastes of different seasons individual and mixing at different ratios to optimize methane production at Hyderabad Sindh, Pakistan. Batch digestion of selected samples was conducted for 40 days under mesophilic condition. Methane yield of individual fruit, vegetable and yard wastes (FrVYW) of summer and winter season was obtained in the range of 0.36-0.40 L/g VS and 0.39-0.44 L/g VS added respectively. The results of co-digestion of FrVYW of summer and winter season were observed in the range of 0.42-0.45 L/g VS added and 0.46 to 0.54 L/g VS added respectively. The results of tri-digestion of FrVYW of summer and winter season were achieved in the range of 0.46-0.53 L/g VS added and 0.56-0.62 L/g VS added respectively. Findings of study showed that methane production potential of tri-digestions were highest than all of others and that of co-digestion were higher than mono-digestion of FrVYW. Overall results of study concluded that tri-digestion of FrVYW at the equal blending ratio reported highest methane potential. Therefore, the study recommended that tri-digestion of FrVYW at equal mixing ratio is an optimal ratio for anaerobic digestion process to yield maximum methane production from FrVYW. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Metabolism of reduced methylated sulfur compounds in anaerobic sediments and by a pure culture of an estuarine methanogen

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kiene, R.P.; Oremland, Ronald S.; Catena, Anthony; Miller, Laurence G.; Capone, D.G.

1986-01-01

Addition of dimethylsulfide (DMS), dimethyldisulfide (DMDS), or methane thiol (MSH) to a diversity of anoxic aquatic sediments (e.g., fresh water, estuarine, alkaline/hypersaline) stimulated methane production. The yield of methane recovered from DMS was often 52 to 63%, although high concentrations of DMS (as well as MSH and DMDS) inhibited methanogenesis in some types of sediments. Production of methane from these reduced methylated sulfur compounds was blocked by 2-bromoethanesulfonic acid. Sulfate did not influence the metabolism of millimolar levels of DMS, DMDS, or MSH added to sediments. However, when DMS was added at ∼2-μM levels as [14C]DMS, metabolism by sediments resulted in a 14CH4/14CO2 ratio of only 0.06. Addition of molybdate increased the ratio to 1.8, while 2-bromoethanesulfonic acid decreased it to 0, but did not block 14CO2 production. These results indicate the methanogens and sulfate reducers compete for DMS when it is present at low concentrations; however, at high concentrations, DMS is a “noncompetitive” substrate for methanogens. Metabolism of DMS by sediments resulted in the appearance of MSH as a transient intermediate. A pure culture of an obligately methylotrophic estuarine methanogen was isolated which was capable of growth on DMS. Metabolism of DMS by the culture also resulted in the transient appearance of MSH, but the organism could grow on neither MSH nor DMDS. The culture metabolized [14C]-DMS to yield a 14CH4/14CO2 ratio of ∼2.8. Reduced methylated sulfur compounds represent a new class of substrates for methanogens and may be potential precursors of methane in a variety of aquatic habitats.

Effects of forage source and extruded linseed supplementation on methane emissions from growing dairy cattle of differing body weights.

PubMed

Hammond, K J; Humphries, D J; Crompton, L A; Kirton, P; Reynolds, C K

2015-11-01

Changes in diet carbohydrate amount and type (i.e., starch vs. fiber) and dietary oil supplements can affect ruminant methane emissions. Our objectives were to measure methane emissions, whole-tract digestibility, and energy and nitrogen utilization from growing dairy cattle at 2 body weight (BW) ranges, fed diets containing either high maize silage (MS) or high grass silage (GS), without or with supplemental oil from extruded linseed (ELS). Four Holstein-Friesian heifers aged 13 mo (BW range from start to finish of 382 to 526 kg) were used in experiment 1, whereas 4 lighter heifers aged 12 mo (BW range from start to finish of 292 to 419 kg) were used in experiment 2. Diets were fed as total mixed rations with forage dry matter (DM) containing high MS or high GS and concentrates in proportions (forage:concentrate, DM basis) of either 75:25 (experiment 1) or 60:40 (experiment 2), respectively. Diets were supplemented without or with ELS (Lintec, BOCM Pauls Ltd., Wherstead, UK; 260 g of oil/kg of DM) at 6% of ration DM. Each experiment was a 4 × 4 Latin square design with 33-d periods, with measurements during d 29 to 33 while animals were housed in respiration chambers. Heifers fed MS at a heavier BW (experiment 1) emitted 20% less methane per unit of DM intake (yield) compared with GS (21.4 vs. 26.6, respectively). However, when repeated with heifers of a lower BW (experiment 2), methane yield did not differ between the 2 diets (26.6g/kg of DM intake). Differences in heifer BW had no overall effect on methane emissions, except when expressed as grams per kilogram of digestible organic matter (OMD) intake (32.4 vs. 36.6, heavy vs. light heifers). Heavier heifers fed MS in experiment 1 had a greater DM intake (9.4kg/d) and lower OMD (755 g/kg), but no difference in N utilization (31% of N intake) compared with heifers fed GS (7.9 kg/d and 799 g/kg, respectively). Tissue energy retention was nearly double for heifers fed MS compared with GS in experiment 1 (15 vs. 8% of energy intake, respectively). Heifers fed MS in experiment 2 had similar DM intake (7.2 kg/d) and retention of energy (5% of intake energy) and N (28% of N intake), compared with GS-fed heifers, but OMD was lower (741 vs. 765 g/kg, respectively). No effect of ELS was noted on any of the variables measured, irrespective of animal BW, and this was likely due to the relatively low amount of supplemental oil provided. Differences in heifer BW did not markedly influence dietary effects on methane emissions. Differences in methane yield were attributable to differences in dietary starch and fiber composition associated with forage type and source. Copyright © 2015 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Methane Metabolizing Microbial Communities in the Cold Seep Areas in the Northern Continental Shelf of South China Sea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, F.; Liang, Q.

2016-12-01

Marine sediment contains large amount of methane, estimated approximately 500-2500 gigatonnes of dissolved and hydrated methane carbon stored therein, mainly in continental margins. In localized specific areas named cold seeps, hydrocarbon (mainly methane) containing fluids rise to the seafloor, and support oases of ecosystem composed of various microorganisms and faunal assemblages. South China Sea (SCS) is surrounded by passive continental margins in the west and north and convergent margins in the south and east. Thick organic-rich sediments have accumulated in the SCS since the late Mesozoic, which are continuing sources to form gas hydrates in the sediments of SCS. Here, Microbial ecosystems, particularly those involved in methane transformations were investigated in the cold seep areas (Qiongdongnan, Shenhu, and Dongsha) in the northern continental shelf of SCS. Multiple interdisciplinary analytic tools such as stable isotope probing, geochemical analysis, and molecular ecology, were applied for a comprehensive understanding of the microbe mediated methane transformation in this project. A variety of sediments cores have been collected, the geochemical profiles and the associated microbial distribution along the sediment cores were recorded. The major microbial groups involved in the methane transformation in these sediment cores were revealed, known methane producing and oxidizing archaea including Methanosarcinales, anaerobic methane oxidizing groups ANME-1, ANME-2 and their niche preference in the SCS sediments were found. In-depth comparative analysis revealed the presence of SCS-specific archaeal subtypes which probably reflected the evolution and adaptation of these methane metabolizing microbes to the SCS environmental conditions. Our work represents the first comprehensive analysis of the methane metabolizing microbial communities in the cold seep areas along the northern continental shelf of South China Sea, would provide new insight into the mechanisms of methane biotransformation.

Co-digestion of bovine slaughterhouse wastes, cow manure, various crops and municipal solid waste at thermophilic conditions: a comparison with specific case running at mesophilic conditions.

PubMed

Pagés-Díaz, J; Sárvári-Horváth, I; Pérez-Olmo, J; Pereda-Reyes, I

2013-01-01

A co-digestion process was evaluated when mixing different ratios of agro-industrial residues, i.e. bovine slaughterhouse waste (SB); cow manure (M); various crop residues (VC); and municipal solid waste (MSW) by anaerobic batch digestion under thermophilic conditions (55 °C). A selected study case at mesophilic condition (37 °C) was also investigated. The performance of the co-digestion was evaluated by kinetics (k(0)). The best kinetic results were obtained under thermophilic operation when a mixture of 22% w/w SB, 22% w/w M, 45% w/w VC and 11% w/w MSW was co-digested, which showed a proper combination of high values in r(s)CH(4) and k(0) (0.066 Nm(3)CH(4)/kgVS*d, 0.336 d(-1)) during the anaerobic process. The effect of temperature on methane yield (Y(CH4)), specific methane rate (r(s)CH(4)) and k(0) was also analyzed for a specific study case; there a mixture of 25% w/w of SB, 37.5% w/w of M, 37.5% of VC and 0% of MSW was used. Response variables were severely affected by mesophilic conditions, diminishing to at least 45% of the thermophilic values obtained for a similar mixture. The effect of temperature suggested that thermophilic conditions are suitable to treat these residues.

Rapid rates of aerobic methane oxidation at the feather edge of gas hydrate stability in the waters of Hudson Canyon, US Atlantic Margin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leonte, Mihai; Kessler, John D.; Kellermann, Matthias Y.; Arrington, Eleanor C.; Valentine, David L.; Sylva, Sean P.

2017-05-01

Aerobic oxidation is an important methane sink in seawater overlying gas seeps. Recent surveys have identified active methane seeps in the waters of Hudson Canyon, US Atlantic Margin near the updip limit of methane clathrate hydrate stability. The close proximity of these seeps to the upper stability limit of methane hydrates suggests that changing bottom water temperatures may influence the release rate of methane into the overlying water column. In order to assess the significance of aerobic methane oxidation in limiting the atmospheric expression of methane released from Hudson Canyon, the total extent of methane oxidized along with integrated oxidation rates were quantified. These calculations were performed by combining the measurements of the natural levels of methane concentrations, stable carbon isotopes, and water current velocities into kinetic isotope models yielding rates ranging from 22.8 ± 17 to 116 ± 76 nM/day with an average of 62.7 ± 37 nM/day. Furthermore, an average of 63% of methane released into the water column from an average depth of 515 m was oxidized before leaving this relatively small study area (6.5 km2). Results from the kinetic isotope model were compared to previously-published but concurrently-sampled ex situ measurements of oxidation potential performed using 13C-labeled methane. Ex situ rates were substantially lower, ranging from 0.1 to 22.5 nM/day with an average of 5.6 ± 2.3 nM/day, the discrepancy likely due to the inherent differences between these two techniques. Collectively, the results reveal exceptionally-rapid methane oxidation, with turnover times for methane as low as 0.3-3.7 days, indicating that methane released to the water column is removed quantitatively within the greater extent of Hudson Canyon. The red line represents the original Rayleigh model output, Eq. (1), detailed in the text. The red line represents the original Rayleigh model output, Eq. (1), detailed in the text.

Optimization of methane production by combining organic waste and cow manure as feedstock in anaerobic digestion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Theresia, Martha; Priadi, Cindy Rianti

2017-03-01

The anaerobic digestion (AD) process from organic waste is often unstable due to the high concentration of Volatile Fatty Acids (VFAs). The purpose of this research was to determine/evaluate the production of methane using biochemical methane potential (BMP) test with two substrate combinations, consisted of organic waste and cow manure as buffer. BMP test conducted for 35 days at a temperature of ± 35°C by measuring the volume and concentration of biogas every week and testing the sample characteristics before and after the test. The result of the sample variation showed there was no significantly difference of methane volume in the 5th week except the variation of organic waste/cow manure: 12/1 to 3/1, but the sample with a ratio of 3/1 yielded the highest methane potential of 0,58 ± 0.015 (n = 3) LCH4/gr Volatile Solid. The addition of cow manure stabilized the condition of all variations during BMP test with VFAs/alkalinity <0.3 although Carbon/Nitogen ratio of each variation is <20.

Enhanced methane production from Taihu Lake blue algae by anaerobic co-digestion with corn straw in continuous feed digesters.

PubMed

Zhong, Weizhang; Chi, Lina; Luo, Yijing; Zhang, Zhongzhi; Zhang, Zhenjia; Wu, Wei-Min

2013-04-01

Anaerobic digestion of Taihu blue algae was tested in laboratory scale, continuous feed digesters (hydraulic retention time 10 days) at 35°C and various organic loading rates (OLR). The methane production and biomass digestion performed well at OLR below 4.00 gVSL(-1)d(-1) but deteriorated as OLR increased due to the increased ammonia concentration, causing inhibition mainly to acetate and propionate degradation. Supplementing corn straw as co-feedstock significantly improved the digestion performance. The optimal C/N ratio for the co-digestion was 20:1 at OLR of 6.00 gVSL(-1) d(-1). Methane yield of 234 mL CH4 gVS(-1) and methane productivity of 1404 mL CH4 L(-1) d(-1) were achieved with solid removal of 63%. Compared with the algae alone, the methane productivity was increased by 46% with less accumulation of ammonia and fatty acids. The reactor rate-limiting step was acetate and propionate degradation. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of silane concentration on the supersonic combustion of a silane/methane mixture

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Northam, G. B.; Mclain, A. G.; Pellett, G. L.; Diskin, G. S.

1986-01-01

A series of direct connect combustor tests was conducted to determine the effect of silane concentration on the supersonic combustion characteristics of silane/methane mixtures. Shock tube ignition delay data indicated more than an order of magnitude reduction in ignition delay times for both 10 and 20 percent silane/methane mixtures as compared to methane. The ignition delay time of the 10 percent mixture was only a factor of 2.3 greater than that of the 20 percent mixture. Supersonic combustion tests were conducted with the fuel injected into a model scramjet combustor. The combustor was mounted at the exit of a Mach 2 nozzle and a hydrogen fired heater was used to provide a variation in test gas total temperature. Tests using the 20 percent silane/methane mixture indicated considerable combustion enhancement when compared to methane alone. This mixture had an autoignition total temperature of 1650 R. This autoignition temperature can be contrasted with 2330 R for hydrogen and 1350 R for a 20 percent silane/hydrogen mixture in similar hardware. Methane without the silane additive did not autoignite in this configuration at total temperatures as high as 3900 R, the maximum temperature at which tests were conducted. Supersonic combustion tests with the silane concentration reduced to 10 percent indicated little improvement in combustion performance over pure methane. The addition of 20 percent silane to methane resulted in a pyrophoric fuel with good supersonic combustion performance. Reducing the silane concentration below this level, however, yielded a less pyrophoric fuel that exhibited poor supersonic combustion performance.

Co-digestion of livestock effluents, energy crops and agro-waste: feeding and process optimization in mesophilic and thermophilic conditions.

PubMed

Giuliano, A; Bolzonella, D; Pavan, P; Cavinato, C; Cecchi, F

2013-01-01

In this study the optimization of the biogas yield from anaerobic co-digestion of manures and energy crops was carried out using four pilot scale CSTRs under different operating conditions. The effect on biogas yield of the partial substitution of energy crops with agro-waste was also investigated. For each substrate used during the continuous trials, BMP batch assays were also carried out to verify the maximum methane yield theoretically obtainable. Continuous operation results indicated that the co-digestion of manures, energy crops and agro-waste was viable at all operating conditions tested, with the greatest specific gas production of 0.54 m(3)/kg VS(fed) at an organic load rate of 2 kg TVS/m(3)(r)d consisting of 50% manure, 25% energy crops and 25% agro-waste on VS basis. No significant differences were observed between high and low loaded reactors suggesting the possibility of either improving the OLR in existing anaerobic reactors or reducing the design volumes of new reactors. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Improved biogas production from food waste by co-digestion with de-oiled grease trap waste.

PubMed

Wu, Li-Jie; Kobayashi, Takuro; Kuramochi, Hidetoshi; Li, Yu-You; Xu, Kai-Qin

2016-02-01

The objective of this study was to assess the feasibility of co-digesting food waste (FW) and de-oiled grease trap waste (GTW) to improve the biogas production. A lab-scale mesophilic digester (MD), a temperature-phased anaerobic digester (TPAD) and a TPAD with recycling (TPAD-R) were synchronously operated under mono-digestion (FW) and co-digestion (FW+de-oiled GTW). Co-digestion increased the biogas yield by 19% in the MD and TPAD-R, with a biogas yield of 0.60L/g VS added. Specific methanogenic activity in the TPAD-R was much higher than that in the MD. In addition to methane, hydrogen at a yield of approximately 1mol/mol hexose was produced in the TPAD-R. Alkalinity was consumed more in the co-digestion than in mono-digestion. Co-digestion resulted in more lipid accumulation in each digester. The MD favored the degradation of lipid and conversion of long-chain fatty acids more than the TPAD and TPAD-R. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A synthesis of methane emissions from 71 northern, temperate, and subtropical wetlands.

PubMed

Turetsky, Merritt R; Kotowska, Agnieszka; Bubier, Jill; Dise, Nancy B; Crill, Patrick; Hornibrook, Ed R C; Minkkinen, Kari; Moore, Tim R; Myers-Smith, Isla H; Nykänen, Hannu; Olefeldt, David; Rinne, Janne; Saarnio, Sanna; Shurpali, Narasinha; Tuittila, Eeva-Stiina; Waddington, J Michael; White, Jeffrey R; Wickland, Kimberly P; Wilmking, Martin

2014-07-01

Wetlands are the largest natural source of atmospheric methane. Here, we assess controls on methane flux using a database of approximately 19 000 instantaneous measurements from 71 wetland sites located across subtropical, temperate, and northern high latitude regions. Our analyses confirm general controls on wetland methane emissions from soil temperature, water table, and vegetation, but also show that these relationships are modified depending on wetland type (bog, fen, or swamp), region (subarctic to temperate), and disturbance. Fen methane flux was more sensitive to vegetation and less sensitive to temperature than bog or swamp fluxes. The optimal water table for methane flux was consistently below the peat surface in bogs, close to the peat surface in poor fens, and above the peat surface in rich fens. However, the largest flux in bogs occurred when dry 30-day averaged antecedent conditions were followed by wet conditions, while in fens and swamps, the largest flux occurred when both 30-day averaged antecedent and current conditions were wet. Drained wetlands exhibited distinct characteristics, e.g. the absence of large flux following wet and warm conditions, suggesting that the same functional relationships between methane flux and environmental conditions cannot be used across pristine and disturbed wetlands. Together, our results suggest that water table and temperature are dominant controls on methane flux in pristine bogs and swamps, while other processes, such as vascular transport in pristine fens, have the potential to partially override the effect of these controls in other wetland types. Because wetland types vary in methane emissions and have distinct controls, these ecosystems need to be considered separately to yield reliable estimates of global wetland methane release. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

A synthesis of methane emissions from 71 northern, temperate, and subtropical wetlands

USGS Publications Warehouse

Turetsky, Merritt R.; Kotowska, Agnieszka; Bubier, Jill; Dise, Nancy B.; Crill, Patrick; Hornibrook, Ed R.C.; Minkkinen, Kari; Moore, Tim R.; Myers-Smith, Isla H.; Nykanen, Hannu; Olefeldt, David; Rinne, Janne; Saarnio, Sanna; Shurpali, Narasinha; Tuittila, Eeva-Stiina; Waddington, J. Michael; White, Jeffrey R.; Wickland, Kimberly P.; Wilmking, Martin

2014-01-01

Wetlands are the largest natural source of atmospheric methane. Here, we assess controls on methane flux using a database of approximately 19 000 instantaneous measurements from 71 wetland sites located across subtropical, temperate, and northern high latitude regions. Our analyses confirm general controls on wetland methane emissions from soil temperature, water table, and vegetation, but also show that these relationships are modified depending on wetland type (bog, fen, or swamp), region (subarctic to temperate), and disturbance. Fen methane flux was more sensitive to vegetation and less sensitive to temperature than bog or swamp fluxes. The optimal water table for methane flux was consistently below the peat surface in bogs, close to the peat surface in poor fens, and above the peat surface in rich fens. However, the largest flux in bogs occurred when dry 30-day averaged antecedent conditions were followed by wet conditions, while in fens and swamps, the largest flux occurred when both 30-day averaged antecedent and current conditions were wet. Drained wetlands exhibited distinct characteristics, e.g. the absence of large flux following wet and warm conditions, suggesting that the same functional relationships between methane flux and environmental conditions cannot be used across pristine and disturbed wetlands. Together, our results suggest that water table and temperature are dominant controls on methane flux in pristine bogs and swamps, while other processes, such as vascular transport in pristine fens, have the potential to partially override the effect of these controls in other wetland types. Because wetland types vary in methane emissions and have distinct controls, these ecosystems need to be considered separately to yield reliable estimates of global wetland methane release.

Simultaneous determination of thermal conductivity, thermal diffusivity and specific heat in sI methane hydrate

USGS Publications Warehouse

Waite, W.F.; Stern, L.A.; Kirby, S.H.; Winters, W.J.; Mason, D.H.

2007-01-01

Thermal conductivity, thermal diffusivity and specific heat of sI methane hydrate were measured as functions of temperature and pressure using a needle probe technique. The temperature dependence was measured between −20°C and 17°C at 31.5 MPa. The pressure dependence was measured between 31.5 and 102 MPa at 14.4°C. Only weak temperature and pressure dependencies were observed. Methane hydrate thermal conductivity differs from that of water by less than 10 per cent, too little to provide a sensitive measure of hydrate content in water-saturated systems. Thermal diffusivity of methane hydrate is more than twice that of water, however, and its specific heat is about half that of water. Thus, when drilling into or through hydrate-rich sediment, heat from the borehole can raise the formation temperature more than 20 per cent faster than if the formation's pore space contains only water. Thermal properties of methane hydrate should be considered in safety and economic assessments of hydrate-bearing sediment.

Optimization of methane production in anaerobic co-digestion of poultry litter and wheat straw at different percentages of total solid and volatile solid using a developed response surface model.

PubMed

Shen, Jiacheng; Zhu, Jun

2016-01-01

Poultry litter (PL) can be good feedstock for biogas production using anaerobic digestion. In this study, methane production from batch co-digestion of PL and wheat straw (WS) was investigated for two factors, i.e., total solid (2%, 5%, and 10%) and volatile solid (0, 25, and 50% of WS), constituting a 3 × 3 experimental design. The results showed that the maximum specific methane volume [197 mL (g VS)(‑1)] was achieved at 50% VS from WS at 5% TS level. It was estimated that the inhibitory threshold of free ammonia was about 289 mg L(--1), beyond which reduction of methanogenic activity by at least 54% was observed. The specific methane volume and COD removal can be expressed using two response surface models (R(2) = 0.9570 and 0.9704, respectively). Analysis of variance of the experimental results indicated that the C/N ratio was the most significant factor influencing the specific methane volume and COD removal in the co-digestion of these two materials.

Expression of barley SUSIBA2 transcription factor yields high-starch low-methane rice

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Su, J.; Hu, C.; Yan, X.

Atmospheric methane is the second most important greenhouse gas after carbon dioxide, and is responsible for about 20% of the global warming effect since pre-industrial times. Rice paddies are the largest anthropogenic methane source and produce 7–17% of atmospheric methane. Warm waterlogged soil and exuded nutrients from rice roots provide ideal conditions for methanogenesis in paddies with annual methane emissions of 25–100-million tonnes. This scenario will be exacerbated by an expansion in rice cultivation needed to meet the escalating demand for food in the coming decades4. There is an urgent need to establish sustainable technologies for increasing rice production whilemore » reducing methane fluxes from rice paddies. However, ongoing efforts for methane mitigation in rice paddies are mainly based on farming practices and measures that are difficult to implement5. Despite proposed strategies to increase rice productivity and reduce methane emissions4,6, no high-starch low-methane-emission rice has been developed. Here we show that the addition of a single transcription factor gene, barley SUSIBA2, conferred a shift of carbon flux to SUSIBA2 rice, favouring the allocation of photosynthates to aboveground biomass over allocation to roots. The altered allocation resulted in an increased biomass and starch content in the seeds and stems, and suppressed methanogenesis, possibly through a reduction in root exudates. Three-year field trials in China demonstrated that the cultivation of SUSIBA2 rice was associated with a significant reduction in methane emissions and a decrease in rhizospheric methanogen levels. SUSIBA2 rice offers a sustainable means of providing increased starch content for food production while reducing greenhouse gas emissions from rice cultivation. Approaches to increase rice productivity and reduce methane emissions as seen in SUSIBA2 rice may be particularly beneficial in a future climate with rising temperatures resulting in increased methane emissions from paddies.« less

Expression of barley SUSIBA2 transcription factor yields high-starch low-methane rice

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Su, J.; Hu, C.; Yan, X.; Jin, Y.; Chen, Z.; Guan, Q.; Wang, Y.; Zhong, D.; Jansson, C.; Wang, F.; Schnürer, A.; Sun, C.

2015-07-01

Atmospheric methane is the second most important greenhouse gas after carbon dioxide, and is responsible for about 20% of the global warming effect since pre-industrial times. Rice paddies are the largest anthropogenic methane source and produce 7-17% of atmospheric methane. Warm waterlogged soil and exuded nutrients from rice roots provide ideal conditions for methanogenesis in paddies with annual methane emissions of 25-100-million tonnes. This scenario will be exacerbated by an expansion in rice cultivation needed to meet the escalating demand for food in the coming decades. There is an urgent need to establish sustainable technologies for increasing rice production while reducing methane fluxes from rice paddies. However, ongoing efforts for methane mitigation in rice paddies are mainly based on farming practices and measures that are difficult to implement. Despite proposed strategies to increase rice productivity and reduce methane emissions, no high-starch low-methane-emission rice has been developed. Here we show that the addition of a single transcription factor gene, barley SUSIBA2 (refs 7, 8), conferred a shift of carbon flux to SUSIBA2 rice, favouring the allocation of photosynthates to aboveground biomass over allocation to roots. The altered allocation resulted in an increased biomass and starch content in the seeds and stems, and suppressed methanogenesis, possibly through a reduction in root exudates. Three-year field trials in China demonstrated that the cultivation of SUSIBA2 rice was associated with a significant reduction in methane emissions and a decrease in rhizospheric methanogen levels. SUSIBA2 rice offers a sustainable means of providing increased starch content for food production while reducing greenhouse gas emissions from rice cultivation. Approaches to increase rice productivity and reduce methane emissions as seen in SUSIBA2 rice may be particularly beneficial in a future climate with rising temperatures resulting in increased methane emissions from paddies.

Anaerobic Co-digestion of Cow Dung and Rice Straw to Produce Biogas using Semi-Continuous Flow Digester: Effect of Urea Addition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haryanto, A.; Sugara, B. P.; Telaumbanua, M.; Rosadi, R. A. B.

2018-05-01

The objective this research was to investigate the effect of urea addition on the biogas yield from co-digestion of rice straw and cow dung using semi-continuous anaerobic digester. The experiment was conducted by using self-made semi-continuous anaerobic digester having a working volume of 30 L. Cow dung was provided from Department of Animal Husbandry, University of Lampung; while rice straw was collected from farmer at Way Galih, Tanjung Bintang, South Lampung. Rice straw was sun-dried to about 12% of moisture content and then ground into fine particles. Cow dung and ground straw were mixed at a dung-to-straw ratio of 3:1 based on total solid (TS) and four different urea additions (0, 0.25, 0.65, and 1.30 g/L) were applied to have a C/N ratio between 20 and 30. The mixture was diluted with water to create TS content of 10%. As much as 30 L of the substrate mixture was introduced into the digester as a starting load. The same substrate was added daily at a loading rate of 0.5 L/d. The experiment was made in triplicate and observation was performed for two months. Total and volatile solids of influent and effluent and daily biogas production were observed. The biogas quality was measured by its methane content using gas chromatography. Results showed that urea addition influenced the biogas yield and its quality. Substrate mixture with urea addition of 0.25 g/L (C/N ratio of 27.3) was the best in terms of biogas yield (434.2 L/kgVSr), methane content (50.12%), and methane yield (217.6 L/kgVSr).

Post-anaerobic digestion thermal hydrolysis of sewage sludge and food waste: Effect on methane yields, dewaterability and solids reduction.

PubMed

Svensson, Kine; Kjørlaug, Oda; Higgins, Matthew J; Linjordet, Roar; Horn, Svein J

2018-04-01

Post-anaerobic digestion (PAD) treatment technologies have been suggested for anaerobic digestion (AD) to improve process efficiency and assure hygenization of organic waste. Because AD reduces the amount of organic waste, PAD can be applied to a much smaller volume of waste compared to pre-digestion treatment, thereby improving efficiency. In this study, dewatered digestate cakes from two different AD plants were thermally hydrolyzed and dewatered, and the liquid fraction was recirculated to a semi-continuous AD reactor. The thermal hydrolysis was more efficient in relation to methane yields and extent of dewaterability for the cake from a plant treating waste activated sludge, than the cake from a plant treating source separated food waste (SSFW). Temperatures above 165 °C yielded the best results. Post-treatment improved volumetric methane yields by 7% and the COD-reduction increased from 68% to 74% in a mesophilic (37 °C) semi-continuous system despite lowering the solid retention time (from 17 to 14 days) compared to a conventional system with pre-treatment of feed substrates at 70 °C. Results from thermogravimetric analysis showed an expected increase in maximum TS content of dewatered digestate cake from 34% up to 46% for the SSFW digestate cake, and from 17% up to 43% in the sludge digestate cake, after the PAD thermal hydrolysis process (PAD-THP). The increased dewatering alone accounts for a reduction in wet mass of cake leaving the plant of 60% in the case of sludge digestate cake. Additionaly, the increased VS-reduction will contribute to further reduce the mass of wet cake. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Modeling of hydrocarbon sputtering in Tore Supra

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hogan, J.; Gauthier, E.; Cambe, A.; Layet, J.-M.

2002-11-01

The use of carbon in fusion devices introduces problems of erosion and tritium retention which are related to chemical sputtering. The in-situ chemical sputtering yield of carbon has recently been measured in a well-diagnosed SOL plasma near the neutralizer plate in the Tore-Supra Outboard Pump Limiter. Methane and heavier hydrocarbon (C2DX and C3DY) emission has been measured in ohmic and lower hybrid heated discharges, using mass and optical molecular spectroscopy [1]. The Monte Carlo code BBQ has been used both to validate the method used to obtain the sputtering yields, and for direct comparison with available values reported for accelerator-based sputtering yields. A comparison with predicted surface temperature and particle flux dependence is also presented, for both CD4 and the heavier hydrocarbon yields. The particle flux dependence comparison is found to be complex, since changes in mean free path also accompany variation in particle flux. For the temperature dependence of methane erosion, the Roth annealing model is found to provide a better fit than the hydrogenation-moderated model. [1] A. Cambe, thesis, 2002; ORNL: Supported by U.S.DOE Contract DE-AC05-00OR22725

Methane/nitrogen separation process

DOEpatents

Baker, R.W.; Lokhandwala, K.A.; Pinnau, I.; Segelke, S.

1997-09-23

A membrane separation process is described for treating a gas stream containing methane and nitrogen, for example, natural gas. The separation process works by preferentially permeating methane and rejecting nitrogen. The authors have found that the process is able to meet natural gas pipeline specifications for nitrogen, with acceptably small methane loss, so long as the membrane can exhibit a methane/nitrogen selectivity of about 4, 5 or more. This selectivity can be achieved with some rubbery and super-glassy membranes at low temperatures. The process can also be used for separating ethylene from nitrogen. 11 figs.

Methane/nitrogen separation process

DOEpatents

Baker, Richard W.; Lokhandwala, Kaaeid A.; Pinnau, Ingo; Segelke, Scott

1997-01-01

A membrane separation process for treating a gas stream containing methane and nitrogen, for example, natural gas. The separation process works by preferentially permeating methane and rejecting nitrogen. We have found that the process is able to meet natural gas pipeline specifications for nitrogen, with acceptably small methane loss, so long as the membrane can exhibit a methane/nitrogen selectivity of about 4, 5 or more. This selectivity can be achieved with some rubbery and super-glassy membranes at low temperatures. The process can also be used for separating ethylene from nitrogen.

A gas-tracer injection for evaluating the fate of methane in a coastal plain stream: Degassing versus in-stream oxidation

USGS Publications Warehouse

Heilweil, Victor M.; Solomon, D. Kip; Darrah, Thomas H.; Gilmore, Troy E.; Genereux, David P.

2016-01-01

Methane emissions from streams and rivers have recently been recognized as an important component of global greenhouse budgets. Stream methane is lost as evasion to the atmosphere or in-stream methane oxidation. Previous studies have quantified evasion and oxidation with point-scale measurements. In this study, dissolved gases (methane, krypton) were injected into a coastal plain stream in North Carolina to quantify stream CH4 losses at the watershed scale. Stream-reach modeling yielded gas transfer and oxidation rate constants of 3.2 ± 0.5 and 0.5 ± 1.5 d–1, respectively, indicating a ratio of about 6:1. The resulting evasion and oxidation rates of 2.9 mmol m–2 d–1 and 1,140 nmol L–1 d–1, respectively, lie within ranges of published values. Similarly, the gas transfer velocity (K600) of 2.1 m d–1 is consistent with other gas tracer studies. This study illustrates the utility of dissolved-gas tracers for evaluating stream methane fluxes. In contrast to point measurements, this approach provides a larger watershed-scale perspective. Further work is needed to quantify the magnitude of these fluxes under varying conditions (e.g., stream temperature, nutrient load, gradient, flow rate) at regional and global scales before reliable bottom-up estimates of methane evasion can be determined at global scales.

Methane and other hydrocarbon gases in sediment from the southeastern North American continental margin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kvenvolden, K.A.; Lorenson, T.D.

2000-01-01

Residual concentrations and distributions of hydrocarbon gases from methane to n-heptane were measured in sediments at seven sites on Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) Leg 164. Three sites were drilled at the Cape Fear Diapir of the Carolina Rise, and one site was drilled on the Blake Ridge Diapir. Methane concentrations at these sites result from microbial generation which is influenced by the amount of pore-water sulfate and possible methane oxidation. Methane hydrate was found at the Blake Ridge Diapir site. The other hydrocarbon gases at these sites are likely the produce of early microbial processes. Three sites were drilled on a transect of holes across the crest of the Blake Ridge. The base of the zone of gas-hydrate occurrence was penetrated at all three sites. Trends in hydrocarbon gas distributions suggest that methane is microbial in origin and that the hydrocarbon gas mixture is affected by diagenesis, outgassing, and, near the surface, by microbial oxidation. Methane hydrate was recovered at two of these three sites, although gas hydrate is likely present at all three sites. The method used here for determining amounts of residual hydrocarbon gases has its limitations and provides poor assessment of gas distributions, particularly in the stratigraphic interval below about ~ 100 mbsf. One advantage of the method, however, is that it yields sufficient quantities of gas for other studies such as isotopic determinations.

Tables of critical-flow functions and thermodynamic properties for methane and computational procedures for both methane and natural gas

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnson, R. C.

1972-01-01

Procedures for calculating the mass flow rate of methane and natural gas through nozzles are given, along with the FORTRAN 4 subroutines used to make these calculations. Three sets of independent variables are permitted in these routines. In addition to the plenum pressure and temperature, the third independent variable is either nozzle exit pressure, Mach number, or temperature. A critical-flow factor that becomes a convenient means for determining the mass flow rate of methane through critical-flow nozzles is tabulated. Other tables are included for nozzle throat velocity and critical pressure, density, and temperature ratios, along with some thermodynamic properties of methane, including compressibility factor, enthalpy, entropy, specific heat, specific-heat ratio, and speed of sound. These tabulations cover a temperature range from 120 to 600 K and pressures to 3 million N/sq m.

Microbial methane from in situ biodegradation of coal and shale: A review and reevaluation of hydrogen and carbon isotope signatures

USGS Publications Warehouse

Vinson, David S.; Blair, Neal E.; Martini, Anna M.; Larter, Steve; Orem, William H.; McIntosh, Jennifer C.

2017-01-01

Stable carbon and hydrogen isotope signatures of methane, water, and inorganic carbon are widely utilized in natural gas systems for distinguishing microbial and thermogenic methane and for delineating methanogenic pathways (acetoclastic, hydrogenotrophic, and/or methylotrophic methanogenesis). Recent studies of coal and shale gas systems have characterized in situ microbial communities and provided stable isotope data (δD-CH4, δD-H2O, δ13C-CH4, and δ13C-CO2) from a wider range of environments than available previously. Here we review the principal biogenic methane-yielding pathways in coal beds and shales and the isotope effects imparted on methane, document the uncertainties and inconsistencies in established isotopic fingerprinting techniques, and identify the knowledge gaps in understanding the subsurface processes that govern H and C isotope signatures of biogenic methane. We also compare established isotopic interpretations with recent microbial community characterization techniques, which reveal additional inconsistencies in the interpretation of microbial metabolic pathways in coal beds and shales. Collectively, the re-assessed data show that widely-utilized isotopic fingerprinting techniques neglect important complications in coal beds and shales.Isotopic fingerprinting techniques that combine δ13C-CH4 with δD-CH4 and/or δ13C-CO2have significant limitations: (1) The consistent ~ 160‰ offset between δD-H2O and δD-CH4 could imply that hydrogenotrophic methanogenesis is the dominant metabolic pathway in microbial gas systems. However, hydrogen isotopes can equilibrate between methane precursors and coexisting water, yielding a similar apparent H isotope signal as hydrogenotrophic methanogenesis, regardless of the actual methane formation pathway. (2) Non-methanogenic processes such as sulfate reduction, Fe oxide reduction, inputs of thermogenic methane, anaerobic methane oxidation, and/or formation water interaction can cause the apparent carbon isotope fractionation between δ13C-CH4 and δ13C-CO2(α13CCO2-CH4) to differ from the true methanogenic fractionation, complicating interpretation of methanogenic pathways. (3) Where little-fractionating non-methanogenic bacterial processes compete with highly-fractionating methanogenesis, the mass balance between CH4 and CO2 is affected. This has implications for δ13C values and provides an alternative interpretation for net C isotope signatures than solely the pathways used by active methanogens. (4) While most of the reviewed values of δD-H2O - δD-CH4 and α13CCO2-CH4 are apparently consistent with hydrogenotrophic methanogenesis as the dominant pathway in coal beds and shales, recent microbial community characterization techniques suggest a possible role for acetoclastic or methylotrophic methanogenesis in some basins.

Kinetics and advanced digester design for anaerobic digestion of water hyacinth and primary sludge

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chynoweth, D.P.; Dolenc, D.A.; Ghosh, S.

1982-01-01

A research program centered around a facility located at Walt Disney World (WDW) is in progress to evaluate the use of water hyacinth (WH) for secondary and tertiary wastewater treatment, to optimize growth of WH under these conditions, and to convert the resultant primary sludge (PS) and WH to methane via anaerobic digestion. This article describes the status of the biogasification component of this program, which includes baseline and advanced digestion experiments with individual feeds and blends and the design of an experimental test unit (ETU) to be installed at WDW. Experiments with several blends demonstrated that methane yields canmore » be predicted from the fractional content and methane yield of each component. The process was found to adhere to the Monod kinetic model for microbial growth, and associated kinetic parameters were developed for various feed combinations. A novel upflow digester is achieving significantly higher conversion than a stirred-tank digester. Of several pretreatment techniques used, only alkaline treatment resulted in increased biodegradability. A larger scale (4.5 m/sup 3/) experimental test unit is being designed for installation at WDW in 1982. 13 figures, 4 tables.« less

Decomposition and carbon storage of selected paper products in laboratory-scale landfills.

PubMed

Wang, Xiaoming; De la Cruz, Florentino B; Ximenes, Fabiano; Barlaz, Morton A

2015-11-01

The objective of this study was to measure the anaerobic biodegradation of different types of paper products in laboratory-scale landfill reactors. The study included (a) measurement of the loss of cellulose, hemicellulose, organic carbon, and (b) measurement of the methane yields for each paper product. The test materials included two samples each of newsprint (NP), copy paper (CP), and magazine paper (MG), and one sample of diaper (DP). The methane yields, carbon storage factors and the extent of cellulose and hemicellulose decomposition all consistently show that papers made from mechanical pulps (e.g., NPs) are less degradable than those made from chemical pulps where essentially all lignin was chemically removed (e.g., CPs). The diaper, which is not only made from chemical pulp but also contains some gel and plastic, exhibited limited biodegradability. The extent of biogenic carbon conversion varied from 21 to 96% among papers, which contrasts with the uniform assumption of 50% by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) for all degradable materials discarded in landfills. Biochemical methane potential tests also showed that the solids to liquid ratio used in the test can influence the results. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effect of temperature on kinetics of biogas production from macroalgae.

PubMed

Membere, Edward; Sallis, Paul

2018-05-08

An assessment was carried out on the effect of temperature on the anaerobic digestion of Laminaria digitata biomass, in batch reactors (25, 35, 45 and 55 °C) with a hydraulic retention time of 40 days. The first order, modified Gompertz and logistics models were used to obtain the kinetic parameters of the biogas production process. Results indicate the chemical composition of the algae substrate could be written as C 316 H 613 O 289 N 13 S 1 , with a theoretical methane yield of 336 ± 0.86 L CH 4  kg VS -1 . Experimental methane yield obtained from the reactors for 25, 35, 45, and 55 °C were 318 ± 1.58, 293 ± 1.11, 271 ± 0.98 and 352 ± 0.63 mL CH 4 /gVS respectively. Their R 2  > 0.90 indicate both models fits well for predicating kinetics of methane production. The lowest k h (0.31), high biodegradability index (0.96) and lag time (9.3-11.7 days) were obtained for 55 °C. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Influence on anaerobic digestion by intermediate thermal hydrolysis of waste activated sludge and co-digested wheat straw.

PubMed

Bjerg-Nielsen, Michael; Ward, Alastair James; Møller, Henrik Bjarne; Ottosen, Lars Ditlev Mørck

2018-02-01

This paper analyses time (30 and 60 min) and temperature (120-190 °C) effects of intermediate thermal hydrolysis (ITHP) in a two-step anaerobic digestion of waste activated sludge (WAS) with and without wheat straw as a co-substrate. Effects were analyzed by measuring biochemical methane potential for 60 days and assessing associated kinetic and chemical data. Compared to non-treatment, ITHP increased the secondary step methane yield from 52 to 222 L CH 4  kg VS -1 and from 147 to 224 L CH 4  kg VS -1 for pre-digested WAS and pre-co-digested WAS respectively at an optimum of 170 °C and 30 min. The hydrolysis coefficients (k hyd ) increased by up to 127% following treatment. Increasing ITHP time from 30 to 60 min showed ambiguous results regarding methane yields, whilst temperature had a clear and proportional effect on the concentrations of acetic acid. The energy balances were found to be poor and dewatering to increase total solids above the values tested here is necessary for this process to be energetically feasible. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Photoreduction of CO{sub 2} by TiO{sub 2} nanocomposites synthesized through reactive direct current magnetron sputter deposition.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chen, L.; Graham, M. E.; Li, G.

The photoreduction of CO{sub 2} into methane provides a carbon-neutral energy alternative to fossil fuels, but its feasibility requires improvements in the photo-efficiency of materials tailored to this reaction. We hypothesize that mixed phase TiO{sub 2} nano-materials with high interfacial densities are extremely active photocatalysts well suited to solar fuel production by reducing CO{sub 2} to methane and shifting to visible light response. Mixed phase TiO{sub 2} films were synthesized by direct current (DC) magnetron sputtering and characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), atomic force microscope (AFM), scanning electron microscope (SEM) and transmission electron microscope (TEM). Bundles of anatase-rutile nano-columns havingmore » high densities of two kinds of interfaces (those among the bundles and those between the columns) are fabricated. Films sputtered at a low deposition angle showed the highest methane yield, compared to TiO{sub 2} fabricated under other sputtering conditions and commercial standard Degussa P25 under UV irradiation. The yield of methane could be significantly increased ({approx} 12% CO{sub 2} conversion) by increasing the CO{sub 2} to water ratio and temperature (< 100 C) as a combined effect. These films also displayed a light response strongly shifted into the visible range. This is explained by the creation of non-stoichiometric titania films having unique features that we can potentially tailor to the solar energy applications.« less

Photodissociation of cyanoacetylene: Application to the atmospheric chemistry of Titan

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Clarke, David W.; Ferris, James P.

1995-01-01

The quantum yield and reaction threshold for the photochemical dissociation of cyanoacetylene into a hydrogen atom and the cyanoethynyl radical have been determined. The quantum yield at 185 nm is approximately 0.09. The threshold is approximately 240 nm. Combination of this data with literature values shows that production of excited-state cyanoacetylene is the major primary process resulting from irradiation between 185 and 254 nm. Also determined are the relative rate constants for the abstraction of a hydrogen atom from hydrogen, methane, and ethane by the cyanoethynyl radical (k(H2):k(CH4):k(C2H6) = 1:9.3:63). Implications of these results for the proposal that hydrogen abstraction plays an important role in the conversion of methane to ethane and in the protection of unsaturated compounds from photoconsumption in the atmosphere of Titan are discussed.

Thermophilic co-digestion feasibility of distillers grains and swine manure: effect of C/N ratio and organic loading rate during high solid anaerobic digestion (HSAD).

PubMed

Sensai, P; Thangamani, A; Visvanathan, C

2014-01-01

Anaerobic co-digestion of high solids containing distillers grains and swine manure (total solids, 27 +/- 2% and 18 +/- 2%, respectively) was evaluated in this study to assess the effect of C/N ratio and organic loading rate (OLR). Feed mixture was balanced to achieve a C/N ratio of 30/1 by mixing distillers grains and swine manure. Pilot-scale co-digestion of distillers grains and swine manure was carried out under thermophilic conditions in the continuous mode for seven different OLRs from R1 to R7 (3.5, 5, 6, 8, 10, 12 and 14 kg VS/m3 day) under high solid anaerobic digestion. The methane yield and volatile solid (VS) removal were consistent; ranging from 0.33 to 0.34 m3CH4/kg VS day and 50-53%, respectively, until OLR 8 kg VS/m3 day. After which methane yield and VS removal significantly decreased to 0.26 m3 CH4/kg VS day and 42%, respectively, when OLR was increased to 14 kg VS/m3 day. However, during operation, at OLR of 10 kg VS/m3 day, the methane yield and VS removal increased after the 19th day to 0.33 m3 CH4/kg VS day and 46%, respectively, indicating that a longer acclimatization period is required by methanogens at a higher loading rate.

Effect of different pH-values on process parameters in two-phase anaerobic digestion of high-solid substrates.

PubMed

Lindner, Jonas; Zielonka, Simon; Oechsner, Hans; Lemmer, Andreas

2015-01-01

In many publications, primary fermentation is described as a limiting step in the anaerobic digestion of fibre-rich biomass [Eastman JA, Ferguson JF. Solubilization of particulacte carbon during the anaerobic digeston. J WPCF. 1981;53:352-366; Noike T, Endo G, Chang J, Yaguchi J, Matsumoto J. Characteristics of carbohydrate degradation and the rate-limiting step in anaerobic digestion. Biotechnol Bioeng. 1985;27:1482-1489; Arntz HJ, Stoppok E, Buchholz K. Anaerobic hydroysis of beet pulp-discontiniuous experiments. Biotechnol Lett. 1985;7:113-118]. The microorganisms of the primary fermentation process differ widely from the methanogenic microorganisms [Pohland FG, Ghosh S. Developments in anaerobic stabilization of organic wastes-the two-phase concept. Environ Lett. 1971;1:255-266]. To optimize the biogas process, a separation in two phases is suggested by many authors [Fox P, Pohland GK. Anaerobic treatment applications and fundamentals: substrate specificity during phase separation. Water Environ Res. 1994;66:716-724; Cohen A, Zoetemeyer RJ, van Deursen A, van Andel JG. Anaerobic digestion of glucose with separated acid production and methane formation. Water Res. 1979;13:571-580]. To carry out the examination, a two-phase laboratory-scale biogas plant was established, with a physical phase separation. In previous studies, the regulation of the pH-value during the acid formation was usually carried out by the addition of sodium hydroxide [Cohen A, Zoetemeyer RJ, van Deursen A, van Andel JG. Anaerobic digestion of glucose with separated acid production and methane formation. Water Res. 1979;13:571-580; Ueno Y, Tatara M, Fukui H, Makiuchi T, Goto M, Sode K. Production of hydrogen and methane from organic solid wastes by phase separation of anaerobic process. Bioresour Technol. 2007;98:1861-1865; Zoetemeyer RJ, van den Heuvel JC, Cohen A. pH influence on acidogenic dissimilation of glucose in an anaerobic digestor. Water Res. 1982;16:303-311]. A new technology without the use of additives was developed in which the pH-regulation is executed by the pH-dependent recycling of effluent from the anaerobic filter into the acidification reactor. During this investigation, the influence of the different target pH-values (5.5, 6.0, 7.0 and 7.5) on the degradation rate, the gas composition and the methane yield of the substrate maize silage was determined. With an increase in the target pH-value from 5.5 to 7.5, the acetic acid equivalent decreased by 88.1% and the chemical oxygen demand-concentration by 18.3% in the hydrolysate. In response, there was a 58% increase in the specific methane yield of the overall system. Contrary to earlier studies, a marked increase in biogas production and in substrate degradation was determined with increasing pH-values. However, these led to a successive approximation of a single-phase process. Based on these results, pH-values above 7.0 seem to be favourable for the digestion of fibre-rich substrates.

Modelling the Effect of Diet Composition on Enteric Methane Emissions across Sheep, Beef Cattle and Dairy Cows

PubMed Central

Bell, Matt; Eckard, Richard; Moate, Peter J.; Yan, Tianhai

2016-01-01

Simple Summary Enteric methane emissions produced by ruminant livestock has gained global interest due to methane being a potent greenhouse gas and ruminants being a significant source of emissions. In the absence of measurements, prediction models can facilitate the estimation of enteric methane emissions from ruminant livestock and aid investigation of mitigation options. This study developed a practical method using feed analysis information for predicting enteric methane emissions from sheep, beef cattle and dairy cows fed diets encompassing a wide range of nutrient concentrations. Abstract Enteric methane (CH4) is a by-product from fermentation of feed consumed by ruminants, which represents a nutritional loss and is also considered a contributor to climate change. The aim of this research was to use individual animal data from 17 published experiments that included sheep (n = 288), beef cattle (n = 71) and dairy cows (n = 284) to develop an empirical model to describe enteric CH4 emissions from both cattle and sheep, and then evaluate the model alongside equations from the literature. Data were obtained from studies in the United Kingdom (UK) and Australia, which measured enteric CH4 emissions from individual animals in calorimeters. Animals were either fed solely forage or a mixed ration of forage with a compound feed. The feed intake of sheep was restricted to a maintenance amount of 875 g of DM per day (maintenance level), whereas beef cattle and dairy cows were fed to meet their metabolizable energy (ME) requirement (i.e., production level). A linear mixed model approach was used to develop a multiple linear regression model to predict an individual animal’s CH4 yield (g CH4/kg dry matter intake) from the composition of its diet. The diet components that had significant effects on CH4 yield were digestible organic matter (DOMD), ether extract (EE) (both g/kg DM) and feeding level above maintenance intake: CH4 (g/kg DM intake) = 0.046 (±0.001) × DOMD − 0.113 (±0.023) × EE − 2.47 (±0.29) × (feeding level − 1), with concordance correlation coefficient (CCC) = 0.655 and RMSPE = 14.0%. The predictive ability of the model developed was as reliable as other models assessed from the literature. These components can be used to predict effects of diet composition on enteric CH4 yield from sheep, beef and dairy cattle from feed analysis information. PMID:27618107

Methane Emission and Milk Production of Dairy Cows Grazing Pastures Rich in Legumes or Rich in Grasses in Uruguay

PubMed Central

Dini, Yoana; Gere, José; Briano, Carolina; Manetti, Martin; Juliarena, Paula; Picasso, Valentin; Gratton, Roberto; Astigarraga, Laura

2012-01-01

Simple Summary GHGs emissions are relevant in evaluating environmental impact of farming systems. Methane (CH4) produced by enteric fermentation accounts for half of all anthropogenic emissions of GHGs in Uruguay, where ruminant production is based on year round grazing of forages. Here we compared milk production and CH4 emissions by dairy cows grazing two contrasting mixed pastures (rich in legumes or rich in grasses) using the SF6 tracer technique adapted to collect breath samples over 5-days periods. There were no differences in milk or CH4 production between the contrasting pastures, probably because of the high herbage allowance that enabled selective grazing by cows. Abstract Understanding the impact of changing pasture composition on reducing emissions of GHGs in dairy grazing systems is an important issue to mitigate climate change. The aim of this study was to estimate daily CH4 emissions of dairy cows grazing two mixed pastures with contrasting composition of grasses and legumes: L pasture with 60% legumes on Dry Matter (DM) basis and G pasture with 75% grasses on DM basis. Milk production and CH4 emissions were compared over two periods of two weeks during spring using eight lactating Holstein cows in a 2 × 2 Latin square design. Herbage organic matter intake (HOMI) was estimated by chromic oxide dilution and herbage organic matter digestibility (OMD) was estimated by faecal index. Methane emission was estimated by using the sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) tracer technique adapted to collect breath samples over 5-day periods. OMD (0.71) and HOMI (15.7 kg OM) were not affected by pasture composition. Milk production (20.3 kg/d), milk fat yield (742 g/d) and milk protein yield (667 g/d) were similar for both pastures. This may be explained by the high herbage allowance (30 kg DM above 5 cm/cow) which allowed the cows to graze selectively, in particular in grass sward. Similarly, methane emission expressed as absolute value (368 g/d or 516 L/d) or expressed as methane yield (6.6% of Gross Energy Intake (GEI)) was not affected by treatments. In conclusion, at high herbage allowance, the quality of the diet selected by grazing cows did not differ between pastures rich in legumes or rich in grasses, and therefore there was no effect on milk or methane production. PMID:26486922

Site specific diel methane emission mechanisms in landfills: A field validated process based on vegetation and climate factors.

PubMed

Xin, Danhui; Hao, Yongxia; Shimaoka, Takayuki; Nakayama, Hirofumi; Chai, Xiaoli

2016-11-01

Diel methane emission fluxes from a landfill that was covered by vegetation were investigated to reveal the methane emission mechanisms based on the interaction of vegetation characteristics and climate factors. The methane emissions showed large variation between daytime and nighttime, and the trend of methane emissions exhibited clear bimodal patterns from both Setaria viridis- and Neyraudia reynaudiana-covered areas. Plants play an important role in methane transportation as well as methane oxidation. The notable decrease in methane emissions after plants were cut suggests that methane transportation via plants is the primary way of methane emissions in the vegetated areas of landfill. Within plants, the methane emission fluxes were enhanced due to a convection mechanism. Given that the methane emission flux is highly correlated with the solar radiation during daytime, the convection mechanism could be attributed to the increase in solar radiation. Whereas the methane emission flux is affected by a combined impact of the wind speed and pedosphere characteristics during nighttime. An improved understanding of the methane emission mechanisms in vegetated landfills is expected to develop a reliable model for landfill methane emissions and to attenuate greenhouse gas emissions from landfills. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The cumulative methane production from dairy cattle slurry can be explained by its volatile solid, temperature and length of storage.

PubMed

Sawamoto, Takuji; Nakamura, Megumi; Nekomoto, Kenji; Hoshiba, Shinji; Minato, Keiko; Nakayama, Motoo; Osada, Takashi

2016-06-01

In order to refine the national estimate of methane emission from stored cattle slurry, it is important to comprehend the basic characteristics of methane production. Two dairy cattle slurries were obtained from livestock farms located in Hokkaido (a northern island) and Kyushu (a southern island). The slurries were diluted with water into three levels: undiluted, three times diluted, and 10 times diluted. Three hundred mL of the slurries were put into a bottle with a headspace volume of 2.0 L, which was filled with nitrogen gas and then sealed by butyl rubber. Four levels of temperature were used for incubation: 35, 25, 15 and 5 °C. The time course of the cumulative methane production per volatile solid (VS) was satisfactorily expressed by an asymptotic regression model. The effect of dilution on the methane production per VS was not distinctive, but that of temperature was of primary importance. In particular, higher temperature yields a higher potential production and a shorter time when the cumulative production reaches half of the potential production. The inclusive and simple models obtained in this study indicate that the cumulative methane production from stored cattle slurry can be explained by VS, temperature and length of storage. © 2015 Japanese Society of Animal Science.

A New IPCC Tier 4 Site-Specific Model for Landfill Methane Emissions Inclusive of Seasonal Methane Oxidation

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

This project was initiated in the U.S. by the California Energy Commission (CEC) in cooperation with the California Integrated Waste Management Board and the California Air Resources Board to develop improved methods for landfill methane emissions for the California greenhouse gas inventory. This 3-...

Enhanced hydrolysis and methane yield by applying microaeration pretreatment to the anaerobic co-digestion of brown water and food waste

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lim, Jun Wei; School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore 639798; Wang, Jing-Yuan, E-mail: jywang@ntu.edu.sg

2013-04-15

Highlights: ► Microaeration pretreatment was effective for brown water and food waste mixture. ► The added oxygen was consumed fully by facultative microorganisms. ► Enhanced solubilization, acidification and breakdown of SCFAs to acetate. ► Microaeration pretreatment improved methane yield by 10–21%. ► Nature of inoculum influenced the effects of microaeration. - Abstract: Microaeration has been used conventionally for the desulphurization of biogas, and recently it was shown to be an alternative pretreatment to enhance hydrolysis of the anaerobic digestion (AD) process. Previous studies on microaeration pretreatment were limited to the study of substrates with complex organic matter, while little hasmore » been reported on its effect on substrates with higher biodegradability such as brown water and food waste. Due to the lack of consistent microaeration intensities, previous studies were not comparable and thus inconclusive in proving the effectiveness of microaeration to the overall AD process. In this study, the role of microaeration pretreatment in the anaerobic co-digestion of brown water and food waste was evaluated in batch-tests. After a 4-day pretreatment with 37.5 mL-O{sub 2}/L{sub R}-d added to the liquid phase of the reactor, the methane production of substrates were monitored in anaerobic conditions over the next 40 days. The added oxygen was consumed fully by facultative microorganisms and a reducing environment for organic matter degradation was maintained. Other than higher COD solubilization, microaeration pretreatment led to greater VFA accumulation and the conversion of other short chain fatty acids to acetate. This could be due to enhanced activities of hydrolytic and acidogenic bacteria and the degradation of slowly biodegradable compounds under microaerobic conditions. This study also found that the nature of inoculum influenced the effects of microaeration as a 21% and 10% increase in methane yield was observed when pretreatment was applied to inoculated substrates, and substrates without inoculum, respectively.« less

Low ambient temperature elevates plasma triiodothyronine concentrations while reducing digesta mean retention time and methane yield in sheep.

PubMed

Barnett, M C; McFarlane, J R; Hegarty, R S

2015-06-01

Ruminant methane yield (MY) is positively correlated with mean retention time (MRT) of digesta. The hormone triiodothyronine (T3 ), which is negatively correlated with ambient temperature, is known to influence MRT. It was hypothesised that exposing sheep to low ambient temperatures would increase plasma T3 concentration and decrease MRT of digesta within the rumen of sheep, resulting in a reduction of MY. To test this hypothesis, six Merino sheep were exposed to two different ambient temperatures (cold treatment, 9 ± 1 °C; warm control 26 ± 1 °C). The effects on MY, digesta MRT, plasma T3 concentration, CO2 production, DM intake, DM digestibility, change in body weight (BW), rumen volatile fatty acid (VFA) concentrations, estimated microbial protein output, protozoa abundance, wool growth, water intake, urine output and rectal temperature were studied. Cold treatment resulted in a reduction in MY (p < 0.01); digesta MRT in rumen (p < 0.01), hindgut (p = 0.01) and total digestive tract (p < 0.01); protozoa abundance (p < 0.05); and water intake (p < 0.001). Exposure to cold temperature increased plasma T3 concentration (p < 0.05), CO2 production (p = 0.01), total VFA concentrations (p = 0.03) and estimated microbial output from the rumen (p = 0.03). The rate of wool growth increased (p < 0.01) due to cold treatment, but DM intake, DM digestibility and BW change were not affected. The results suggest that exposure of sheep to cold ambient temperatures reduces digesta retention time in the gastrointestinal tract, leading to a reduction in enteric methane yield. Further research is warranted to determine whether T3 could be used as an indirect selection tool for genetic selection of low enteric methane-producing ruminants. Journal of Animal Physiology and Animal Nutrition © 2014 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Liquid Oxygen/Liquid Methane Component Technology Development at MSFC

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Robinson, Joel W.

2010-01-01

The National Aeronautics & Space Administration (NASA) has identified Liquid Oxygen (LOX)/Liquid Methane (LCH4) as a potential propellant combination for future space vehicles based upon exploration studies. The technology is estimated to have higher performance and lower overall systems mass compared to existing hypergolic propulsion systems. Besides existing in-house risk reduction activities, NASA has solicited from industry their participation on component technologies based on the potential application to the lunar ascent main engine (AME). Contracted and NASA efforts have ranged from valve technologies to engine system testbeds. The application for the AME is anticipated to be an expendable, pressure-fed engine for ascent from the moon at completion of its lunar stay. Additionally, the hardware is expected to provide an abort capability prior to landing, in the event that descent systems malfunction. For the past 4 years, MSFC has been working with the Glenn Research Center and the Johnson Space Center on methane technology development. This paper will focus on efforts specific to MSFC in pursuing ignition, injector performance, chamber material assessments and cryogenic valve technologies. Ignition studies have examined characteristics for torch, spark and microwave systems. Injector testing has yielded insight into combustion performance for shear, swirl and impinging type injectors. The majority of chamber testing has been conducted with ablative and radiatively cooled chambers with planned activities for regenerative and transpiration cooled chambers. Lastly, an effort is underway to examine the long duration exposure issues of cryogenic valve internal components. The paper will summarize the status of these efforts.

Fuzzy multi-objective optimization case study based on an anaerobic co-digestion process of food waste leachate and piggery wastewater.

PubMed

Choi, Angelo Earvin Sy; Park, Hung Suck

2018-06-20

This paper presents the development and evaluation of fuzzy multi-objective optimization for decision-making that includes the process optimization of anaerobic digestion (AD) process. The operating cost criteria which is a fundamental research gap in previous AD analysis was integrated for the case study in this research. In this study, the mixing ratio of food waste leachate (FWL) and piggery wastewater (PWW), calcium carbonate (CaCO 3 ) and sodium chloride (NaCl) concentrations were optimized to enhance methane production while minimizing operating cost. The results indicated a maximum of 63.3% satisfaction for both methane production and operating cost under the following optimal conditions: mixing ratio (FWL: PWW) - 1.4, CaCO 3 - 2970.5 mg/L and NaCl - 2.7 g/L. In multi-objective optimization, the specific methane yield (SMY) was 239.0 mL CH 4 /g VS added , while 41.2% volatile solids reduction (VSR) was obtained at an operating cost of 56.9 US$/ton. In comparison with the previous optimization study that utilized the response surface methodology, the SMY, VSR and operating cost of the AD process were 310 mL/g, 54% and 83.2 US$/ton, respectively. The results from multi-objective fuzzy optimization proves to show the potential application of this technique for practical decision-making in the process optimization of AD process. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Innovation in biological production and upgrading of methane and hydrogen for use as gaseous transport biofuel.

PubMed

Xia, Ao; Cheng, Jun; Murphy, Jerry D

2016-01-01

Biofuels derived from biomass will play a major role in future renewable energy supplies in transport. Gaseous biofuels have superior energy balances, offer greater greenhouse gas emission reductions and produce lower pollutant emissions than liquid biofuels. Biogas derived through fermentation of wet organic substrates will play a major role in future transport systems. Biogas (which is composed of approximately 60% methane/hydrogen and 40% carbon dioxide) requires an upgrading process to reduce the carbon dioxide content to less than 3% before it is used as compressed gas in transport. This paper reviews recent developments in fermentative biogas production and upgrading as a transport fuel. Third generation gaseous biofuels may be generated using marine-based algae via two-stage fermentation, cogenerating hydrogen and methane. Alternative biological upgrading techniques, such as biological methanation and microalgal biogas upgrading, have the potential to simultaneously upgrade biogas, increase gaseous biofuel yield and reduce carbon dioxide emission. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Techno-economical study of biogas production improved by steam explosion pretreatment.

PubMed

Shafiei, Marzieh; Kabir, Maryam M; Zilouei, Hamid; Sárvári Horváth, Ilona; Karimi, Keikhosro

2013-11-01

Economic feasibility of steam explosion pretreatment for improvement of biogas production from wheat straw and paper tube residuals was investigated. The process was simulated by Aspen plus ®, and the economical feasibility of five different plant capacities was studied by Aspen Process Economic Analyzer. Total project investment of a plant using paper tube residuals or wheat straw was 63.9 or 61.8 million Euros, respectively. The manufacturing cost of raw biogas for these two feedstocks was calculated to 0.36 or 0.48 €/m(3) of methane, respectively. Applying steam explosion pretreatment resulted in 13% higher total capital investment while significantly improved the economy of the biogas plant and decreased the manufacturing cost of methane by 36%. The sensitivity analysis showed that 5% improvement in the methane yield and 20% decrease in the raw material price resulted in 5.5% and 8% decrease in the manufacturing cost of methane, respectively. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Optimization and microbial community analysis for production of biogas from solid waste residues of palm oil mill industry by solid-state anaerobic digestion.

PubMed

Suksong, Wantanasak; Kongjan, Prawit; Prasertsan, Poonsuk; Imai, Tsuyoshi; O-Thong, Sompong

2016-08-01

This study investigated the improvement of biogas production from solid-state anaerobic digestion (SS-AD) of oil palm biomass by optimizing of total solids (TS) contents, feedstock to inoculum (F:I) ratios and carbon to nitrogen (C:N) ratios. Highest methane yield from EFB, OPF and OPT of 358, 280 and 324m(3)CH4ton(-1)VS, respectively, was achieved at TS content of 16%, C:N ratio of 30:1 and F:I ratio of 2:1. The main contribution to methane from biomass was the degradation of cellulose and hemicellulose. The highest methane production of 72m(3)CH4ton(-1) biomass was achieved from EFB. Bacteria community structure in SS-AD process of oil palm biomass was dominated by Ruminococcus sp. and Clostridium sp., while archaea community was dominated by Methanoculleus sp. Oil palm biomass has great potential for methane production via SS-AD. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Methane seep carbonates yield clumped isotope signatures out of equilibrium with formation temperatures

DOE PAGES

Loyd, S. J.; Sample, J.; Tripati, R. E.; ...

2016-07-22

Here, methane cold seep systems typically exhibit extensive buildups of authigenic carbonate minerals, resulting from local increases in alkalinity driven by methane oxidation. Here, we demonstrate that modern seep authigenic carbonates exhibit anomalously low clumped isotope values (Δ47), as much as ~0.2‰ lower than expected values. In modern seeps, this range of disequilibrium translates into apparent temperatures that are always warmer than ambient temperatures, by up to 50 °C. We examine various mechanisms that may induce disequilibrium behaviour in modern seep carbonates, and suggest that the observed values result from several factors including kinetic isotopic effects during methane oxidation, mixingmore » of inorganic carbon pools, pH effects and rapid precipitation. Ancient seep carbonates studied here also exhibit potential disequilibrium signals. Ultimately, these findings indicate the predominance of disequilibrium clumped isotope behaviour in modern cold seep carbonates that must be considered when characterizing environmental conditions in both modern and ancient cold seep settings.« less

Anomalous preservation of pure methane hydrate at 1 atm

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stern, L.A.; Circone, S.; Kirby, S.H.; Durham, W.B.

2001-01-01

Direct measurement of decomposition rates of pure, polycrystalline methane hydrate reveals a thermal regime where methane hydrate metastably `preserves' in bulk by as much as 75 K above its nominal equilibrium temperature (193 K at 1 atm). Rapid release of the sample pore pressure at isothermal conditions between 242 and 271 K preserves up to 93% of the hydrate for at least 24 h, reflecting the greatly suppressed rates of dissociation that characterize this regime. Subsequent warming through the H2O ice point then induces rapid and complete dissociation, allowing controlled recovery of the total expected gas yield. This behavior is in marked contrast to that exhibited by methane hydrate at both colder (193-240 K) and warmer (272-290 K) test conditions, where dissociation rates increase monotonically with increasing temperature. Anomalous preservation has potential application for successful retrieval of natural gas hydrate or hydrate-bearing sediments from remote settings, as well as for temporary low-pressure transport and storage of natural gas.

Synthetic methylotrophy: engineering the production of biofuels and chemicals based on the biology of aerobic methanol utilization.

PubMed

Whitaker, William B; Sandoval, Nicholas R; Bennett, Robert K; Fast, Alan G; Papoutsakis, Eleftherios T

2015-06-01

Synthetic methylotrophy is the development of non-native methylotrophs that can utilize methane and methanol as sole carbon and energy sources or as co-substrates with carbohydrates to produce metabolites as biofuels and chemicals. The availability of methane (from natural gas) and its oxidation product, methanol, has been increasing, while prices have been decreasing, thus rendering them as attractive fermentation substrates. As they are more reduced than most carbohydrates, methane and methanol, as co-substrates, can enhance the yields of biologically produced metabolites. Here we discuss synthetic biology and metabolic engineering strategies based on the native biology of aerobic methylotrophs for developing synthetic strains grown on methanol, with Escherichia coli as the prototype. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Biologically Produced Methane as a Renewable Energy Source.

PubMed

Holmes, D E; Smith, J A

2016-01-01

Methanogens are a unique group of strictly anaerobic archaea that are more metabolically diverse than previously thought. Traditionally, it was thought that methanogens could only generate methane by coupling the oxidation of products formed by fermentative bacteria with the reduction of CO 2 . However, it has recently been observed that many methanogens can also use electrons extruded from metal-respiring bacteria, biocathodes, or insoluble electron shuttles as energy sources. Methanogens are found in both human-made and natural environments and are responsible for the production of ∼71% of the global atmospheric methane. Their habitats range from the human digestive tract to hydrothermal vents. Although biologically produced methane can negatively impact the environment if released into the atmosphere, when captured, it can serve as a potent fuel source. The anaerobic digestion of wastes such as animal manure, human sewage, or food waste produces biogas which is composed of ∼60% methane. Methane from biogas can be cleaned to yield purified methane (biomethane) that can be readily incorporated into natural gas pipelines making it a promising renewable energy source. Conventional anaerobic digestion is limited by long retention times, low organics removal efficiencies, and low biogas production rates. Therefore, many studies are being conducted to improve the anaerobic digestion process. Researchers have found that addition of conductive materials and/or electrically active cathodes to anaerobic digesters can stimulate the digestion process and increase methane content of biogas. It is hoped that optimization of anaerobic digesters will make biogas more readily accessible to the average person. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Municipal solid waste characterization and its assessment for potential methane generation: a case study.

PubMed

Mor, Suman; Ravindra, Khaiwal; De Visscher, Alex; Dahiya, R P; Chandra, A

2006-12-01

There has been a significant increase in municipal solid waste (MSW) generation in India during the last few decades and its management has become a major issue because the poor waste management practices affect the health and amenity of the cities. In the present study, various physico-chemical parameters of the MSW were analyzed to characterize the waste dumped at Gazipur landfill site in Delhi, India, which shows that it contains a high fraction of degradable organic components. The decomposition of organic components produces methane, a significant contributor to global warming. Based on the waste composition, waste age and the total amount dumped, a first-order decay model (FOD) was applied to estimate the methane generation potential of the Gazipur landfill site, which yields an estimate of 15.3 Gg/year. This value accounts to about 1-3% of existing Indian landfill methane emission estimates. Based on the investigation of Gazipur landfill, we estimate Indian landfill methane emissions at 1.25 Tg/year or 1.68 Tg/year of methane generation potential. These values are within the range of existing estimates. A comparison of FOD with a recently proposed triangular model was also performed and it shows that both models can be used for the estimation of methane generation. However, the decrease of the emission after closure is more gradual in the case of the first-order model, leading to larger gas production predictions after more than 10 years of closure. The regional and global implications of national landfill methane emission are also discussed.

Linking Microbial and Biogeochemical Studies: Biological Controls of Methane Release from an Acidic Natural Wetland in Central Pennsylvania

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Biddle, J. F.; Turich, C.; Brantley, S.; Bruns, M.

2002-12-01

Wetlands produce between 55 and 150 Tg of methane per year, or ~70% of all natural methane, and 20% of total methane (natural and anthropogenic). Understanding inputs to the global methane cycle depends on integrated in situ study of the sources and sinks of methane, as well as the rate and magnitude of methane production and consumption. Bear Meadows Natural Area in central Pennsylvania (N 40° 43.796' W 077° 45.310; 554 m elevation) contains an acidic, methane-producing, peaty bog with vegetation that is typical of wetlands at higher latitudes. In this four year study conducted within a cross-disciplinary training course offered by the NSF-IGERT Biogeochemical Research Initiative in Education (BRIE) program at Penn State University, graduate students applied a combination of geochemical and microbiological techniques to explore microbial diversity and activity in Bear Meadows sediments. The methane flux at the peat:water interface was highly variable, from 0.01 to over 3000 umol/m2/min in both sphagnum and sedge vegetation. The methane released from the bog had a carbon isotopic composition of -60 %o, typical of biogenic methane. Analysis of peat pore waters showed that the most methane was produced 30 cm below the peat:water interface, with a broad peak of methane in pore waters from 20-40 cm. At 21 cm below the peat:water interface, profiles of Archaeal 16S-23S ribosomal RNA spacer regions revealed the presence of populations having 92% similarity to 16S rRNA sequences of Methanoculleus marisnigri. Phospholipid fatty acids (PLFA) and compound specific isotope analysis revealed other biological controls on the methane cycle. PLFAs typical of methanotrophic bacteria were also present within peat cores from 20-30 cm below the water interface. The depleted carbon isotopic composition of these biomarkers (C16:1 and C18:1 fatty acids) was - 31.4 %o and - 33.8%o, indicative of methane oxidation. The presence of biomarkers of methane oxidizing bacteria within the zone of methane production may indicate that there is temporal or spatial heterogeneity in oxygen concentration within the peat. This interdisciplinary approach helped define specific ecological niches where novel methanogens and methane oxidizers may be active in a typical northern wetland. Through BRIE, on-going studies of the Bear Meadows wetland will focus on detecting other potentially novel aerobic and anaerobic microbes, and determining the biological influence on methane release to the atmosphere.

Development of optimal enzymatic and microbial conversion systems for biofuel production

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aramrueang, Natthiporn

The increase in demand for fuels, along with the concerns over the depletion of fossil fuels and the environmental problems associated with the use of the petroleum-based fuels, has driven the exploitation of clean and renewable energy. Through a collaboration project with Mendota Bioenergy LLC to produce advanced biofuel from sugar beet and other locally grown crops in the Central Valley of California through demonstration and commercial-scale biorefineries, the present study focused on the investigation of selected potential biomass as biofuel feedstock and development of bioconversion systems for sustainable biofuel production. For an efficient biomass-to-biofuel conversion process, three important steps, which are central to this research, must be considered: feedstock characterization, enzymatic hydrolysis of the feedstock, and the bioconversion process. The first part of the research focused on the characterization of various lignocellulosic biomass as feedstocks and investigated their potential ethanol yields. Physical characteristics and chemical composition were analyzed for four sugar beet varieties, three melon varieties, tomato, Jose tall wheatgrass, wheat hay, and wheat straw. Melons and tomato are those products discarded by the growers or processors due to poor quality. The mass-based ethanol potential of each feedstock was determined based on the composition. The high sugar-containing feedstocks are sugar beet roots, melons, and tomato, containing 72%, 63%, and 42% average soluble sugars on a dry basis, respectively. Thus, for these crops, the soluble sugars are the main substrate for ethanol production. The potential ethanol yields, on average, for sugar beet roots, melons, and tomato are 591, 526, and 448 L ethanol/metric ton dry basis (d.b.), respectively. Lignocellulosic biomass, including Jose Tall wheatgrass and wheat straw, are composed primarily of cellulose (27-39% d.b.) and hemicellulose (26-30% d.b.). The ethanol yields from these materials can range from 470 to 533 L ethanol/metric ton (d.b.) Sugar beet leaves contain nearly equal amounts of cellulose (13%), hemicellulose (16%), and pectin (17%). The potential ethanol yield of sugar beet leaves is 340 L ethanol/metric ton (d.b.). As remaining unused in great quantities during the production of sugar beet as a sugar and energy crop, sugar beet leaves was studied as a potential feedstock for the production of biofuel and valuable products. The enzymatic hydrolysis of sugar beet leaves was optimized for fermentable sugar production. Optimization of enzyme usage was performed to make the biorefinery process more cost- and energy-effective. In this research, response surface methodology was used to study the effects of enzyme loadings during the hydrolysis of sugar beet leaves at 10% total solids content, using a mix of cellulases, hemicellulases, and pectinases. The effects of enzyme loadings were studied with a five-level rotatable central composite design for maximum conversion of sugar beet leaves to fermentable sugars. The last part of this study investigated biogas production through the anaerobic digestion of microalgae as they have received much attention as another potential biofuel feedstock. Anaerobic digestion of Spirulina ( Arthrospira platensis) was conducted in batch reactors for the study of the kinetics and, in continuous stirred tank reactors (CSTR), for the study of the two important operating parameters: hydraulic retention time (HRT) and organic loading rate (OLR). The kinetics study on methane production from batch experiments shows first order kinetics and a reaction rate constant of 0.382 d-1. The maximum biogas and methane yields for Spirulina are 0.514 L/gVS and 0.360 L CH4/gVS, respectively. The methane content of the biogas is 68%. During the continuous anaerobic digestion in CSTR for OLR in the range of 1.0-4.0 gVS/L/d, biogas and methane yields are in the ranges of 0.276-0.502 L/ gVS and 0.163-0.342 L CH4/gVS, respectively. Methane content is 59-70% of the biogas. Methane yield decreases with an increase in OLR and a decrease in HRT. The maximum methane production is 0.342 L CH4/gVS at OLR of 1.0 gVS/L d and 25d-HRT, achieving 94% of the maximum yield produced by batch digestion. Ammonia inhibition and the accumulation of volatile fatty acids (VFA) were observed at high OLR. According to the results from the continuous digestion of Spirulina, the recommended HRT should be sufficient at least 15d, with the OLRmax of 2.0 gVS/L to prevent ammonia inhibition at higher feed concentrations. The OLR can be increased when the digester is operated at longer HRT since a long HRT provides a more stable operation. A mathematical model, based on the kinetics study from the batch process, was developed for the prediction of methane production during a continuous digestion process, in relation to HRT. Further improvement of the model may have to include the effects of ammonia inhibition and low solids retention time (SRT) to overcome these limitations. (Abstract shortened by UMI.).

49 CFR 173.302a - Additional requirements for shipment of nonliquefied (permanent) compressed gases in...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... carbon monoxide. DOT 3T cylinders are not authorized for hydrogen. When used in methane service, the methane must be a nonliquefied gas with a minimum purity of 98.0 percent methane and commercially free of... nonliquefied (permanent) compressed gases in specification cylinders. 173.302a Section 173.302a Transportation...

49 CFR 173.302a - Additional requirements for shipment of nonliquefied (permanent) compressed gases in...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... carbon monoxide. DOT 3T cylinders are not authorized for hydrogen. When used in methane service, the methane must be a nonliquefied gas with a minimum purity of 98.0 percent methane and commercially free of... nonliquefied (permanent) compressed gases in specification cylinders. 173.302a Section 173.302a Transportation...

Micrometric BN powders used as catalyst support: influence of the precursor on the properties of the BN ceramic

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Perdigon-Melon, José Antonio; Auroux, Aline; Guimon, Claude; Bonnetot, Bernard

2004-02-01

Thin powders and foams of boron nitride have been prepared from molecular precursors for use as noble metal supports in the catalytic conversion of methane. Different precursors originating from borazines have been tested. The best results were obtained using a precursor derived from trichloroborazine (TCB) which, after reacting with ammonia at room temperature and then thermolyzing up to 1800°C, led to BN powders with a specific area of more than 300 m 2 g -1 and a micrometric spherical texture. Comparable results were obtained using polyborazylene under similar conditions. Aminoborazine-derived precursors did not yield such high specific area ceramics but the BN microstructure resembled a foam with a crystallized skin and amorphous internal part. These differences were related to the chemical mechanism of the conversion of the precursor into BN. Polyhaloborazines and polyborazines yielded BN through gas-solid reactions whereas aminoborazine polymers could be kept waxy up to high temperatures, which favored the glassy foam. Catalysts composed of BN support and platinum have been prepared using two routes: from a mixture of precursor or by impregnation of a BN powder leading to very different catalysts.

Coalbed methane resource potential and current prospects in Pennsylvania

USGS Publications Warehouse

Markowski, A.K.

1998-01-01

Coalbed methane gas content analyses from exploratory coal cores and existing data indicate that gas content generally increases with increasing depth and rank. The coal beds studied are from the Main Bituminous field of Pennsylvania (which currently contains 24 coalbed methane pools) and the Northern and Southern Anthracite coal fields. They range from the Middle Pennsylvanian Allegheny Group to the Late Pennsylvanian-Early Permian Dunkard Group. Previous US Bureau of Mines studies revealed gas contents from 0.4 to 13.8 cm3/g at depths of 99 to 432 m for the bituminous coal beds of the Allegheny Group. More recent core data from the Allegheny Group yielded gas contents from 2.2 to 8.9 cm3/g at depths from 167 to 387 m. In the Anthracite region of eastern Pennsylvania, the little data that are available show that gas content is anomalously high or low. Gas yields from test holes in eastern Pennsylvania are low with or without artificial stimulation mainly due to the lack of a good cleat system. Overall estimates of coalbed methane resources indicate there may be 1.7 Tm3 (61 Tcf) of gas-in-place contained in the Northern Appalachian coal basin. The amount of technically recoverable coalbed methane resources is projected by the US Geological Survey National Oil and Gas Resource Assessment Team [US Geological Survey National Oil and Gas Resource Assessment Team, 1996. 1995 National assessment of United States oil and gas resources-results, methodology, and supporting data, US Geological Survey Digital Data Series DDS-30, CD-ROM, Denver, CO, 80 pp.] and Lyons [Lyons, P.C., 1997. Central-northern Appalachian coalbed methane flow grows. Oil and Gas Journal 95 (27) 76-79] at 0.3 Tm3 (11.48 Tcf). This includes portions of Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, and a small part of Maryland. Consequently, a mapping investigation was conducted to evaluate the regional geology of the bituminous coal-bearing intervals in southwestern Pennsylvania and its influence on coalbed methane potential. Phase I of this study involved the entire Pennsylvanian coal-bearing interval of southwestern Pennsylvania. Phase II focused on a stratigraphic delineation and evaluation of Allegheny Group coal beds and associated sandstones. Several prospective coal beds and associated facies relationships with channel-fill sandstones were determined. Possible non-coal scenarios for coalbed methane include erosional contacts between coal beds and overlying channel-fill sandstones and areas of stacked channel-fill sandstones. Repetitive sequences of coal accumulation are stacked, commonly with shale interburden, and are also potential coalbed methane targets. Additional Pennsylvania Geological Survey drilling/coalbed methane sampling occurred in Armstrong, Beaver, Cambria, Greene, Lawrence, Somerset, and Washington Counties. Raw coalbed methane desorption data tables/graphical displays of gas contents versus depth, thickness, and time, and average composition and heating values from coal beds of the Allegheny Group to the Dunkard Group are available at the Pennsylvania Geological Survey. Further information on cross-sections, isopleth maps, isopach maps, raw drillhole data, and ownership issues can also be obtained from the same source.A mapping of the regional geology of the bituminous coal-bearing intervals in southwestern Pennsylvania reveal several prospective coal beds and associated facies relationships with channel-fill sandstones. Possible non-coal scenarios for coalbed methane include erosional contacts between coalbeds and overlying channel-fill sandstones and areas of stacked channel-fill sandstones. Repetitive sequences of coal accumulation are stacked, commonly with shale interburden. and are also potential coalbed methane targets.

Cultivation of macroscopic marine algae and fresh water aquatic weeds

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ryther, J.H.

1982-02-01

The ORCA clone of the red seaweed Gracilaria tikvahiae has been in culture continuously for over two years. Yield for the past year has averaged 12 g ash-free dry wt/m/sup 2/ .day (17.5 t/a.y) in suspended 2600-1 aluminum tank cultures with four exchanges of enriched seawater per day and continuous aeration. Yields from nonintensive pond-bottom culture, similar to commercial Gracilaria culture methods in Taiwan, averaged 3 g afdw/m/sup 2/.day in preliminary experiments. Rope and spray cultures were not successful. Yields of water hyacinths from March 1978 to March 1979 averaged 25 g afdw/m/sup 2/.day (37 t/a.y). Season, nutrient availability (formmore » and quantity) and stand density were found to affect the relative proportions of structural and nonstructural tissue in water hyacinths and thereby significantly affect digestibility of and methane production by the plants. Pennywort (Hydrocotyle) grew poorly in winter and its annual yield averaged only one-third that of water hyacinth. Water lettuce (Pistia) appears more comparable to hyacinths in preliminary studies and its yields will be monitored throughout a complete year. Stable, continuous anaerobic digestion of both water hyacinths and Gracilaria has been maintained with an average gas production from both species of 0.4 1/g volatile solids at 60% methane.« less

The Use of Gas Chromatography for Biogas Analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Andersen, Amanda; Seeley, John; Aurandt, Jennifer

2010-04-01

Energy from natural gas accounts for 24 percent of energy consumed in the US. Natural gas is a robust form of energy which is rich in methane content and is low in impurities. This quality suggests that it is a very clean and safe gas; it can be used in providing heat, a source for cooking, and in powering vehicles. The downside is that it is a non-renewable resource. On the contrary, methane rich gas that is produced by the breakdown of organic material in an anaerobic environment, called biogas, is a renewable energy source. This research focuses on the gas analysis portion of the creation of the anaerobic digestion and verification laboratory where content and forensic analysis of biogas is performed. Gas Chromatography is implemented as the optimal analytical tool for quantifying the components of the biogas including methane, carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulfide and siloxanes. In addition, the problems associated with the undesirable components are discussed. Anaerobic digestion of primary sludge has consistently produced about 55 percent methane; future goals of this research include studying different substrates to increase the methane yield and decrease levels of impurities in the gas.

A Novel Study of Methane-Rich Gas Reforming to Syngas and Its Kinetics over Semicoke Catalyst

PubMed Central

Zhang, Guojie; Su, Aiting; Qu, Jiangwen; Du, Yannian

2014-01-01

A small-size gasification unit is improved through process optimization to simulate industrial United Gas Improvement Company gasification. It finds that the reaction temperature has important impacts on semicoke catalyzed methane gas mixture. The addition of water vapor can enhance the catalytic activity of reforming, which is due to the fact that addition of water vapor not only removes carbon deposit produced in the reforming and gasification reaction processes, but also participates in gasification reaction with semicoke to generate some active oxygen-containing functional groups. The active oxygen-containing functional groups provide active sites for carbon dioxide reforming of methane, promoting the reforming reaction. It also finds that the addition of different proportions of methane-rich gas can yield synthesis gas with different H2/CO ratio. The kinetics study shows that the semicoke can reduce the activation energy of the reforming reaction and promote the occurrence of the reforming reaction. The kinetics model of methane reforming under the conditions of steam gasification over semicoke is as follows: k-=5.02×103·pCH40.71·pH20.26·exp(−74200/RT). PMID:24959620

Real-time drilling mud gas monitoring for qualitative evaluation of hydrocarbon gas composition during deep sea drilling in the Nankai Trough Kumano Basin.

PubMed

Hammerschmidt, Sebastian B; Wiersberg, Thomas; Heuer, Verena B; Wendt, Jenny; Erzinger, Jörg; Kopf, Achim

2014-01-01

Integrated Ocean Drilling Program Expedition 338 was the second scientific expedition with D/V Chikyu during which riser drilling was conducted as part of the Nankai Trough Seismogenic Zone Experiment. Riser drilling enabled sampling and real-time monitoring of drilling mud gas with an onboard scientific drilling mud gas monitoring system ("SciGas"). A second, independent system was provided by Geoservices, a commercial mud logging service. Both systems allowed the determination of (non-) hydrocarbon gas, while the SciGas system also monitored the methane carbon isotope ratio (δ(13)CCH4). The hydrocarbon gas composition was predominated by methane (> 1%), while ethane and propane were up to two orders of magnitude lower. δ(13)CCH4 values suggested an onset of thermogenic gas not earlier than 1600 meter below seafloor. This study aims on evaluating the onboard data and subsequent geological interpretations by conducting shorebased analyses of drilling mud gas samples. During shipboard monitoring of drilling mud gas the SciGas and Geoservices systems recorded up to 8.64% and 16.4% methane, respectively. Ethane and propane concentrations reached up to 0.03 and 0.013%, respectively, in the SciGas system, but 0.09% and 0.23% in the Geoservices data. Shorebased analyses of discrete samples by gas chromatography showed a gas composition with ~0.01 to 1.04% methane, 2 - 18 ppmv ethane, and 2 - 4 ppmv propane. Quadruple mass spectrometry yielded similar results for methane (0.04 to 4.98%). With δD values between -171‰ and -164‰, the stable hydrogen isotopic composition of methane showed little downhole variability. Although the two independent mud gas monitoring systems and shorebased analysis of discrete gas sample yielded different absolute concentrations they all agree well with respect to downhole variations of hydrocarbon gases. The data point to predominantly biogenic methane sources but suggest some contribution from thermogenic sources at depth, probably due to mixing. In situ thermogenic gas production at depths shallower 2000 mbsf is unlikely based on in situ temperature estimations between 81°C and 85°C and a cumulative time-temperature index of 0.23. In conclusion, the onboard SciGas data acquisition helps to provide a preliminary, qualitative evaluation of the gas composition, the in situ temperature and the possibility of gas migration.

Mechanism of chemical sputtering of graphite under high flux deuterium bombardment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ueda, Y.; Sugai, T.; Ohtsuka, Y.; Nishikawa, M.

2000-12-01

Chemical sputtering of graphite materials (isotropic graphite and carbon fiber composite) was studied by irradiation of 5 keV D 3+ beam with a flux up to 4×10 21 m-2 s-1, which is more than one order magnitude higher than previous low flux beam experiments (< 10 20 m-2 s-1) . The chemical sputtering yield was obtained from measurements of the released methane signal with a quadrupole mass analyser. It was found that the methane yield at peak temperatures is almost independent of flux from 5×10 20 to 4×10 21 m-2 s-1. Peak temperatures range between 900 and 1000 K, which is higher than those of the previous low flux experiments (<900 K, <10 20 m-2 s-1) . By comparing our experimental results with calculation results based on Roth's model, the annealing effect of radiation damage to prevent methyl group formation appears to be unimportant.

Solid state anaerobic co-digestion of tomato residues with dairy manure and corn stover for biogas production.

PubMed

Li, Yangyang; Li, Yu; Zhang, Difang; Li, Guoxue; Lu, Jiaxin; Li, Shuyan

2016-10-01

Solid-state anaerobic co-digestion of tomato residues with dairy manure and corn stover was conducted at 20% total solids under 35°C for 45days. Results showed digestion of mixed tomato residues with dairy manure and corn stover improved methane yields. The highest VS reduction (46.2%) and methane yield (415.4L/kg VSfeed) were achieved with the ternary mixtures of 33% corn stover, 54% dairy manure, and 13% tomato residues, lead to a 0.5-10.2-fold higher than that of individual feedstocks. Inhibition of volatile fatty acids (VFAs) to biogas production occurred when more than 40% tomato residues were added. The results indicated that ternary mixtures diluted the inhibitors that would otherwise cause inhibition in the digestion of tomato residues as a mono-feedstock. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Milk metabolome relates enteric methane emission to milk synthesis and energy metabolism pathways.

PubMed

Antunes-Fernandes, E C; van Gastelen, S; Dijkstra, J; Hettinga, K A; Vervoort, J

2016-08-01

Methane (CH4) emission of dairy cows contributes significantly to the carbon footprint of the dairy chain; therefore, a better understanding of CH4 formation is urgently needed. The present study explored the milk metabolome by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (milk volatile metabolites) and nuclear magnetic resonance (milk nonvolatile metabolites) to better understand the biological pathways involved in CH4 emission in dairy cattle. Data were used from a randomized block design experiment with 32 multiparous Holstein-Friesian cows and 4 diets. All diets had a roughage:concentrate ratio of 80:20 (dry matter basis) and the roughage was grass silage (GS), corn silage (CS), or a mixture of both (67% GS, 33% CS; 33% GS, 67% CS). Methane emission was measured in climate respiration chambers and expressed as CH4 yield (per unit of dry matter intake) and CH4 intensity (per unit of fat- and protein-corrected milk; FPCM). No volatile or nonvolatile metabolite was positively related to CH4 yield, and acetone (measured as a volatile and as a nonvolatile metabolite) was negatively related to CH4 yield. The volatile metabolites 1-heptanol-decanol, 3-nonanone, ethanol, and tetrahydrofuran were positively related to CH4 intensity. None of the volatile metabolites was negatively related to CH4 intensity. The nonvolatile metabolites acetoacetate, creatinine, ethanol, formate, methylmalonate, and N-acetylsugar A were positively related to CH4 intensity, and uridine diphosphate (UDP)-hexose B and citrate were negatively related to CH4 intensity. Several volatile and nonvolatile metabolites that were correlated with CH4 intensity also were correlated with FPCM and not significantly related to CH4 intensity anymore when FPCM was included as covariate. This suggests that changes in these milk metabolites may be related to changes in milk yield or metabolic processes involved in milk synthesis. The UDP-hexose B was correlated with FPCM, whereas citrate was not. Both metabolites were still related to CH4 intensity when FPCM was included as covariate. The UDP-hexose B is an intermediate of lactose metabolism, and citrate is an important intermediate of Krebs cycle-related energy processes. Therefore, the negative correlation of UDP-hexose B and citrate with CH4 intensity may reflect a decrease in metabolic activity in the mammary gland. Our results suggest that an integrative approach including milk yield and composition, and dietary and animal traits will help to explain the biological metabolism of dairy cows in relation to methane CH4 emission. Copyright © 2016 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Laboratory studies of methane near 2 μ m

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Robert, O.; Hilico, J. C.; Loete, M.; Brown, L. R.; Pine, A. S.

2000-12-01

The 2 μ m region is a ``window" region for planets and stars abundant in methane. Characterizing the methane absorptions requires that a large number of vibration-rotation states be studied. The rovibrational levels in methane are grouped in vibrational polyads. The absorption from the three first polyads of methane (ground state: <= 10 μ m, dyad: 5--10 μ m, pentad: 3--5 μ m) are well understood and can be predicted using quantum mechanical models. Two higher polyads must be modeled to describe the 2 μ m window. The polyad called the octad has eight vibrational states in the 2--3 μ m interval. The next polyad (tetradecad) observed in the range 1.6--2 μ m is composed of 14 vibrational levels. The analyses of these two polyads have been undertaken at Dijon using high--quality FTIR spectra recorded at Kitt Peak National Observatory. The analysis of the octad was helped by spectra of the Q-branch regions of the 3ν 4 and ν2+2ν4 bands recorded at 80 K at NIST. The theoretical background for modeling rovibrational energy levels and corresponding transitions has been developed at Dijon. The analysis of the COMPLETE octad was performed for J <= 16 with a Hamiltonian containing 253 adjustable parameters (for 8 bands and 24 subbands). Nearly 8000 lines in the octad were assigned and reproduced with a standard deviation of 0.044 cm-1. Intensities were also modeled to 16% for some 2500 transitions. A prediction of some 57000 methane transitions in HITRAN format is available (from Brown). The analysis of the tetradecad system led to the assignment of nearly 200 lines of 4ν 4 band around 1.9 μ m, yielding a standard deviation of 0.180 cm-1, and to nearly 300 lines of 2ν 2+ν_3 around 1.7 μ m, yielding a standard deviation of 0.270 cm-1. Intensities are being measured. The spectral simulation is in progress near 1.8 μ m where maximum complication occurs. Part of the research reported in this paper was performed at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, under contract with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Psychrophilic dry anaerobic digestion of dairy cow feces: Long-term operation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Massé, Daniel I., E-mail: Daniel.masse@agr.gc.ca; Cata Saady, Noori M.

2015-02-15

Highlights: • Psychrophilic dry anaerobic digestion (PDAD) of cow feces (CF) is feasible. • PDAD of CF is as efficient as mesophilic and thermophilic AD at TCL 21 days. • CF (13–16% TS at OLR 5.0 g TCOD{sub fed} kg{sup −1} inoculum d{sup −1}) yielded 222 ± 27 {sub N}L CH{sub 4} kg{sup −1} VS fed. - Abstract: This paper reports experimental results which demonstrate psychrophilic dry anaerobic digestion of cow feces during long-term operation in sequence batch reactor. Cow feces (13–16% total solids) has been anaerobically digested in 12 successive cycles (252 days) at 21 days treatment cycle lengthmore » (TCL) and temperature of 20 °C using psychrotrophic anaerobic mixed culture. An average specific methane yield (SMY) of 184.9 ± 24.0, 189.9 ± 27.3, and 222 ± 27.7 {sub N}L CH{sub 4} kg{sup −1} of VS fed has been achieved at an organic loading rate of 3.0, 4.0, and 5.0 g TCOD kg{sup −1} inoculum d{sup −1} and TCL of 21 days, respectively. The corresponding substrate to inoculum ratio (SIR) was 0.39 ± 0.06, 0.48 ± .02, 0.53 ± 0.05, respectively. Average methane production rate of 10 ± 1.4 {sub N}L CH{sub 4} kg{sup −1} VS fed d{sup −1} has been obtained. The low concentration of volatile fatty acids indicated that hydrolysis was the reaction limiting step.« less

A new approach to evaluate regional methane emission from irrigated rice paddies: Combining process study, modeling and remote sensing into GIS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ding, Aiju

2000-10-01

A large seasonal variation in methane emission from Texas rice fields was observed in most of the growing seasons from 1989 through 1997. In general, the pattern showed small fluxes in the early season of cultivation and reached maximum at post-heading time, then declined and stopped after fields were drained. The amount of methane emission positively relates to the aboveground biomass, the number of effective stems and tillers, and nitrogen addition. The day-to-day pattern of methane emissions was similar among all cultivars. The seasonal total methane emission shows a significant positive correlation with post-heading plant height. The total methane emission from Texas rice fields was estimated as 33.25 × 109 g in 1993, ranging from 25.85 × 109 g/yr to 40.65 × 109 g/yr. A mitigation technique was developed to obtain both high yield and less methane emission from Texas rice fields. A new approach was also developed to evaluate regional to large-scale methane emission from irrigated rice paddies. By combining modeling, ground truth information and remote sensing into a Geographic Information System (GIS)-a computer based system, the seasonal methane emission from a large area can be calculated efficiently and more accurately. The methodology was tested at the Richmond Irrigation District (RID) site in Texas. The average daily methane emission varied from field to field and even within a single field. The calculated seasonal total methane emission from RID rice fields was as low as 3.34 × 108 g CH4 in 1996 and as high as 7.80 × 108 g CH4 in 1998. To support the application of the estimation method in a worldwide study, an algorithm describing the mapping of irrigated rice paddies from Landsat TM data was demonstrated. The accuracy in 1998- supervised classification approached 95% when cloud cover was taken into account. Model uncertainty and data availability are the two major potential problems in worldwide application of the new approach. A potential alternative model is proposed which allows estimation of regional methane emission from rice plant height.

Volcanic Destabilisation of Methane Clathrate Hydrate on Titan: the Mechanism for Resupplying Atmospheric CH4?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Davies, Ashley; Sotin, C.; Choukroun, M.; Matson, D. L.; Johnson, T. V.

2013-10-01

Titan may have an upper crust rich in methane clathrates which would have formed early in Titan’s history [1-3]. The abundance of atmospheric methane, which has a limited lifetime, and the presence of 40Ar require replenishment over time. Volcanic processes may release these gases from Titan’s interior, although, so far, no conclusive evidence of an ongoing volcanic event has been observed: no “smoking gun” has been seen. Still, some process has recently supplied a considerable amount of methane to Titan’s atmosphere. We have investigated the emplacement of “cryolavas” of varying composition to quantify thermal exchange and lava solidification processes to model thermal wave penetration into a methane-rich substrate (see [4]), and to determine event detectability. Clathrate destabilisation releases methane and other trapped gases, such as argon. A 10-m-thick cryolava covering 100 km2 raises 3 x 108 m3 of substrate methane clathrates to destabilization temperature in ~108 s. With a density of 920 kg/m3, and ≈13% of the mass being methane, 4 x 1010 kg of methane is released. This is an impressive amount, but it would take 5 million similar events to yield the current mass of atmospheric methane. However, meeting Titan’s current global methane replenishment rate is feasible through the thermal interaction between cryolavas and methane clathrate deposits, but only (1) after the flow has solidified; (2) if cracks form, connecting surface to substrate; and (3) the cracks form while the temperature of the clathrates is greater than the destabilisation temperature. The relatively small scale of this activity may be hard to detect. This work was performed at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, under contract to NASA. Choukroun, M. and Sotin, C. (2012) GRL, 39, L04201. [2] Tobie, G. et al. (2006) Nature, 440, 61-64. [3] Lunine, J. et al. (2009) Origin and Evolution of Titan, in Titan From Cassini-Huygens, ed. R. Brown et al., 35-59, Springer. [4] Davies, A. G. et al. (2013) LPSC 44 abstract 1681.

Evaluation of chemical, thermobaric and thermochemical pre-treatment on anaerobic digestion of high-fat cattle slaughterhouse waste.

PubMed

Harris, Peter W; Schmidt, Thomas; McCabe, Bernadette K

2017-11-01

This work aimed to enhance the anaerobic digestion of fat-rich dissolved air flotation (DAF) sludge through chemical, thermobaric, and thermochemical pre-treatment methods. Soluble chemical oxygen demand was enhanced from 16.3% in the control to 20.84% (thermobaric), 40.82% (chemical), and 50.7% (thermochemical). Pre-treatment altered volatile fatty acid concentration by -64% (thermobaric), 127% (chemical) and 228% (thermochemical). Early inhibition was reduced by 20% in the thermochemical group, and 100% in the thermobaric group. Specific methane production was enhanced by 3.28% (chemical), 8.32% (thermobaric), and 8.49% (thermochemical) as a result of pre-treatment. Under batch digestion, thermobaric pre-treatment demonstrated the greatest improvement in methane yield with respect to degree of pre-treatment applied. Thermobaric pre-treatment was also the most viable for implementation at slaughterhouses, with potential for heat-exchange to reduce pre-treatment cost. Further investigation into long-term impact of pre-treatments in semi-continuous digestion experiments will provide additional evaluation of appropriate pre-treatment options for high-fat slaughterhouse wastewater. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

The effect of different mesophilic temperatures during anaerobic digestion of sludge on the overall performance of a WWTP in Sweden.

PubMed

Moestedt, J; Rönnberg, J; Nordell, E

2017-12-01

This project was initiated to evaluate the effect of alternative process temperatures to 38 °C at the anaerobic digestion step in a Swedish wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) treating mixed sludge. The efficiency of the different temperatures was evaluated with respect to biogas production, volume of sludge produced and nutrient content in the reject water to find the optimum temperature for the WWTP as a whole. Three temperatures, 34 °C, 38 °C and 42 °C, were compared in laboratory scale. Increasing the process temperature to 42 °C resulted in process instability, reduced methane yield, accumulation of volatile fatty acids and higher treatment costs of the reject water. By decreasing the temperature to 34 °C, slightly higher sludge mass was observed and a lower gas production rate, while the specific methane produced remained unchanged compared to 38 °C but foaming was observed at several occasions. In summary 38 °C was proved to be the most favourable temperature for the anaerobic digestion process treating mixed sludge when the evaluation included effects such as foaming, sludge mass and quality of the reject water.

Energy-positive sewage sludge pre-treatment with a novel ultrasonic flatbed reactor at low energy input.

PubMed

Lippert, Thomas; Bandelin, Jochen; Musch, Alexandra; Drewes, Jörg E; Koch, Konrad

2018-05-20

The performance of a novel ultrasonic flatbed reactor for sewage sludge pre-treatment was assessed for three different waste activated sludges. The study systematically investigated the impact of specific energy input (200 - 3,000 kJ/kg TS ) on the degree of disintegration (DD COD , i.e. ratio between ultrasonically and maximum chemically solubilized COD) and methane production enhancement. Relationship between DD COD and energy input was linear, for all sludges tested. Methane yields were significantly increased for both low (200 kJ/kg TS ) and high (2,000 - 3,000 kJ/kg TS ) energy inputs, while intermediate inputs (400 - 1,000 kJ/kg TS ) showed no significant improvement. High inputs additionally accelerated reaction kinetics, but were limited to similar gains as low inputs (max. 12%), despite the considerably higher DD COD values. Energy balance was only positive for 200 kJ/kg TS -treatments, with a maximum energy recovery of 122%. Results suggest that floc deagglomeration rather than cell lysis (DD COD =1% - 5% at 200 kJ/kg TS ) is the key principle of energy-positive sludge sonication. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Oxidative coupling of methane over supported La{sub 2}O{sub 3} and La-promoted MgO catalysts: Influence of catalyst-support interactions

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Choudhary, V.R.; Mulla, S.A.R.; Uphade, B.S.

1997-06-01

Methane-to-C{sub 2}-hydrocarbon conversion activity and selectivity (or yield) of MgO and La-promoted MgO catalysts in the oxidative coupling of methane and strong basicity of the catalysts are decreased appreciably when these catalysts are deposited on commonly used commercial low surface area porous catalyst carriers containing Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}, SiO{sub 2}, SiC, or ZrO{sub 2} + HfO{sub 2} as the main components. The decrease in the strong basicity and catalytic activity/selectivity or yield is mostly due to strong chemical interactions between the active catalyst component (viz., MgO and La{sub 2}O{sub 3}) and the reactive components of the catalyst support (viz., Al{submore » 2}O{sub 3} and SiO{sub 2}), resulting in the formation of catalytically inactive binary metal oxides on the support surface. However, the influence of support on the activity/selectivity of La{sub 2}O{sub 3} is relatively very small, and also the chemical interactions of La{sub 2}O{sub 3} with the supports (except that containing a high concentration of SiO{sub 2}) are almost absent. The catalyst-support interactions are thus found to be strongly dependent upon the nature (chemical composition) of both catalyst and support. For developing better supported catalysts for the oxidative coupling of methane, supported La{sub 2}O{sub 3} with some promoters shows high promise.« less

CO2 Injection Into CH4 Hydrate Reservoirs: Quantifying Controls of Micro-Scale Processes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bigalke, N. K.; Deusner, C.; Kossel, E.; Haeckel, M.

2014-12-01

The exchangeability of methane for carbon dioxide in gas hydrates opens the possibility of producing emission-neutral hydrocarbon energy. Recent field tests have shown that the production of natural gas from gas hydrates is feasible via injection of carbon dioxide into sandy, methane-hydrate-bearing sediment strata. Industrial-scale application of this method requires identification of thermo- and fluid-dynamic as well as kinetic controls on methane yield from and carbon dioxide retention within the reservoir. Extraction of gas via injection of carbon dioxide into the hydrate reservoir triggers a number of macroscopic effects, which are revealed for example by changes of the hydraulic conductivity and geomechanical stability. Thus far, due to analytical limitations, localized reactions and fluid-flow phenomena held responsible for these effects remain unresolved on the microscale (1 µm - 1 mm) and at near-natural reservoir conditions. We address this deficit by showing results from high-resolution, two-dimensional Raman spectroscopy mappings of an artificial hydrate reservoir during carbon dioxide injection under realistic reservoir conditions. The experiments allow us to resolve hydrate conversion rate and efficiency as well as activation of fluid pathways in space and time and their effect on methane yield, carbon-dioxide retention and hydraulic conductivity of the reservoir. We hypothesize that the conversion of single hydrate grains is a diffusion-controlled process which starts at the grain surface before continuing into the grain interior and show that the conversion can be modeled simply by using published permeation coefficients for CO2 and CH4 in hydrate and grain size as only input parameters.

Measures of methane production and their phenotypic relationships with dry matter intake, growth, and body composition traits in beef cattle.

PubMed

Herd, R M; Arthur, P F; Donoghue, K A; Bird, S H; Bird-Gardiner, T; Hegarty, R S

2014-11-01

Ruminants contribute up to 80% of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from livestock, and enteric methane production by ruminants is the main source of these GHG emissions. Hence, reducing enteric methane production is essential in any GHG emissions reduction strategy in livestock. Data from 2 performance-recording research herds of Angus cattle were used to evaluate a number of methane measures that target methane production (MPR) independent of feed intake and to examine their phenotypic relationships with growth and body composition. The data comprised 777 young bulls and heifers that were fed a roughage diet (ME of 9 MJ/kg DM) at 1.2 times their maintenance energy requirements and measured for MP in open circuit respiration chambers for 48 h. Methane traits evaluated included DMI during the methane measurement period, MPR, and methane yield (MY; MPR/DMI), with means (± SD) of 6.2 ± 1.4 kg/d, 187 ± 38 L/d, and 30.4 ± 3.5 L/kg, respectively. Four forms of residual MPR (RMP), which is a measure of actual minus predicted MPR, were evaluated. For the first 3 forms, predicted MPR was calculated using published equations. For the fourth (RMPR), predicted MPR was obtained by regression of MPR on DMI. Growth traits evaluated were BW at birth, weaning (200 d of age), yearling age (400 d of age), and 600 d of age, with means (± SD) of 34 ± 4.6, 238 ± 37, 357 ± 45, and 471 ± 53 kg, respectively. Body composition traits included ultrasound measures (600 d of age) of rib fat, rump fat, and eye muscle area, with means (± SD) of 3.8 ± 2.6 mm, 5.4 ± 3.8 mm, and 61 ± 7.7 cm(2), respectively. Methane production was positively correlated (r ± SE) with DMI (0.65 ± 0.02), MY (0.72 ± 0.02), the RMP traits (r from 0.65 to 0.79), the growth traits (r from 0.19 to 0.57), and the body composition traits (r from 0.13 to 0.29). Methane yield was, however, not correlated (r ± SE) with DMI (-0.02 ± 0.04) as well as the growth (r from -0.03 to 0.11) and body composition (r from 0.01 to 0.06) traits. All the RMP traits were strongly correlated to MY (r from 0.82 to 0.95). These results indicate that reducing MPR per se can have a negative impact on growth and body composition of cattle. Reducing MY, however, will likely have the effect of reducing MPR without impacting productivity. Where a ratio trait is undesirable, as in animal breeding, any of the RMP traits can be used instead of MY. However, where independence from DMI is desired, RMPR should be a trait worth considering.

Mass and Energy Balances of Dry Thermophilic Anaerobic Digestion Treating Swine Manure Mixed with Rice Straw.

PubMed

Zhou, Sheng; Zhang, Jining; Zou, Guoyan; Riya, Shohei; Hosomi, Masaaki

2015-01-01

To evaluate the feasibility of swine manure treatment by a proposed Dry Thermophilic Anaerobic Digestion (DT-AD) system, we evaluated the methane yield of swine manure treated using a DT-AD method with rice straw under different C/N ratios and solid retention time (SRT) and calculated the mass and energy balances when the DT-AD system is used for swine manure treatment from a model farm with 1000 pigs and the digested residue is used for forage rice production. A traditional swine manure treatment Oxidation Ditch system was used as the study control. The results suggest that methane yield using the proposed DT-AD system increased with a higher C/N ratio and shorter SRT. Correspondently, for the DT-AD system running with SRT of 80 days, the net energy yields for all treatments were negative, due to low biogas production and high heat loss of digestion tank. However, the biogas yield increased when the SRT was shortened to 40 days, and the generated energy was greater than consumed energy when C/N ratio was 20 : 1 and 30 : 1. The results suggest that with the correct optimization of C/N ratio and SRT, the proposed DT-AD system, followed by using digestate for forage rice production, can attain energy self-sufficiency.

Mass and Energy Balances of Dry Thermophilic Anaerobic Digestion Treating Swine Manure Mixed with Rice Straw

PubMed Central

Zhou, Sheng; Zhang, Jining; Zou, Guoyan; Riya, Shohei; Hosomi, Masaaki

2015-01-01

To evaluate the feasibility of swine manure treatment by a proposed Dry Thermophilic Anaerobic Digestion (DT-AD) system, we evaluated the methane yield of swine manure treated using a DT-AD method with rice straw under different C/N ratios and solid retention time (SRT) and calculated the mass and energy balances when the DT-AD system is used for swine manure treatment from a model farm with 1000 pigs and the digested residue is used for forage rice production. A traditional swine manure treatment Oxidation Ditch system was used as the study control. The results suggest that methane yield using the proposed DT-AD system increased with a higher C/N ratio and shorter SRT. Correspondently, for the DT-AD system running with SRT of 80 days, the net energy yields for all treatments were negative, due to low biogas production and high heat loss of digestion tank. However, the biogas yield increased when the SRT was shortened to 40 days, and the generated energy was greater than consumed energy when C/N ratio was 20 : 1 and 30 : 1. The results suggest that with the correct optimization of C/N ratio and SRT, the proposed DT-AD system, followed by using digestate for forage rice production, can attain energy self-sufficiency. PMID:26609436

Demonstration of an ethane spectrometer for methane source identification.

PubMed

Yacovitch, Tara I; Herndon, Scott C; Roscioli, Joseph R; Floerchinger, Cody; McGovern, Ryan M; Agnese, Michael; Pétron, Gabrielle; Kofler, Jonathan; Sweeney, Colm; Karion, Anna; Conley, Stephen A; Kort, Eric A; Nähle, Lars; Fischer, Marc; Hildebrandt, Lars; Koeth, Johannes; McManus, J Barry; Nelson, David D; Zahniser, Mark S; Kolb, Charles E

2014-07-15

Methane is an important greenhouse gas and tropospheric ozone precursor. Simultaneous observation of ethane with methane can help identify specific methane source types. Aerodyne Ethane-Mini spectrometers, employing recently available mid-infrared distributed feedback tunable diode lasers (DFB-TDL), provide 1 s ethane measurements with sub-ppb precision. In this work, an Ethane-Mini spectrometer has been integrated into two mobile sampling platforms, a ground vehicle and a small airplane, and used to measure ethane/methane enhancement ratios downwind of methane sources. Methane emissions with precisely known sources are shown to have ethane/methane enhancement ratios that differ greatly depending on the source type. Large differences between biogenic and thermogenic sources are observed. Variation within thermogenic sources are detected and tabulated. Methane emitters are classified by their expected ethane content. Categories include the following: biogenic (<0.2%), dry gas (1-6%), wet gas (>6%), pipeline grade natural gas (<15%), and processed natural gas liquids (>30%). Regional scale observations in the Dallas/Fort Worth area of Texas show two distinct ethane/methane enhancement ratios bridged by a transitional region. These results demonstrate the usefulness of continuous and fast ethane measurements in experimental studies of methane emissions, particularly in the oil and natural gas sector.

The effect of storage conditions on microbial community composition and biomethane potential in a biogas starter culture.

PubMed

Hagen, Live Heldal; Vivekanand, Vivekanand; Pope, Phillip B; Eijsink, Vincent G H; Horn, Svein J

2015-07-01

A new biogas process is initiated by adding a microbial community, typically in the form of a sample collected from a functional biogas plant. This inoculum has considerable impact on the initial performance of a biogas reactor, affecting parameters such as stability, biogas production yields and the overall efficiency of the anaerobic digestion process. In this study, we have analyzed changes in the microbial composition and performance of an inoculum during storage using barcoded pyrosequencing of bacterial and archaeal 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) genes, and determination of the biomethane potential, respectively. The inoculum was stored at room temperature, 4 and -20 °C for up to 11 months and cellulose was used as a standard substrate to test the biomethane potential. Storage up to 1 month resulted in similar final methane yields, but the rate of methane production was reduced by storage at -20 °C. Longer storage times resulted in reduced methane yields and slower production kinetics for all storage conditions, with room temperature and frozen samples consistently giving the best and worst performance, respectively. Both storage time and temperature affected the microbial community composition and methanogenic activity. In particular, fluctuations in the relative abundance of Bacteroidetes were observed. Interestingly, a shift from hydrogenotrophic methanogens to methanogens with the capacity to perform acetoclastic methanogensis was observed upon prolonged storage. In conclusion, this study suggests that biogas inocula may be stored up to 1 month with low loss of methanogenic activity, and identifies bacterial and archaeal species that are affected by the storage.

Improving agricultural straw preparation logistics stream in bio-methane production: experimental studies and application analysis.

PubMed

Tao, Luo; Junting, Pan; Xi, Meng; Hailong, Huang; Yan, Long; Xia, Xiong; Ruyi, Huang; Zili, Mei

2017-10-01

Long-term production in commercial straw biogas plants has been rare in China due to inefficiencies in the logistics stream. Biomass densification could be a potential solution to this issue. Therefore, we conducted a study to evaluate whether biomass densification is a more efficient and sustainable option. We performed methane production experiments to investigate fermentation characteristics of briquettes (with a new pretreatment, model II) and rubs (with a common pretreatment, model I). A 3000-m 3 biogas plant was used to conduct a comparative analysis with solar eMergy joules. Results showed that the methane yield of briquettes of corn stover was 66.74% higher than that of rubs, and the briquettes had better digestion performance in terms of CH 4 content, VFA, and alcohol. The two models required almost the same eMergy investment input, while model II obtained a greater quantity of net eMergy (16.5% higher) in comparison with model I. The net eMergy yield ratio (EYR) (biogas only) of model I and model II was 0.99 and 1.67, respectively, showing less market competitiveness for commercial operations with model I. Meanwhile, the logistic costs of model II could be reduced to approximately US $34,514 annually.

Assessing methanotrophy and carbon fixation for biofuel production by Methanosarcina acetivorans

DOE PAGES

Nazem-Bokaee, Hadi; Gopalakrishnan, Saratram; Ferry, James G.; ...

2016-01-17

Methanosarcina acetivorans is a model archaeon with renewed interest due to its unique reversible methane production pathways. However, the mechanism and relevant pathways implicated in (co)utilizing novel carbon substrates in this organism are still not fully understood. This paper provides a comprehensive inventory of thermodynamically feasible routes for anaerobic methane oxidation, co-reactant utilization, and maximum carbon yields of major biofuel candidates by M. acetivorans. Here, an updated genome-scale metabolic model of M. acetivorans is introduced (iMAC868 containing 868 genes, 845 reactions, and 718 metabolites) by integrating information from two previously reconstructed metabolic models (i.e., iVS941 and iMB745), modifying 17 reactions,more » adding 24 new reactions, and revising 64 gene-proteinreaction associations based on newly available information. The new model establishes improved predictions of growth yields on native substrates and is capable of correctly predicting the knockout outcomes for 27 out of 28 gene deletion mutants. By tracing a bifurcated electron flow mechanism, the iMAC868 model predicts thermodynamically feasible (co)utilization pathway of methane and bicarbonate using various terminal electron acceptors through the reversal of the aceticlastic pathway. In conclusion, this effort paves the way in informing the search for thermodynamically feasible ways of (co)utilizing novel carbon substrates in the domain Archaea.« less

Food waste co-digestion with slaughterhouse waste and sewage sludge: Digestate conditioning and supernatant quality.

PubMed

Borowski, Sebastian; Boniecki, Paweł; Kubacki, Przemysław; Czyżowska, Agata

2018-04-01

In this study, the anaerobic mesophilic co-digestion of food waste (FW) with municipal sewage sludge (MSS) and slaughterhouse waste (SHW) was undertaken in 3-dm 3 laboratory reactors as well as in 50-dm 3 reactors operated in semi-continuous conditions. The highest methane yield of around 0.63 m 3 CH 4 /kgVS fed was achieved for the mixture of FW and SHW treated in the laboratory digester operated at solids retention time (SRT) of 30 days, whereas the co-digestion of FW with MSS under similar operating conditions produced 0.46 m 3 of methane from 1 kgVS fed . No significant differences between methane yields from laboratory digesters and large-scale reactors were reported. The conditioning tests with the digestates from reactor experiments revealed the highest efficiency of inorganic coagulants among all investigated chemicals, which applied in a dose of 10 g/kg allowed to reduce capiliary suction time (CST) of the digestate below 20 s. The combined conditioning with coagulants and bentonite did not further reduce the CST value but improved the quality of the digestate supernatant. In particular, the concentrations of suspended solids, COD as well as metals in the supernatant were considerably lowered. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

The direct aromatization of methane

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Marcelin, G.; Oukaci, R.; Migone, R.A.

1995-12-31

The thermal decomposition of methane shows significant potential as a process for the production of higher unsaturated and aromatic hydrocarbons when the extent of the reaction is limited. Thermodynamic calculations have shown that when the reaction is limited to the formation of C{sub 2} to C{sub 10} products, yields of aromatics can exceed 40% at temperatures of 1200{degrees}C. Preliminary experiments have shown that when the reaction is limited to the formation of C{sub 2} to C{sub 10} products, yields of aromatics can exceed 40% at temperatures of 1200{degrees}C. Preliminary experiments have shown that cooling the product and reacting gases asmore » the reaction proceeds can significantly reduce or eliminate the formation of solid carbon and heavier (C{sub 10+}) materials. Much work remains to be done in optimizing the quenching process and this is one of the goals of this program. Means to lower the temperature of the reaction are being studied as this result in a more feasible commercial process due to savings realized in energy and material of construction costs. The use of free-radical generators and catalysts will be investigated as a means of lowering the reaction temperature thus allowing faster quenching. It is highly likely that such studies will lead to a successful direct methane to higher hydrocarbon process.« less

Effect of unconventional oilseeds (safflower, poppy, hemp, camelina) on in vitro ruminal methane production and fermentation.

PubMed

Wang, Shaopu; Kreuzer, Michael; Braun, Ueli; Schwarm, Angela

2017-08-01

Dietary supplementation with oilseeds can reduce methane emission in ruminants, but only a few common seeds have been tested so far. This study tested safflower (Carthamus tinctorius), poppy (Papaver somniferum), hemp (Cannabis sativa), and camelina (Camelina sativa) seeds in vitro using coconut (Cocos nucifera) oil and linseed (Linum usitatissimum) as positive controls. All the tested oilseeds suppressed methane yield (mL g -1 dry matter, up to 21%) compared to the non-supplemented control when provided at 70 g oil kg -1 dry matter, and they were as effective as coconut oil. Safflower and hemp were more effective than linseed (21% and 18% vs. 10%), whereas the effects of poppy and camelina were similar to linseed. When methane was related to digestible organic matter, only hemp and safflower seeds and coconut oil were effective compared to the non-supplemented control (up to 11%). The level of methanogenesis and the ratios of either the n-6:n-3 fatty acids or C 18 :2 :C 18 :3 in the seed lipids were not related. Unconventional oilseeds widen the spectrum of oilseeds that can be used in dietary methane mitigation. In vivo confirmation of their methane mitigating effect is still needed, and their effects on animal performance still must be determined. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

Geoscience research helps rice farmers mitigate climate change and world hunger

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Runkle, B.; Suvocarev, K.; Reba, M. L.

2017-12-01

Rice is a globally important crop - it comprises 30% of total human caloric consumption - and will be an important crop in the face of expanding population growth. Unfortunately, it is often grown in flooded paddies whose swampy conditions allow microbes to produce the strong greenhouse gas, methane. Over 10% of anthropogenic methane emission to the atmosphere are attributed to rice cultivation. Fortunately, a water-saving irrigation method known as Alternate Wetting and Drying can reduce methane emissions by periodically drying the soil. In our experiments, the method has no effect on rice harvest yields. In our research with rice farmers in Arkansas, we work to evaluate the amount of methane reductions on different fields with this irrigation practice. This research aims to expand the scientific basis for carbon emission reductions programs that enable farmers to be paid for implementing this practice. There are still gaps in our knowledge about how much methane is produced and under what conditions. Our research involves the continuous detection of field methane emissions and correlates then to changes in environmental conditions like the height and temperature of paddy water. Understanding these relationships may help more farmers qualify for credits in the growing carbon emission reductions programs. Because many farmers are already collecting information about their irrigation practices to reduce water applications, we aim to help them re-use this data to more quickly qualify for carbon emissions reductions payments.

Ice core measurements of 14CH4 show no evidence of methane release to atmosphere from methane hydrates during a large warming event 11,600 years ago

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Petrenko, V. V.; Severinghaus, J. P.; Smith, A.; Riedel, K.; Brook, E.; Schaefer, H.; Baggenstos, D.; Harth, C. M.; Hua, Q.; Buizert, C.; Schilt, A.; Fain, X.; Mitchell, L.; Bauska, T. K.; Orsi, A. J.; Weiss, R. F.

2016-12-01

Marine methane hydrate destabilization has been proposed as a potentially large source of methane to the atmosphere in response to both past and future warming. We present new measurements of 14C of paleoatmospheric methane (CH4) over the Younger Dryas - Preboreal (YD - PB) abrupt warming event (≈11,600 years ago) from ancient ice outcropping at Taylor Glacier, Antarctica. The YD - PB abrupt warming was centered in the North Atlantic, occurred partway through the global warming of last deglaciation and was associated with a ≈ 50% increase in atmospheric CH4 concentrations. 14C can unambiguously identify CH4 emissions from "old carbon" sources, such as CH4 hydrates. All samples from before, during and after the abrupt warming and associated CH4 increase yielded 14CH4 values that are consistent with 14C of atmospheric CO2 at that time, indicating a purely contemporaneous methane source. Our results show that neither the abrupt regional warming nor the gradual global warming that preceded it resulted in detectable CH4 release to the atmosphere from CH4 hydrates during the YD - PB transition. Our results are thus consistent with the hypothesis that the vast majority of CH4 that is released from dissociating hydrates or other old-carbon seafloor CH4 sources is oxidized prior to reaching the atmosphere.

PAPER-CHROMATOGRAM MEASUREMENT OF SUBSTANCES LABELLED WITH H$sup 3$ (in German)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wenzel, M.

1961-03-01

Compounds labelled with H/sup 3/ can be detected with a paper chromatogram using a methane flow counter with a count yield of 1%. The yield can be estimated from the beta maximum energy. A new double counter was developed which increases the count yield to 2% and also considerably decreases the margin of error. Calibration curves with leucine and glucosamine show satisfactory linearity between measured and applied activity in the range from 4 to 50 x 10/sup -//sup 3/ mu c of H/sup 3/. (auth)

How does free ammonia-based sludge pretreatment improve methane production from anaerobic digestion of waste activated sludge.

PubMed

Wang, Dongbo; Liu, Bowen; Liu, Xuran; Xu, Qiuxiang; Yang, Qi; Liu, Yiwen; Zeng, Guangming; Li, Xiaoming; Ni, Bing-Jie

2018-09-01

Previous studies reported that free ammonia (FA) pretreatment could improve methane production from anaerobic digestion of waste activated sludge (WAS) effectively. However, details of how FA pretreatment improves methane production are poorly understood. This study therefore aims to reveal the underlying mechanisms of FA pretreatment affecting anaerobic digestion of WAS through a series of batch tests using either real sludge or synthetic media as the digestion substrates at different pH values. At pH 8.5 level, with an increase of FA level from 18.5 to 92.5 mg/L (i.e., NH+ 4-N: 100-500 mg/L; pH 8.5) the maximum methane yield varied between 194.0 ± 3.9 and 196.9 ± 7.7 mL/g of VSS (25 °C, 1 atm). At pH 9.5 or 10 level, however, with an increase of initial FA level from 103.2 to 516.2 mg/L, the maximal methane yield increased linearly. The mechanism studies revealed that FA pretreatment at high levels not only accelerated the disintegration of WAS but also enhanced the biodegradability of WAS. Although pH in the digesters was adjusted to 7.0 ± 0.1, the high levels of NH+ 4-N added or released led to substantial levels of residual FA ranging from 4.4 to 11.6 mg/L. It was found that this level of FA inhibited homoacetogenesis and methanogenesis significantly, though hydrolysis, acidogenesis, and acetogenesis processes were unaffected largely. Further analyses showed that the inhibition constant of FA to substrate degradation was in the sequence of dextran > glucose > hydrogen > acetate, indicating the methanogenesis process was more sensitive to FA. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Flammulina velutipes treatment of non-sterile tall wheat grass for enhancing biodegradability and methane production.

PubMed

Kasprzycka, Agnieszka; Lalak-Kańczugowska, Justyna; Tys, Jerzy

2018-05-09

In this study fungal pretreatment of non-sterile tall wheat grass via the white rot fungi Flammulina velutipes was studied and the effect on biodegradability of lignocellulosic biomass and methane production, was evaluated. Degradation of lignin, cellulose, hemicellulose, and dry matter in non-sterile tall wheat grass during 28 days of fungal pretreatment using different inoculum ratio (0%-50%) and moisture content (MC) (45% MC, 65% MC, and 75% MC) were assessed via comparison to untreated biomass. Pretreatment with F. velutipes was most effective at 65% MC and 40% inoculum ratio, resulting in 22% lignin removal. The corresponding methane yields were 181.3 Ndm 3 ·kg VS -1 , which were 280% higher than for the untreated tall wheat grass. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Partial oxidation of methane by pulsed corona discharges

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hoeben, W. F. L. M.; Boekhoven, W.; Beckers, F. J. C. M.; van Heesch, E. J. M.; Pemen, A. J. M.

2014-09-01

Pulsed corona-induced partial oxidation of methane in humid oxygen or carbon dioxide atmospheres has been investigated for future fuel synthesis applications. The obtained product spectrum is wide, i.e. saturated, unsaturated and oxygen-functional hydrocarbons. The generally observed methane conversion levels are 6-20% at a conversion efficiency of about 100-250 nmol J-1. The main products are ethane, ethylene and acetylene. Higher saturated hydrocarbons up to C6 have been detected. The observed oxygen-functional hydrocarbons are methanol, ethanol and lower concentrations of aldehydes, ketones, dimethylether and methylformate. Methanol seems to be exclusively produced with CH4/O2 mixtures at a maximum production efficiency of 0.35 nmol J-1. CH4/CO2 mixtures appear to yield higher hydrocarbons. Carboxylic acids appear to be mainly present in the aqueous reactor phase, possibly together with higher molecular weight species.

Potential for Methanotroph-Mediated Natural Attenuation of TCE in a Basalt Aquifer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Colwell, F. S.; Newby, D. T.; Reed, D. W.; Igoe, A.; Petzke, L.; Delwiche, M. E.; McKinley, J. P.; Roberto, F. F.; Whiticar, M. J.

2002-12-01

Methanotrophic bacteria are one of the microbial communities believed to be responsible for natural attenuation of a trichloroethylene (TCE) plume in the Snake River Plain Aquifer (SRPA). To better understand the role that indigenous methanotrophs may have in TCE degradation in the aquifer, groundwater was collected from four SRPA wells and analyzed for geochemical properties and methanotroph diversity. Dissolved methane concentrations in the aquifer ranged from 1 to >1000 nM. Stable carbon isotope ratios for dissolved methane suggest a microbial source for the methane (del 13C values of ca. -61 per mil in three wells). The combination of 13C enriched methane and 13C depleted-dissolved inorganic carbon in one of the wells suggests that microbial oxidation of methane occurs. Filtered groundwater yielded microorganisms that were used as inocula for enrichments or were frozen and subsequently extracted for DNA. Primers that target taxonomic (type I and type II 16S rDNA) or functional (mmoX and pmoA methane monooxygenase subunits) genes were used to characterize the indigenous methanotrophs via PCR, cloning, and sequencing. DNA sequencing and alignment results suggest that clones with sequences most similar to Methylocystis sp. (a type II methanotroph) and Methylobacter sp. (a type I methanotroph) are frequently present in filtered groundwater with the former often represented in enrichment cultures as well. Methanotroph genes are detected in the aquifer even in wells having methane concentrations as low as 1 nM. Methanotroph presence and a microbial origin for the dissolved methane indicate that microbial cycling of this key gas may play a role in the destruction of TCE in the aquifer.

Enhancing methane production from U. lactuca using combined anaerobically digested sludge (ADS) and rumen fluid pre-treatment and the effect on the solubilization of microbial community structures.

PubMed

Zou, Yu; Xu, Xiaochen; Li, Liang; Yang, Fenglin; Zhang, Shushen

2018-04-01

Methane production by the anaerobic digestion of seaweed is restricted by the slow degradation caused by the influence of the rigid algal cell wall. At the present time, there has been no study focusing on the anaerobic digestion of U. lactuca by co-fermentation and pre-treatment with rumen fluid. Rumen fluid can favor methane production from algal biomass by utilizing the diversity and quantity of bacterial and archaeal communities in the rumen fluid. This research presents a novel method based on combined ADS and rumen fluid pre-treatment to improve the production of methane from seaweed. Biochemical methane potential (BMP) tests were performed to investigate the biogas production using combined ADS and rumen fluid pre-treatment at varied inoculum ratios on the performance of methane production from U. lactuca biomass. Compared to the control (no rumen fluid pre-treatment), the highest BMP yields of U. lactuca increased from 3%, 27.5% and 39.5% to 31.1%, 73% and 85.6%, respectively, for three different types of treatment. Microbial community analysis revealed that the Methanobrevibacter species, known to accept electrons to form methane, were only detected when rumen fluid was added. Together with the significant increase in species of Methanoculleus, Methanospirillum and Methanosaeta, rumen fluid improved the fermentation and degradation of the microalgae biomass not only by pre-treatment to foster cell-wall degradation but also by relying on methane production within itself during anaerobic processes. Batch experiments further indicated that rumen fluid applied to the co-fermentation and pre-treatment could increase the economic value and hold promise for enhancing biogas production from different seaweed species. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Enhancement of the surface methane hydrate-bearing layer based on the specific microorganisms form deep seabed sediment in Japan Sea.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hata, T.; Yoneda, J.; Yamamoto, K.

2017-12-01

A methane hydrate-bearing layer located near the Japan Sea has been investigated as a new potential energy resource. In this study examined the feasibility of the seabed surface sediment strength located in the Japan Sea improvement technologies for enhancing microbial induced carbonate precipitation (MICP) process. First, the authors cultivated the specific urease production bacterium culture medium from this surface methane hydrate-bearing layer in the seabed (-600m depth) of Japan Sea. After that, two types of the laboratory test (consolidated-drained triaxial tests) were conducted using this specific culture medium from the seabed in the Japan Sea near the Toyama Prefecture and high urease activities bacterium named Bacillus pasteurii. The main outcomes of this research are as follows. 1) Specific culture medium focused on the urease production bacterium can enhancement of the urease activities from the methane hydrate-bearing layer near the Japan Sea side, 2) This specific culture medium can be enhancement of the surface layer strength, 3) The microbial induced carbonate precipitation process can increase the particle size compared to that of the original particles coating the calcite layer surface, 4) The mechanism for increasing the soil strength is based on the addition of cohesion like a cement stabilized soil.

Inhibition of Anaerobic Biological Treatment: A Review

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hou, Li; Ji, Dandan; Zang, Lihua

2018-01-01

Anaerobic digestion is a method for treating living and industrial wastewater by anaerobic degradation of organic compounds, which can produce biogas (carbon dioxide and methane mixture) and microbial biomass. And biogas as a renewable resource, can replace the use of ore fuel. In the process of anaerobic digestion, the problems of low methane yield and unstable reaction process are often encountered, which limits the widespread use of this technology. Various inhibitors are the main limiting factors for anaerobic digestion. In this paper, the main factors limiting anaerobic digestion are reviewed, and the latest research progress is introduced.

The FISH-SIMS Approach: Isotopic Imprints of Methane in Diverse Microbial Assemblages

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Orphan, V. J.; House, C. H.; Hinrichs, K.; McKeegan, K. D.; Paull, C.; Ussler, W.; DeLong, E. F.

2001-12-01

One of the more important biogeochemical processes influencing carbon turnover in continental margin environments and cold seeps is the anaerobic oxidation of methane (AOM). Although there is convincing biogeochemical evidence for archaeal/sulfate-reducer cooperative involvement in AOM, methane-consuming anaerobic microorganisms have eluded identification until only very recently. Parallel phylogenetic gene surveys and isotopic determination of lipid biomarkers in methane-rich seep sediments suggested that diverse archaeal and bacterial assemblages are involved in AOM. Specifically, a novel clade of Archaea related to known methanogens (ANME-1 group), as well as microorganisms affiliated with the Methanosarcinales (ANME-2 group) and their syntrophic sulfate-reducing bacterial partner affiliated with the Desulfosarcina, have been identified as likely candidate methane-oxidizing microorganisms. Both 16S rDNA and lipid analyses provide only circumstantial evidence linking these specific groups to AOM, however, because they are based on bulk analyses of whole sediments, rather than on the level of single microorganisms. In this study, we provide the first concrete evidence directly linking two distinct groups of Archaea, the uncultured consortium archaeal ANME-2/ bacterial Desulfosarcina spp. and the archaeal ANME-1 to methane consumption in anoxic marine sediments. Using a novel approach combining fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) and secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS), we identified aggregations of ANME-2/ Desulfosarcina and single cells and aggregates of ANME-1 from methane seep sediments and directly determined the carbon stable isotopic composition for the individual cells and cell aggregates. Both archaeal groups ANME-1 and ANME-2 displayed isotopic signatures suggestive of methane assimilation, with extreme 13C depletion (down to -97 per mil). In comparison, the carbon isotopic composition of microorganisms from the same sample not targeted with either the archaeal ANME-1 or ANME-2 specific rRNA probe sets had 13C values averaging -30 per mil. Interestingly, large bacterial filaments resembling sulfide-oxidizing Beggiatoa were slightly more depleted in 13C (approx. -50 per mil), and may signify ecosystem-wide incorporation of methane-derived endproducts. The combined application of FISH and SIMS serves as a new useful tool in geomicrobiology for deciphering the metabolic function of environmental microorganisms in situ.

Analysis of methane biodegradation by Methylosinus trichosporium OB3b

PubMed Central

Rodrigues, Andréa dos Santos; Salgado, Belkis Valdman e Andréa Medeiros

2009-01-01

The microbial oxidation of methane in the atmosphere is performed by methanotrophic bacteria that use methane as a unique source of carbon and energy. The objective of this work consisted of the investigation of the best conditions of methane biodegradation by methanotrophic bacteria Methylosinus trichosporium OB3b that oxidize it to carbon dioxide, and the use of these microorganisms in monitoring methods for methane. The results showed that M. trichosporium OB3b was capable to degrade methane in a more effective way with an initial microorganism concentration of 0.0700 g.L-1, temperature of 30ºC, pH 6.5 and using 1.79 mmol of methane. In these same conditions, there was no bacterial growth when 2.69 mmol of methane was used. The specific rate of microorganism growth, the conversion factor, the efficiency and the volumetric productivity, for the optimized conditions of biodegradation were, respectively, 0.0324 h-1, 0.6830 gcells/gCH4, 73.73% and 2.7732.10-3 gcells/L.h. The final product of methane microbiological degradation, carbon dioxide, was quantified through the use of a commercial electrode, and, through this, the grade of methane conversion in carbon dioxide was calculated. PMID:24031362

Assessment of the methane oxidation capacity of compacted soils intended for use as landfill cover materials

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rachor, Ingke, E-mail: i.rachor@ifb.uni-hamburg.de; Gebert, Julia; Groengroeft, Alexander

2011-05-15

The microbial oxidation of methane in engineered cover soils is considered a potent option for the mitigation of emissions from old landfills or sites containing wastes of low methane generation rates. A laboratory column study was conducted in order to derive design criteria that enable construction of an effective methane oxidising cover from the range of soils that are available to the landfill operator. Therefore, the methane oxidation capacity of different soils was assessed under simulated landfill conditions. Five sandy potential landfill top cover materials with varying contents of silt and clay were investigated with respect to methane oxidation andmore » corresponding soil gas composition over a period of four months. The soils were compacted to 95% of their specific proctor density, resulting in bulk densities of 1.4-1.7 g cm{sup -3}, reflecting considerably unfavourable conditions for methane oxidation due to reduced air-filled porosity. The soil water content was adjusted to field capacity, resulting in water contents ranging from 16.2 to 48.5 vol.%. The investigated inlet fluxes ranged from 25 to about 100 g CH{sub 4} m{sup -2} d{sup -1}, covering the methane load proposed to allow for complete oxidation in landfill covers under Western European climate conditions and hence being suggested as a criterion for release from aftercare. The vertical distribution of gas concentrations, methane flux balances as well as stable carbon isotope studies allowed for clear process identifications. Higher inlet fluxes led to a reduction of the aerated zone, an increase in the absolute methane oxidation rate and a decline of the relative proportion of oxidized methane. For each material, a specific maximum oxidation rate was determined, which varied between 20 and 95 g CH{sub 4} m{sup -2} d{sup -1} and which was positively correlated to the air-filled porosity of the soil. Methane oxidation efficiencies and gas profile data imply a strong link between oxidation capacity and diffusive ingress of atmospheric air. For one material with elevated levels of fine particles and high organic matter content, methane production impeded the quantification of methane oxidation potentials. Regarding the design of landfill cover layers it was concluded that the magnitude of the expected methane load, the texture and expected compaction of the cover material are key variables that need to be known. Based on these, a column study can serve as an appropriate testing system to determine the methane oxidation capacity of a soil intended as landfill cover material.« less

Atmospheric Impacts of Emissions from Oil and Gas Development in the Uintah Basin, Utah, USA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Helmig, D.; Boylan, P. J.; Hueber, J.; Van Dam, B. A.; Mauldin, L.; Parrish, D. D.

2012-12-01

In the Uintah Basin in northeast Utah, USA, surface ozone levels during winter months have approached and on occasion exceeded the US National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS). Emissions from the extensive oil and gas exploration in this region are suspected to be the cause of these ozone episodes; however emission rates and photochemical processes are uncertain. During February 2012 continuous surface measurements and vertical profiling from a tethered balloon platform at the Horsepool site yielded high resolution boundary layer profile data on ozone and ozone precursor compounds, i.e. nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds as well as methane. Findings from this study were: 1. Surface ozone during the study period, which had no snow cover, did not exceed the NAAQS. 2. Nitrogen oxides varied from 1-50 ppbv pointing towards significant emission sources, likely from oil and gas operations. 3. Methane concentrations were elevated, reaching up to ~10 times its Northern Hemisphere (NH) atmospheric background. 3. Light non-methane hydrocarbons (NMHC) constituted the main fraction of volatile organic compounds. NMHC concentrations were highly elevated, exceeding levels seen in urban areas. 4. Ozone, methane, NOx and VOC showed distinct diurnal cycles, with large concentration increases seen at night, except for ozone, which showed the opposite behavior. 5. During nighttime concentrations of NOx, NMHC, and methane built up near the surface to levels that were much higher than their daytime concentrations. 6. Comparing NMHC to methane concentrations indicates a mass flux ratio of ~30% for total VOC/methane emissions for the Uintah Basin.

Rapid, Real-time Methane Detection in Ground Water Using a New Gas-Water Equilibrator Design

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ruybal, C. J.; DiGiulio, D. C.; Wilkin, R. T.; Hargrove, K. D.; McCray, J. E.

2014-12-01

Recent increases in unconventional gas development have been accompanied by public concern for methane contamination in drinking water wells near production areas. Although not a regulated pollutant, methane may be a marker contaminant for others that are less mobile in groundwater and thus may be detected later, or at a location closer to the source. In addition, methane poses an explosion hazard if exsolved concentrations reach 5 - 15% volume in air. Methods for determining dissolved gases, such as methane, have evolved over 60 years. However, the response time of these methods is insufficient to monitor trends in methane concentration in real-time. To enable rapid, real-time monitoring of aqueous methane concentrations during ground water purging, a new gas-water equilibrator (GWE) was designed that increases gas-water mass exchange rates of methane for measurement. Monitoring of concentration trends allows a comparison of temporal trends between sampling events and comparison of baseline conditions with potential post-impact conditions. These trends may be a result of removal of stored casing water, pre-purge ambient borehole flow, formation physical and chemical heterogeneity, or flow outside of well casing due to inadequate seals. Real-time information in the field can help focus an investigation, aid in determining when to collect a sample, save money by limiting costs (e.g. analytical, sample transport and storage), and provide an immediate assessment of local methane concentrations. Four domestic water wells, one municipal water well, and one agricultural water well were sampled for traditional laboratory analysis and compared to the field GWE results. Aqueous concentrations measured on the GWE ranged from non-detect to 1,470 μg/L methane. Some trends in aqueous methane concentrations measured on the GWE were observed during purging. Applying a paired t-test comparing the new GWE method and traditional laboratory analysis yielded a p-value 0.383, suggesting no significant difference between the two methods for the current study. Additional field and laboratory experimentation are necessary to justify use beyond screening. However, early GWE use suggests promising results and applications.

Experimental Study of Propulsion Performance by Single-Pulse Rotating Detonation with Gaseous Fuels-Oxygen Mixtures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Toshimitsu, Kazuhiko; Hara, Kosei; Mikajiri, Shuuto; Takiguchi, Naoki

2016-12-01

A rotating detonation engine (RDE) is one of candidates of aerospace engines for supersonic cruse, which is better for propulsion system than a pulse detonation engine (PDE) from the view of continuous thrust and simple structure. The propulsion performance of a proto-type RDE and a PDE by single pulse explosion with methane-oxygen is investigated. Furthermore, the performance of the RDE with acetylene-oxygen gas mixtures is investigated. Its impulse is estimated through ballistic pendulum method with maximum displacement and damping ratio. The comparison of specific impulses of the mixture gases at atmospheric pressure is shown. The specific impulses of the RDE and the PDE are almost same with methane-oxygen gas. Furthermore, the fuel-base specific impulse of the RDE with acetylene-oxygen gas is about over twice as large as one of methane-oxygen, and its maximum specific impulse is 1100 seconds.

Airborne Ethane Observations over the Barnett and Bakken Shale Formations: Quantification of Ethane Fluxes and Attribution of Methane Emissions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith, M. L.; Kort, E. A.; Karion, A.; Sweeney, C.; Peischl, J.; Ryerson, T. B.

2014-12-01

The largest emissions sources of methane, a potent greenhouse gas and the primary component of natural gas, are the fossil fuel sector and microbial processes that occur in agricultural settings, landfills, and wetlands. Attribution of methane to these different source sectors has proven difficult, as evidenced by persistent disagreement between the annual emissions estimated from atmospheric observations (top-down) and from inventories (bottom-up). Given the rapidly changing natural gas infrastructure in North America, and the implications of associated rapid changes in emissions of methane for climate, it is crucial we improve our ability to quantify and understand current and future methane emissions. Here, we present evidence that continuous in-situ airborne observations of ethane, which is a tracer for fossil fuel emissions, are a new and useful tool for attribution of methane emissions to specific source sectors. Additionally, with these new airborne observations we present the first tightly constrained ethane emissions estimates of oil and gas production fields using the well-known mass balance method. The ratios of ethane-to-methane (C2H6:CH4) of specific methane emissions sources were studied over regions of high oil and gas production from the Barnett, TX and Bakken, ND shale plays, using continuous (1Hz frequency) airborne ethane measurements paired with simultaneous methane measurements. Despite the complex mixture of sources in the Barnett region, the methane emissions were well-characterized by distinct C2H6:CH4 relationships indicative of a high-ethane fossil fuel source (e.g., "wet" gas), a low-ethane fossil fuel source (e.g., "dry" gas), and an ethane-free, or microbial source. The defined set of C2H6:CH4 that characterized the emissions input to the atmosphere was used in conjunction with the total ethane and methane fluxes to place bounds on the fraction of methane emissions attributable to each source. Additionally, substantial ethane fluxes from the Barnett and Bakken regions were observed (1% to 10% of estimated national ethane emissions), and emissions of these magnitudes may significantly impact regional atmospheric chemistry and air quality by influencing production of tropospheric ozone.

What is the effect of mandatory pasteurisation on the biogas transformation of solid slaughterhouse wastes?

PubMed

Ware, Aidan; Power, Niamh

2016-02-01

The effect of mandatory pasteurisation on Category 3 offals, according to the Animal By-Products Regulation (ABPR 1069/2009/EC), was determined using Biochemical Methane Potential (BMP) assays as well as kinetic and statistical analysis. Pasteurised and unpasteurised offals sampled from cattle, pig and chicken slaughterhouses were characterised and their specific methane yields (SMYs) and their bioavailability was assessed. The resultant SMYs were high (465-650mLCH4gVS(-1)) with no statistically significant increase in methane production identified due to pasteurisation. However, the kinetics of the biogas transformation processes highlighted increased bioavailability of the organics due to pasteurisation. This was brought to light by the change in maximum daily SMY from day 22 to day 1 for the cattle offal (p=0.001), day 17 to day 1 for chicken offal (p=0.025) and an increase of 18.8% in the maximum daily SMY of the pig offal on day 1 (p=0.003). The increased bioavailability of the offals manifested itself in two ways with the determining factor being identified as the physical characteristics of the fats i.e. particle size. Firstly reducing the hydrolytic lag phase for the cattle offal, λ=7.46-1.52days (p=0.013). Secondly, causing increased accumulation of Long Chain Fatty Acids to acute inhibitory levels in the chicken and pig offal indicated by increased lag phases λ=5.05-21.91days (p=0.012), λ=15.54-23.04days (p=0.007) respectively. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Nutrient characterisation and bioenergy potential of common Nigerian food wastes.

PubMed

Longjan, Gurumwal George; Dehouche, Zahir

2018-05-01

Nigeria is the world's largest producer of yam, cassava, cocoyam/taro, beans/cowpea, egusi/melon seeds and among the largest producers of groundnut/peanut, plantain, corn/maize and ugwu/pumpkin leaves. These food crops generate unavoidable food wastes that can contribute to environmental degradation through unsanctioned waste disposal methods. Such food wastes can be utilised as feedstock for the anaerobic digestion (AD) process to produce renewable energy. In order to determine the suitability of the food wastes as biofuel feedstock, they were experimentally analysed. Their waste content was determined, characterised and used to evaluate their bio-methane potential. The tests were performed using standard proximate analytical methods while the bioenergy potential of the samples was determined using the Baserga model. Results indicated a specific waste index range of 0.2-1.5, with corn having the highest waste proportion. The proximate analysis results of the wastes were within the range of common AD feedstocks such as energy crops and plant by-products. The bio-methane potentials of the samples varied widely with results ranging from 35-460 m 3 tonne -1 on fresh weight and (5.4-6.2) × 10 5 m 3 kg -1 on volatile solid basis. The methane potential varied between 51% and 58% of produced biogas. The energy potential of the food wastes was 31 TWh yr -1 which can make a substantial contribution to the bioenergy production of the country and meet up to the energy demand of 4.7 × 10 7 Nigerian households. Further studies would be required to determine the actual biogas yields of the food wastes.

In situ observations of the isotopic composition of methane at the Cabauw tall tower site

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Röckmann, Thomas; Eyer, Simon; van der Veen, Carina; Popa, Maria E.; Tuzson, Béla; Monteil, Guillaume; Houweling, Sander; Harris, Eliza; Brunner, Dominik; Fischer, Hubertus; Zazzeri, Giulia; Lowry, David; Nisbet, Euan G.; Brand, Willi A.; Necki, Jaroslav M.; Emmenegger, Lukas; Mohn, Joachim

2016-08-01

High-precision analyses of the isotopic composition of methane in ambient air can potentially be used to discriminate between different source categories. Due to the complexity of isotope ratio measurements, such analyses have generally been performed in the laboratory on air samples collected in the field. This poses a limitation on the temporal resolution at which the isotopic composition can be monitored with reasonable logistical effort. Here we present the performance of a dual isotope ratio mass spectrometric system (IRMS) and a quantum cascade laser absorption spectroscopy (QCLAS)-based technique for in situ analysis of the isotopic composition of methane under field conditions. Both systems were deployed at the Cabauw Experimental Site for Atmospheric Research (CESAR) in the Netherlands and performed in situ, high-frequency (approx. hourly) measurements for a period of more than 5 months. The IRMS and QCLAS instruments were in excellent agreement with a slight systematic offset of (+0.25 ± 0.04) ‰ for δ13C and (-4.3 ± 0.4) ‰ for δD. This was corrected for, yielding a combined dataset with more than 2500 measurements of both δ13C and δD. The high-precision and high-temporal-resolution dataset not only reveals the overwhelming contribution of isotopically depleted agricultural CH4 emissions from ruminants at the Cabauw site but also allows the identification of specific events with elevated contributions from more enriched sources such as natural gas and landfills. The final dataset was compared to model calculations using the global model TM5 and the mesoscale model FLEXPART-COSMO. The results of both models agree better with the measurements when the TNO-MACC emission inventory is used in the models than when the EDGAR inventory is used. This suggests that high-resolution isotope measurements have the potential to further constrain the methane budget when they are performed at multiple sites that are representative for the entire European domain.

In-situ observations of the isotopic composition of methane at the Cabauw tall tower site

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Röckmann, Thomas; Eyer, Simon; van der Veen, Carina; E Popa, Maria; Tuzson, Béla; Monteil, Guillaume; Houweling, Sander; Harris, Eliza; Brunner, Dominik; Fischer, Hubertus; Zazzeri, Giulia; Lowry, David; Nisbet, Euan G.; Brand, Willi A.; Necki, Jaroslav M.; Emmenegger, Lukas; Mohn, Joachim

2017-04-01

High precision analyses of the isotopic composition of methane in ambient air can potentially be used to discriminate between different source categories. Due to the complexity of isotope ratio measurements, such analyses have generally been performed in the laboratory on air samples collected in the field. This poses a limitation on the temporal resolution at which the isotopic composition can be monitored with reasonable logistical effort. Here we present the performance of a dual isotope ratio mass spectrometric system (IRMS) and a quantum cascade laser absorption spectroscopy (QCLAS) based technique for in-situ analysis of the isotopic composition of methane under field conditions. Both systems were deployed at the Cabauw experimental site for atmospheric research (CESAR) in the Netherlands and performed in-situ, high-frequency (approx. hourly) measurements for a period of more than 5 months. The IRMS and QCLAS instruments were in excellent agreement with a slight systematic offset of +0.05 ± 0.03 ‰ for δ13C-CH4 and -3.6 ± 0.4 ‰ for δD-CH4. This was corrected for, yielding a combined dataset with more than 2500 measurements of both δ13C and δD. The high precision and temporal resolution dataset does not only reveal the overwhelming contribution of isotopically depleted agricultural CH4 emissions from ruminants at the Cabauw site, but also allows the identification of specific events with elevated contributions from more enriched sources such as natural gas and landfills. The final dataset was compared to model calculations using the global model TM5 and the mesoscale model FLEXPART-COSMO. The results of both models agree better with the measurements when the TNO-MACC emission inventory is used in the models than when the EDGAR inventory is used. This suggests that high-resolution isotope measurements have the potential to further constrain the methane budget, when they are performed at multiple sites that are representative for the entire European domain.

Biochemical methane potential, biodegradability, alkali treatment and influence of chemical composition on methane yield of yard wastes.

PubMed

Gunaseelan, Victor Nallathambi

2016-03-01

In this study, the biochemical CH4 potential, rate, biodegradability, NaOH treatment and the influence of chemical composition on CH4 yield of yard wastes generated from seven trees were examined. All the plant parts were sampled for their chemical composition and subjected to the biochemical CH4 potential assay. The component parts exhibited significant variation in biochemical CH4 potential, which was reflected in their ultimate CH4 yields that ranged from 109 to 382 ml g(-1) volatile solids added and their rate constants that ranged from 0.042 to 0.173 d(-1). The biodegradability of the yard wastes ranged from 0.26 to 0.86. Variation in the biochemical CH4 potential of the yard wastes could be attributed to variation in the chemical composition of the different fractions. In the Thespesia yellow withered leaf, Tamarindus fruit pericarp and Albizia pod husk, NaOH treatment enhanced the ultimate CH4 yields by 17%, 77% and 63%, respectively, and biodegradability by 15%, 77% and 61%, respectively, compared with the untreated samples. The effectiveness of NaOH treatment varied for different yard wastes, depending on the amounts of acid detergent fibre content. Gliricidia petals, Prosopis leaf, inflorescence and immature pod, Tamarindus seeds, Albizia seeds, Cassia seeds and Delonix seeds exhibited CH4 yields higher than 300 ml g(-1) volatile solids added. Multiple linear regression models for predicting the ultimate CH4 yield and biodegradability of yard wastes were designed from the results of this work. © The Author(s) 2016.

Dynamic effect of total solid content, low substrate/inoculum ratio and particle size on solid-state anaerobic digestion.

PubMed

Motte, J-C; Escudié, R; Bernet, N; Delgenes, J-P; Steyer, J-P; Dumas, C

2013-09-01

Among all the process parameters of solid-state anaerobic digestion (SS-AD), total solid content (TS), inoculation (S/X ratio) and size of the organic solid particles can be optimized to improve methane yield and process stability. To evaluate the effects of each parameter and their interactions on methane production, a three level Box-Behnken experimental design was implemented in SS-AD batch tests degrading wheat straw by adjusting: TS content from 15% to 25%, S/X ratio (in volatile solids) between 28 and 47 and particle size with a mean diameter ranging from 0.1 to 1.4mm. A dynamic analysis of the methane production indicates that the S/X ratio has only an effect during the start-up phase of the SS-AD. During the growing phase, TS content becomes the main parameter governing the methane production and its strong interaction with the particle size suggests the important role of water compartmentation on SS-AD. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Retooling the ethanol industry: thermophilic anaerobic digestion of thin stillage for methane production and pollution prevention.

PubMed

Schaefer, Scott H; Sung, Shihwu

2008-02-01

Anaerobic digestion of corn ethanol thin stillage was tested at thermophilic temperature (55 degrees C) with two completely stirred tank reactors. The thin stillage wastestream was organically concentrated with 100 g/L total chemical oxygen demand and 60 g/L volatiles solids and a low pH of approximately 4.0. Steady-state was achieved at 30-, 20-, and 15-day hydraulic retention times (HRTs) and digester failure at a 12-day HRT. Significant reduction of volatile solids was achieved, with a maximum reduction (89.8%) at the 20-day HRT. Methane yield ranged from 0.6 to 0.7 L methane/g volatile solids removed during steady-state operation. Effluent volatile fatty acids below 200 mg/L as acetic acid were achieved at 20- and 30-day HRTs. Ultrasonic pretreatment was used for one digester, although no significant improvement was observed. Ethanol plant natural gas consumption could be reduced 43 to 59% with the methane produced, while saving an estimated $7 to $17 million ($10 million likely) for a facility producing 360 million L ethanol/y.