High Solids Digestion of Municipal Solid Waste to Methane by Anaerobic Digestion

摘要

One relatively simple energy alternative is the production of methane gas by anaerobic digestion. The process has received attention as a method of producing energy in the form of gaseous fuel renewable from lignocellulosic wastes. The US generates approximately 90 million tons of municipal solid waste (MSW) each year. This quantity could generate 900 billion cubic feet of methane per year, or nearly 5% of our natural gas requirements. The conversion of MSW to methane would not only help to alleviate our fuel shortage, but would also significantly reduce the problems of MSW disposal. One of the major problems associated with anaerobic digestion is the high capital costs required for large-scale reactors. Research should be undertaken to decrease reactor volume, thereby decreasing capital and operating costs. The traditional stirred-tank reactor offers the best possibility for successful application to large-scale MSW digestion. The CSTR is utilized in this study. (ERA citation 13:030163)