Modeling Kinetics of Anaerobic Co-Digestion of Poultry Litter and Wheat Straw Mixed with Municipal Wastewater in a Continuously Mixed Digester with Biological Solid Recycle Using Batch Experimental Data

The half-saturation rate coefficient and maximum rate constant in the Monod model, yield coefficient defined as the ratio of microbial mass to substrate mass, and endogenous decay coefficient are important kinetic parameters for design of anaerobic digestion. These parameters are usually determined from a continuous stable operation of anaerobic digestion, which is more difficult and complex than batch operation in laboratory scale. In this study, a novel method has been developed to determine those parameters from data of batch experiments. To verify this method, kinetics of batch anaerobic co-digestion of poultry litter and wheat straw mixed with municipal wastewater at three total solid (TS) levels (2, 4, and 8% TS) and 50% volatile solid (VS) of wheat straw (VSWS) were investigated. The results showed that the maximum specific methane volume (209?mL (initial g?VS)^?1)) was reached at 4% TS of 50% VSWS. Using the developed method, the kinetic parameters of endogenous decay coefficient, yield coefficient, maximum rate constant, and half-saturation coefficient were determined to be between 0.57?×?10^?3 and 1.2?×?10^?3?d^?1, 0.00938 and 0.0644?g volatile suspended solid (VSS) (VS)^?1, 1.394 and 13,797?d^?1, and 1.6?×?10^?8 and 99,996?g. The kinetic parameters obtained were used to simulate kinetic behaviors of a continuous mixed digester with biological solid recycle. The simulated results showed that the dilution rate was very significant for methane volume produced, VS and VSS concentrations in digestion operation. The maximum methane volume could be predicted to be 3071 and 4152?mL for 2 and 4% TS, respectively.