The effectiveness of anaerobic digestion process by thermal pre-treatment on food waste as a substrate

• Published in: IOP conference series. Earth and environmental science Vol. 251; no. 1; pp. 12014 - 12021
• Main Authors: Saragih, F N A, Priadi, C R, Adityosulindro, S, Abdillah, A, Islami, B B
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Bristol IOP Publishing 12.04.2019
• Subjects: Anaerobic digestion; Anaerobic processes; Continuously stirred tank reactors; Degradation; Digesters; Food waste; Heat treatment; Pretreatment; Reactors; Solubilization; Substrates
• ISSN: 1755-1307; 1755-1315; 1755-1315
• DOI: 10.1088/1755-1315/251/1/012014

Thermal pre-treatment is necessary for the feedstock of Anaerobic Digester (AD) to improve the degradation process. This study aims to investigate the effect of thermal pre-treatment on Food Waste (FW) as a substrate through Biochemical Methane Potential (BMP) test followed by pilot scale using a continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR) digester. TS, VS, COD, SCOD, and solubilization samples were measured during on CSTR reactor. FW was pretreated by heating at 70 °C, 90 °C, and 120 °C for 45 minutes. Results showed that thermal pre-treatment at 70 °C had the most effective digestion process with TS, VS, COD reduction of 8.26%; 2.54%; and 14% and increase SCOD and solubilization of 10.2% and 24.7%, respectively compared to thermal pre-treatment at 90 °C and 120 °C (p<0.05). Therefore, thermal pre-treatment at 70 °C was chosen for AD pilot scale in this study. Meanwhile, pilot scale experiment showed the results that thermal pre-treatment at 70 °C was obtained significant differences of 31% TS; 38% VS; 42% COD; 23% SCOD; and 30% solubilization compare with without thermal pre-treatment (p<0.05). Pre-treatment with thermal on FW as a substrate may help in increasing the degradation process at the hydrolysis phase in order to increase the effectiveness of the process in AD reactor.