Performance optimization and validation of ADM1 simulations under anaerobic thermophilic conditions

• Published in: Bioresource technology Vol. 174; pp. 243 - 255
• Main Authors: Atallah, Nabil M., El-Fadel, Mutasem, Ghanimeh, Sophia, Saikaly, Pascal, Abou-Najm, Majdi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 01.12.2014; Elsevier
• Subjects: Acetates - analysis; ADM1; Ammonia - analysis; Anaerobiosis; Biodegradation, Environmental; Biological and medical sciences; Biological Oxygen Demand Analysis; Biological treatment of sewage sludges and wastes; Bioreactors; Biotechnology; Calibration; Computer Simulation; Digesters; Environment and pollution; Food industries; Food waste; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; Indicators; Industrial applications and implications. Economical aspects; Mathematical models; Methane; Methane - analysis; Models, Theoretical; Optimization; Refuse Disposal - instrumentation; Refuse Disposal - methods; Reproducibility of Results; Sensitivity analysis; Temperature; Thermophilic anaerobic digestion; Use and upgrading of agricultural and food by-products. Biotechnology; Food waste; ADM1; Thermophilic anaerobic digestion; Anaerobiosis; Validation; Simulation; Thermophily; Anaerobic digestion; Optimization
• ISSN: 0960-8524; 1873-2976
• DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2014.09.143

•ADM1 simulations of thermophilic anaerobic digesters treating food waste.•Intermediary output influenced by different parameters depending on related processes.•Methane-based calibration is less accurate in simulating intermediary by-products.•Multiobjective optimization provided better overall results than methane optimization.•Optimization results were validated upon their application on independent experiments. In this study, two experimental sets of data each involving two thermophilic anaerobic digesters treating food waste, were simulated using the Anaerobic Digestion Model No. 1 (ADM1). A sensitivity analysis was conducted, using both data sets of one digester, for parameter optimization based on five measured performance indicators: methane generation, pH, acetate, total COD, ammonia, and an equally weighted combination of the five indicators. The simulation results revealed that while optimization with respect to methane alone, a commonly adopted approach, succeeded in simulating methane experimental results, it predicted other intermediary outputs less accurately. On the other hand, the multi-objective optimization has the advantage of providing better results than methane optimization despite not capturing the intermediary output. The results from the parameter optimization were validated upon their independent application on the data sets of the second digester.