Changing waste management practice, introduction of new technologies, and population demographics and behaviour will impact on both quantity and composition of future waste streams. Laboratory-scale anaerobic digestion of the mechanically-separated organic fraction of municipal solid waste (ms-OFMSW) was carried out at relatively low organic loading rates (OLR), and results analysed using an energy modelling tool. Thermophilic operation with water addition and liquor recycle was compared to co-digestion with dilution water replaced by sewage sludge digestate (SSD); thermophilic and mesophilic mono-digestion were also tested at low OLR. All thermophilic conditions showed stable operation, with specific methane production (SMP) from 0.203 to 0.296 m3 CH4 kg-1 volatile solids (VS). SSD addition increased biogas production by ~20% and there was evidence of further hydrolysis and degradation of the SSD. Long-term operation at 1 kg VS m-3 day-1 had no adverse effect except in mesophilic conditions where SMP was lower at 0.256 m3 CH4 kg-1 VS and stability was reduced, especially during OLR increases. This was probably due to low total ammonia nitrogen, which stabilised at ~0.2 g N kg-1 and limited the buffering capacity. Energy analysis showed thermophilic operation at OLR 2 g VS L-1 day-1 gave 42% of the theoretical methane potential and 38% of the higher heating value, reducing to 37% and 34% respectively in mesophilic conditions. Scenario modelling indicated that under low ms-OFMSW load even an energy-depleted co-substrate such as SSD could contribute to the energy balance, and would be a better diluent than water due to its nutrient and buffering capacity.
Keywords: Ammonia; Energy modelling; Mesophilic; OFMSW; Sewage sludge digestate; Thermophilic.
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