Platform, a Journal of Engineering (Dec 2012)
THERMOPHILIC ANAEROBIC DIGESTION OF BIO-WASTE AND BIOGAS UTILIZATION TECHNOLOGIES: A REVIEW
Abstract
In this modern era, more individuals have concluded that utilising biogas as a significant energy source is necessary for considering the depletion of fossil fuels and rising concerns about ecological problems, including environmental pollution. Thermophilic anaerobic digestion (AD) of bio-waste helps to produce more biogas for future uses. However, several significant AD parameters are to be considered, impacting the sludge properties, such as the temperature, pH, hydraulic retention time (HRT) and mixing systems. One of the most important operational parameters influencing the thermophilic AD process is the temperature, which only occurs between 45°C and 60°C. With that, biogas utilisation has developed from a conventional home fuel to a source of energy for power production, fuel for transportation, and raw materials for contemporary industry. How biogas is used is evolving, and there are more applications for it. Hence, the utilisation of biogas has become varied, and the fields of biogas application are continuously growing. This review aims to focus on the thermophilic anaerobic digestion of bio-waste and biogas, which contain methane, known as combustible renewable energy that can be used as an alternative energy source to replace fossil fuels such as by direct combustion to generate heat and electricity.