Kinetic study of biomethanation of condensed water from the thermal concentration process of olive mill wastewater

Abstract

A kinetic study of biomethanation has been carried out by using condensed water from the thermal concentration process of olive mill wastewater, which contained an organic load (6 g/l COD) that prevented it from reusing or spillage. Two fluidized-bed bioreactors were used, one of them containing suspend biomass for reference, and the other with biomass supported on Sepiolite for the immobilization of microorganisms effecting anaerobic digestion. The Chen-Hashimoto model of methane production has been applied, obtaining the values of the kinetic parameters μmax and K for each case studied. The results showed an increase in the kinetic constants for the reactor with Sepiolite in relation to the one used as reference, and the value for K kinetic constant was duplicated.

Keywords

• biomethanation
• condensation water
• kinetics
• olive mill wastewater
• support