Effect of hydrothermal pretreatment on volatile fatty acids production from source- - separated organic waste

我们对拟议的研究非常感兴趣，因为它涉及将源分离有机废物**(SSO)转化为挥发性脂肪酸（VFAs）等有价值的产品。厌氧消化（AD）过程中水解和产酸过程中有机废物中的VFAs引起了广泛的研究兴趣，因为VFAs是参与生产增值产品的微生物的关键底物。VFAs是由6个或更少的碳原子组成的短链脂肪酸，可以在常压下蒸馏。**这些酸有广泛的应用（例如生产生物塑料，生物能源和其他）。VFAs**主要含有乙酸酯、丙酸酯、异丁酸酯、正丁酸酯、异戊酸酯和正戊酸酯。它们可以在某些过程中用作附加或外部碳源（例如，从废水中生物去除营养物质）。**为了在酸化阶段从SSO中获得高浓度的VFAs，需要优化水热预处理（HTP）的参数**，如温度、压力、保留时间和混合。优化后的HTP**可以大大提高水解效率，然后在产醋酸步骤中，将单体发酵成乙酸、丙酸和丁酸。**该项目的结果将帮助Woolwich Bio-En Inc.扩大其处理有机废物的能力，**将其转化为有价值的能源，以最大的利润和最小的环境影响。与瑞尔森大学化学工程系的合作也将帮助我们教育我们的员工关于VFAs生产的主要挑战和优化过程控制参数的影响。总之，这项工作的成功成果将在地方和国家经济的支持下，以可持续的方式为**加拿大人提供可再生能源。

The proposed research is of great interest to us as it involves a conversion of source separated organic waste**(SSO) into valuable products such as volatile fatty acids (VFAs). VFAs from organic waste in anaerobic**digestion (AD) process during hydrolysis and acidogenesis have drawn extensive research interest, as VFAs are**critical substrates for microorganisms involved in the production of value-added products. VFAs are**short-chain fatty acids consisting of six or fewer carbon atoms, which can be distilled at atmospheric pressure.**These acids have a wide range of applications (e.g. production of bioplastics, bioenergy and others). VFAs**contain mainly acetate, propionate, iso-butyrate, n-butyrate, iso-valerate, and n-valerate. They can be used as an**additional or external carbon source in some processes (e.g. biological removal of nutrients from wastewater).**To obtain a high concentration of VFAs in acidification stage from SSO, it is important to optimize parameters**of hydrothermal pretreatment (HTP) such as temperature, pressure, retention time, and mixing. Optimized HTP**can greatly improve hydrolysis and then subsequently, ferment monomers into acetic, propionic and butyric**acids in acetogenesis step.**The results of this project will help Woolwich Bio-En Inc. to expand its ability to process organic waste,**converting it into valuable energy source with maximum profit and minimal environmental impact.**Collaboration with the Chemical Engineering Department of Ryerson University will also help us to educate**our staff on the major challenges of VFAs production and the effects of optimization process-governing**parameters. In conclusion, successful results of this work would provide renewable energy source for**Canadians in a sustainable manner with support of local and national economies.