Biogas production from high volume industrial effluents at ambient temperatures (AmbiGAS)

该项目是在电子逆向工程网方案下制定的，汇集了来自4个国家的学术界、工业流程设计工程师和最终用户组成的跨学科小组。该研究旨在以系统的方式开发在环境温度下使用厌氧消化（AD）的概念，用于生物质加工工业中产生的大体积，低强度废水。迄今为止的经验表明，低温AD是可行的，并且该工作将试图提高反应速率以匹配更常规的中温系统。该研究将建立厌氧微生物种群适应低温条件的基本机制，并试图确定控制参数，以确保快速适应和稳定运行。将确定不同类型的厌氧生物质（颗粒、生物膜、分散或絮凝体）以及食品加工和非食品行业的工业废水的反应动力学。将使用实验室规模的消化器进行研究，以测试通过改变反应器配置来保留厌氧生物质的不同方法，特别侧重于使用创新的膜系统。这些沼气池还将与新型原位和侧流沼气提质装置一起进行测试，同样使用先进的膜技术。我们现有的知识与这些有针对性的实验室研究中获得的信息相结合，将用于设计一个中试规模的消化器，该消化器将由一个工业最终用户合作伙伴进行试验。目标是在试点规模上成功展示这一概念，同时获得足够的知识和数据，以便能够显示净能源生产以及通过使用过程模型计算的其他节省。研究成果将为加工行业提供必要的信息，以决定是否采用这些新技术，从而利用潜在的节能优势。该研究还将开发定制的膜基气体升级系统，以精炼沼气，产生纯度足以用作汽车燃料或直接注入天然气网络的甲烷。膜系统还将用于从经处理的废水中回收溶解的甲烷，这不仅将增加能源产量，而且还将为一个重大环境问题提供解决方案，因为甲烷是一种强大的温室气体，可能导致气候变化。该研究与行业相关，新方法的利弊将使用行业标准的工艺优化工具进行全面评估，这可以为进一步的经济和环境评估提供基础。该研究将在一系列领域产生重大成果：它将增加我们对产甲烷微生物的科学知识，并改善厌氧系统的过程控制;它将引入沼气升级和甲烷回收的新概念，增加环境效益;它将建立一个废水和工艺参数数据库，以便建立生物质工业的模型和优化;并且它将提供环境温度AD的实际演示。因此，这项研究及其实施将为快速采用这一概念提供路线图，该概念将从以前未开发的来源提供第二代生物燃料生产。

The project is formulated under the ERA-net programme and brings together an interdisciplinary team of academics, industrial process design engineers and end users from 4 countries. The research aims to develop in a systematic manner the concept of using anaerobic digestion (AD) at ambient temperatures for large volume, low-strength effluents produced in biomass-based process industries. Experience to date shows that low temperature AD is feasible, and the work will attempt to improve rates of reaction to match those of more conventional mesophilic systems. The research will establish the fundamental mechanisms underlying the acclimatisation of anaerobic microbial populations to low temperature conditions, and attempt to identify control parameters that will ensure rapid adaptation and stable operation. Reaction kinetics will be determined for different types of anaerobic biomass (granular, biofilm, dispersed or in flocs), and for industrial wastewaters from both food processing and non-food sectors. Studies will be carried out using laboratory-scale digesters to test different methods of retaining the anaerobic biomass by altering the reactor configuration, with a particular focus on the use of innovative membrane systems. The digesters will also be tested in conjunction with novel in-situ and side-stream biogas upgrading units, again using advanced membrane technologies. Our existing knowledge combined with the information gained in these targeted laboratory studies will be used to design a pilot-scale digester that will be trialled by one of the industrial end-user partners. The goal is to demonstrate the concept successfully at a pilot scale, while gaining sufficient knowledge and data to be able to show net energy production, and other savings calculated by using process models. The research outputs will provide process industries with the necessary information to make decisions on adopting these new technologies to take advantage of the potential energy savings.The research will also develop customised membrane-based gas upgrading systems to refine biogas to give methane that is pure enough for use as a vehicle fuel or direct injection into the gas network. Membrane systems will also be used to recover dissolved methane from treated effluent, which will not only increase energy yield but will also offer a solution to a major environmental issue, as methane is a powerful greenhouse gas that can contribute to climate change. The research is industry-linked, and the benefits and penalties of the new approach will be fully assessed using industry-standard process optimisation tools, which can provide the basis for further economic and environmental assessment. The research will have significant outputs in a range of areas: it will increase our scientific knowledge of methanogenic microorganisms, and improve process control in anaerobic systems; it will introduce new concepts in biogas upgrading and methane recovery, with added environmental benefits; it will create a database of effluent and process parameters to allow modelling and optimisation of biomass-based industries; and it will provide a practical demonstration of ambient temperature AD. The research and its implementation will thus provide a roadmap for the rapid uptake of this concept, which offers second generation biofuel production from a previously untapped source.