• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.2 no.3
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• pp.23-32
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• 1982

This study was conducted to evaluate the temperature effects on the nightsoil, anaerobic digestion, whether it could be operated with a higher organic loading rate at a higher temperature during summer months, or with a lower organic loading rate at a lower temperature during winter months. A laboratory completely mixed digester was continuously operated at 11 different temperatures from $18.5^{\circ}$ to $60^{\circ}C$ with 30 days of HRT. The study results indicated that the best efficiency occurred at a temperature range of $35^{\circ}$ to $40^{\circ}C$, at which BOD and VS removal efficiencies were respectively 71 and 53 percent, and gas production rate was $0.6m^3/kg$ VS fed or $16m^3/m^3$ fed. BOD removal efficiency would be increased to 78 percent if the digester effluent settled for 24 hours. Since the digester efficiency decreased beyond this temperature range, this suggested the digester need not to operate a higher temperature even during the summer months. The laboratory results were in good agreement with those of the existing digester operated at a temperature range of $32^{\circ}$ to $40^{\circ}C$. Application of septage or cow manure to the digester with nights oil at a rate of 1 to 1 did not greatly affect the digester performances. In addition, the digester effluent could be treated aerobically without any dillution water. BOD and SS removal efficiencies were greater than 90 percent in this case.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.82-88
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• 2017

MET (Microbial Electrochemical Technology), such as MFC (Microbial Fuel Cell) and MEC (Microbial Electrolysis Cell), is a promising technology for producing sustainable biogas from an anaerobic digester (AD). At current stage, however, the most likely limiting factors, large internal resistances, should be overcome for successful scale up of this technology. Various researchers reported that application of electrode materials containing high current density, increase of ion strength and conductivity, configuration of electrode are good methods for minimizing internal resistances. Recently, stainless steel is receiving great attention because of not only high performance and durability but also low cost. Therefore, in this study, we evaluate electrochemical characteristics and biogas production rate using various electrode materials and configuration (graphite carbon coated with catalysts ($GC-C_M$) or not (GC), stainless steel mesh (SUS-M) and plate (SUS-P)). As the results, current densities of $GC-C_M$, GC, SUS-P, SUS-M were 2.03, 1.36, 1.04, $1.13A/m^2$, respectively. Methane yields of $GC-C_M$, GC, SUS-P, SUS-M were 0.27, 0.14, 0.19, 0.21 $L-CH_4/g-COD_{rem}$., respectively. Stainless steel shows high current density and methane yield, which are similar as graphite carbon coated with catalysts.

• Journal of environmental and Sanitary engineering
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.49-56
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• 2008

Foodwaste will be able to treat is 13,000 ton/day. $18{\times}10^{13}$ won/yr are wasted with the foodwaste treatment. As a result, the initial working condition. These are given as follows : On the 1st. week, the foodwaste of the 130 ton/week(digest sludge : input foodwaste = 20 : 1) is being put into a DRANCO system by the space of 2 day. On the 2nd week, the food waste of the 130 ton/week(5 day) is being put into a DRANCO system by the space of 2 day. On the 3rd week, the foodwaste of the 130 ton/week is being put into a DRANCO system by the space of 3day. On the 4th week, the foodwaste of the 350 ton/week is being put into a DRANCO system. After that time, increase the quantity than last week is 10%. Under steady-state working condition, the methane content of the biogas is more then 55%. The $NH_3-N$ content of the digest sludge is under 3,500ppm. The VFA content of the digest sludge is under 1,500ppm. The pH is more then 8. The TS content of the digest sludge is $18{\sim}22%$. The VS content of the digest sludge is under 65%.

• Journal of Energy Engineering
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.62-73
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• 2014

This research was focused to apply response surface methodology for optimization of bio-methane production by biogas upgrading process. Methane concentration(Y1) and methane efficiency(Y2) on biogas upgrading process were mathematically described as being modeled by the use of the Box-Behnken design on response surface methodology. The results of ANOVA(analysis of variance) about models, the probability value of the methane concentration and methane recovery response surface model are 0.0001 and 0.0001, respectively and coefficient of determination($R^2$) are 0.9788 and 0.9710, respectively. The response surface model is proved of high reliability and suitability. The operation pressure had the greatest influence to methane concentration than other operation parameters and the PSA rotary valve velocity had the greatest influence to methane recovery than other operation parameters. Optimal condition of biogas upgrading process for production of $100Nm^3/hr$ bio-methane were operation pressure 8.0bar and outlet flow rate 31.55RPM, respectively. At that operation condition the methane concentration of bio-methane was 97.13% and methane recovery in biogas upgrading process was 75.89%.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.155-161
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• 2012

A simple in-situ methane enrichment system in mesophilic anaerobic digestion was developed to take advantage of the differing solubilities of $CO_2$ and methane. The methane enhancement systems consisted of low solids plug-flow maize digester coupled with a leachate recycle loop to an external $CO_2$ stripper. The effects of leachate recycle rate (LRR) and reactor alkalinity on the resulting offgas $CH_4$ contents, biogas productivity and TVS removal efficiency were quantitively evaluated. The results showed that offgas $CH_4$ contents of over 94% was achieved at 3 volume of leachate recycle per volume of reactor per day (3 v/v-d) and at the reactor alkalinity of 4 g/L as $CaCO_3$, as the optimum operating conditions. The TVS removal efficiency of the methane enhancement system was 79% which corresponds to 94% of the control reactor and the methane productivity appeared to be 0.71 v/v-d. Offgas methane contents correlated well with LRR. However excessively high LRR led to the decrease in TVS removal efficiency.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.21-28
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• 1986

Conversion of anaerobic mesophilic digestion to thermophilic range has been investigated using a synthetic sludge. When temperature was raised at a rate of 2, 1, and $0.5^{\circ}C$ per day with continuous feeding, a lower reaction rate was observed with a high rate of temperature change. Although methane fermentation ceased completely for an digesters at thermophilic temperature, acid fermentation continued. Methane fermentation was never achieved even with neutralization during 6 months of resting. The methane formers were completely inactivated by the temperature shock and accumulation of volatile acids due to continuous feeding, while the acid formers lost biological activity quickly, but gradually acclimated to a high temperature. When temperature was raised without feeding, successful thermophilic digestion was achieved with 1 day of resting at thermophilic temperature at a rate of $1^{\circ}C$ per day, and also achieved with 20 days of resting at a direct increase. Conversion to a thermophilic range is easily achieved with resting. A short period of resting is required at a low rate of temperature increase, while a long period of resting enough to balance methane formers with acid fermers makes a conversion possile when temperature is raised at a high rate. Soured thermophilic digesters were recovered after seeding of mesophilic sludges, and sludge seeding could be a good method of start-up, conversion, or recovery of a thermophilic digester. Significant amount of thermophiles seemed to be present in the mesophilic digesters.

• Journal of environmental and Sanitary engineering
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.73-82
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• 2008

In this study, a dry single-phase anaerobic digestion process (Dranco system) was investigated to evaluate the optimum operational conditions. Several factors such as injection rate of organic waste, biogas production, $CH_4$ content in the biogas, pH of the sludge, $NH_3$-N and VFA concentration were investigated based on the operation of the digestion process for 2 months (short term) and 8 months (long-term). The operation results showed that a small quantity of food waste should be injected every week and that a 10% increase of the microorganism injection rate should be needed. However, normal operation was conducted after 11 weeks based on the designed quantity. The $CH_4$ content in the biogas was high at the beginning and the end of the food injection. However, it was low during week days. When the biogas production was high, the $CH_4$ concentration was low. The biogas production increased with an increase of the injection rate. $100m^3$/ton of biogas was produced from normal operation of the digestion process based on the designed quantity. The pH values of the digestion tank based on short-term operation ranged from 8 to 8.5. However, the pH values ranged from 7.45 to 8.15 after 4 weeks of long-term operation. The $NH_3$-N concentration of short-term operation ranged from 4,500 to 5,500 ppm and it gradually decreased to 2,000ppm after normal operation was commenced. For long-term operation, it was 5,000ppm initially and 3,800ppm after normal operation was commenced. The VFA concentration of sludge was less than 900ppm and 2,500ppm for short and long-term operations, respectively, after normal operation. Overall, the differences between sludge pH, $NH_3$-N and VFA concentrations may be due to the different types of microorganisms and the digestion ability of the microorganisms which exist in the accumulation of non digested organics. Moreover, it may be also caused by the type of food waste. Further investigation is needed to confirm these relationships.