• Membrane and Water Treatment
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.213-221
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• 2019

Anaerobic digestion (AD) has been widely used to valorize food waste (FW) because of its ability to convert organic carbon into $CH_4$ and $CO_2$. Korean FW has a high content of fruits and vegetables, and efficient hydrolysis of less biodegradable fibers is critical for its complete stabilization by AD. This study examined the digestates from different anaerobic digesters, namely Rs, Rr, and Rm, as the inocula for the AD of vegetable waste (VW) and cellulose (CL): Rs inoculated with anaerobic sludge from an AD plant, Rr inoculated with rumen fluid, and Rm inoculated with anaerobic sludge and augmented with rumen fluid. A total of six conditions ($3\;inocula{\times}2\;substrates$) were tested in serial subcultures. Biogas yield was higher in the runs inoculated with Rm than in the other runs for both VW (up to 1.10 L/g VS added) and CL (up to 1.05 L/g VS added), and so was biogas production rate. The inocula had different microbial community structures, and both substrate type and inoculum source had a significant effect on the formation and development of microbial community structures in the subcultures. The overall results suggest that the bioaugmentation with rumen microbial consortium has good potential to enhance the anaerobic biodegradability of VW, and thereby can help more efficiently digest high fiber-content Korean FW.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.353-359
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• 2015

This study introduces a resource recycling system in urban apartment complex using four different technologies. The four technologies, called 4G, include a production technology for reclaimed water (Green water), a biogas production technology from organic waste (Green biogas), a reuse technology of rainwater (Green rainwater), and urban agropark (Green pyramid). Green water is the technology for producing the reclaimed water from wastewater, rainwater and underground water, and the average concentrations of BOD, SS, T-N and coliform of reclaimed water were 7.8mg/L, ND (not detected), 4.9mg/L and ND, respectively. Green biogas is the technology for producing biogas and effluent after treating organic wastes (e.g. food waste and night soil) discharged from households, and the average production rates of hydrogen and methane were $0.33m^3/m^3/d$ and $0.24m^3/m^3/d$, respectively. Green pyramid, agricultural farm operated by biogas and reclaimed water, provides a healthy and recreational space for residents, and plant growth rates using treated water and reclaimed water showed height of 1.32cm and weight of 112.8g. Therefore, 4G technologies can improve the recycling rate and treatment efficiencies of waste and wastewater in an apartment complex.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.55-68
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• 2020

Because of the intensified environmental problems such as climate change and resource depletion, sewage treatment technology focused on energy management has recently attracted attention. The conversion of primary sludge from the primary sedimentation tank and excessive sludge from the secondary sedimentation tank into biogas is the key to energy-positive sewage treatment. In particular, the primary sedimentation tanks recover enriched biodegradable organic matter and anaerobic digestion process produces methane from the organic wastes for energy production. Such technologies for minimizing oxygen demand are leading the innovation regarding sewage treatment plants. However, sewage treatment facilities in Korea lack core technology and operational know-how. Actually, the energy potential of sewage is higher than sewage treatment energy consumption in the sewage treatment, but current processes are not adequately efficient in energy recovery. To improve this, it is possible to apply chemically enhanced primary treatment (CEPT), high-rate activated sludge (HRAS), and anaerobic membrane bioreactor (AnMBR) to the primary sedimentation tank. To maximize the methane production of sewage treatment plants, organic wastes such as food waste and livestock manure can be digested. Additionally, mechanical pretreatment, thermal hydrolysis, and chemical pretreatment would enhance the methane conversion of organic waste. Power generation systems based on internal combustion engines are susceptible to heat source losses, requiring breakthrough energy conversion systems such as fuel cells. To realize the energy positive sewage treatment plant, primary organic matter recovery from sewage, biogas pretreatment, and co-digestion should be optimized in the energy management system based on the knowledge-based operation.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.44 no.5
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• pp.903-915
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• 2011

Recently, anaerobic methane production of agricultural waste biomass has received increasing attention. Until now domestic BMP (Biochemical methane potential) studies concerned with agricultural waste biomass have concentrated on the several waste biomass such as livestock manure, food waste, and sewage sludge from WWTP (Waste water treatment plant). Especially, the lack of standardization study of BMP assay method has caused the confused comprehension and interpretation in the comparison of BMP results from various researchers. Germany and USA had established the standard methods, VDI 4630 and ASTM E2170-01, for the analysis of BMP and anaerobic organic degradation, respectively. In this review, BMP was defined in the aspect of organic material represented as COD (Chemical oxygen demand) and VS (Volatile solid), and the influence of several parameters on the methane potential of the feedstock was presented. In the investigation of domestic BMP case studies, BMP results of 18 biomass species generating from agriculture and agro-industry were presented. And BMP results of crop species reported from foreign case studies were presented according to the classification system of crops such as food crop, vegetables, oil seed and specialty crop, orchards, and fodder and energy crop. This review emphasizes the urgent need for characterizing the innumerable kind of biomass by their capability on methane production.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.17 no.6
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• pp.588-597
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• 2016

In this study, we attempted to improve the biogas production efficiency by varying the mixing ratio of the mixed sludge of organic wastes in the improved single-phase anaerobic digestion process. The types of organic waste used in this study were raw sewage sludge, food wastewater leachate and livestock excretions. The biomethane potential was determined through the BMP test. The results showed that the biomethane potential of the livestock excretions was the highest at $1.55m^3CN4/kgVS$, and that the highest value of the composite sample, containing primary sludge, food waste leachate and livestock excretions at proportions of 50%, 30% and 20% respectively) was $0.43m^3CN4/kgVS$. On the other hand, the optimal mixture ratio of composite sludge in the demonstration plant was 68.5 (raw sludge) : 18.0 (food waste leachate) : 13.5 (livestock excretions), which was a somewhat different result from that obtained in the BMP test. This difference was attributed to the changes in the composite sludge properties and digester operating conditions, such as the retention time. The amount of biogas produced in the single-phase anaerobic digestion process was $2,514m^3/d$ with a methane content of 62.8%. Considering the value of $2,319m^3/d$ of biogas produced as its design capacity, it was considered that this process demonstrated the maximum capacity. Also, through this study, it was shown that, in the case of the anaerobic digestion process, the two-phase digestion process is better in terms of its stable tank operation and high efficiency, whereas the existing single-phase digestion process allows for the improvement of the digestion efficiency and performance.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2010.06a
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• pp.245-245
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• 2010

우리나라 생활폐기물 중 음식물쓰레기는 가장 많은 부분을 차지하고 있다. 또한, 음식물쓰레기에서 발생되는 음폐수의 발생량은 8,926톤/일에 달하고 있지만, 이 중 극히 일부만이 하수처리장 등에서 병합 처리되고 있고 대부분은 해양 투기되고 있는 실정이다. 이에 본 연구에서는 독일 GBU사로부터 중온/습식/이상 혐기성 소화 기술을 도입하여 HADS Pilot Plant를 설치하였고, 2008년 3월부터 국내 음폐수 및 음식물쓰레기에 적합한 최적의 운전기술을 확보하기 위한 Pilot Test를 실시하였다. 본 실험에 사용된 HADS Pilot Plant는 산발효조($6m^3$), 메탄발효조($50m^3$), 안정화조/가스저장조($40m^3$)그리고 가스 소각기로 구성되어 있다. 그리고 적용 음폐수 및 음식물쓰레기는 경기도 Y군에 위치한 사료화 시설에 반입되는 것을 이용하였는데 음폐수는 평균 TS 13.5%, VS 80%, pH $3.7{\pm}0.2$의 성상을 나타내었다. 이를 이용해 계단식으로 유기물 부하를 증가시키면서 $4kgVS/m^3/d$까지 적용하며 중온 상태에서 혐기성 소화를 실시한 결과, $0.8Nm^3/kgVS_{rem}/d$의 바이오가스 회수 및 85%의 VS 감량이 가능함을 확인하였다. 그리고 음식물쓰레기는 음폐수와 달리 1차 파쇄/선별기 및 배관상에 설치되는 2차 미세파쇄/선별기를 통한 전처리를 실시하였고, 1차 파쇄/선별 후 평균적으로 TS가 17.4%, VS는 81%, pH는 $3.85{\pm}0.2$의 성상을 나타내는 음식물쓰레기를 2차 미세파쇄/선별기를 거쳐 Pilot Plant의 산발효조에 투입하여 중온상태에서 혐기성 소화를 실시하였다. 음폐수 적용시와 마찬가지로 계단식으로 유기물 부하를 증량하면서 $4kgVS/m^3/d$까지 적용하여 운전하였고, 그 결과 약 $0.9{\sim}1.2Nm^3/kgVS_{rem}/d$의 바이오가스 회수와 85~87%의 VS 감량 효율을 확인하였다. 음폐수와 음식물쓰레기의 혐기성 소화 실험 결과, 제거된 VS량을 기준으로 보았을 때, 음식물쓰레기에서 더 많은 바이오가스 발생하였는데 이는 음식물쓰레기에 존재하는 고형물이 미생물들의 서식 공간으로 활용됨에 따라 혐기성 소화 과정에서 일어나는 혼합 발효 및 공영양 대사가 음폐수 대비 좀 더 수월하게 일어날 수 있게 된 데에 따른 결과라고 생각된다. 당사의 HADS Pilot Plant test에서는 계단식의 순차적인 유기물 부하 증량과 총VFA/총 알카리도 비율을 0.3~0.4 수준이하로 유지하며 운전함에 따라 음폐수와 음식물 모두에서 안정적으로 $4kgVS/m^3/d$까지의 유기물 부하 적용이 가능하였다. 또한, 생산된 바이오가스 내 메탄의 함량은 60~65%를 유지하였으며, 메탄발효조의 pH는 별도의 조절이 없이도 운전기간 동안 평균 7.8~7.9 수준을 유지하였다. 이처럼 pH 3.7~3.8의 음폐수 또는 음식물쓰레기의 투입에도 안정적인 완충능력을 보여준 것은 소화조 내에서 기질로부터 분해되어져 나오는 암모니아와 이산화탄소가 강력한 버퍼 시스템을 구축하고 있음에 따른 결과로 사료된다. 그리고 음폐수와 음식물쓰레기의 경우 모두 85%이상의 높은 VS 제거율을 보여주었는데 이는 당사의 HADS Pilot Plant 소화조의 구조가 내통과 외통으로 구분되어져 있음에 따라 plug flow + CSTR의 특징을 가짐에 따른 결과로 판단된다. 상기한 결과를 바탕으로 향후에는 $5kgVS/m^3/d$ 수준의 유기물 부하 적용운전도 계획하고 있다.

• Journal of the Korea Organic Resources Recycling Association
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.59-66
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• 2016

The purpose of this study was to review of technical, economical feasibilities regarding Integrated Two-Phase Anaerobic Digestion(ITPAD) method. In order for that, operation conditions and data with 24tpd capacity of operating ITPAD plant were analyzed. The result showed that VS removal efficiency was 73.7% and total amount of biogas was generated $1,239m^3/day$ on the average that represents $54.4m^3/ton$-input of generation efficiency. ITPAD had advantages in terms of required area and energy for heating which were analyzed 15.9%~47%, 11.6%~17.8% lower respectively compared to Conventional Separated Two-Phase Anaerobic Digestion(CSTPAD) method. Thus, it is considered the ITPAD has comparatively high feasibility to be expanded and commercialized to dispose high concentration organic matter of waste such as food waste and its leachate.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.213-222
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• 2014

In this study, 2-stage recirculation membrane process was developed for purification of high purity bio-methane for the vehicle fuel application. Pure gas permeation and mixture gas permeation test were done as a function of methane content and pressure in the feed using polysulfone membrane modules. 2-stage membrane plant was designed, constructed in a food waste treatment cite. Dehumidification, dry desulfurization, and desiloxane plants are installed for the removal of $H_2O$, $H_2S$ and siloxane in the biogas. Permeation test were done with the pre-treated methane mixture in terms of methane purity and recovery by adjusting the ratio of membrane area (1:1, 1:3, 2:2) in the first and second membrane modules in the plant. When membrane area of 2 stage increased to $3m^2$ from $1m^2$ at 1-stage membrane area of $1m^2$, the feed rate and $CH_4$ recovery at 95% methane purity were increased from 47.1% to 92.5% respectively. When the membrane area increased two-fold (1:1 to 2:2), $CH_4$ recovery increased from 47.1% to 88.3%. When the feed flow rate was increased, in 1:3 ratio, final purity of the methane is reduced, the methane recovery is increased. When operating pressure was increased, the feed rate was increased and recovery was slightly decreased. From this result, membrane area, feed pressure and feed rate could be the important factor to the performance of the membrane process.

• Journal of the Korea Organic Resources Recycling Association
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.31-37
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• 2010

Livestock manures have a potential to be a valuable resource with an efficient treatment. In Korea, 42 million tons of livestock manure were generated in 2008, and 84 % of them were used for compost and liquid fertilizer production. Recently recycling of livestock manure for biogas production through anaerobic digestion is increasing, but its utilization in agriculture is still uncertified. In this study, there was applied co-digestate to the paddy for rice cultivation based on N supplement. Co-digestate was fertilizer fermented with pig slurry and food waste combined with the ratio of 70:30(v:v) in its volumetric basis. For assessing the safety of co-digestate, it was monitored the contents of co-digestate for seasonal variation, resulted in no potential harm to the soil and plant by heavy metals. The results showed that soil applied with co-digestate was increased in exchangeable potassium, copper and zinc mainly due to the high rate of pig slurry in co-digestate applied. Considering high salt content due to the combination with food waste, strict quality assurances are needed for safe application to arable land though it has valuable fertilizer nutrient. Leachate after treatment showed that the concentration of nitrate nitrogen washed out within two weeks. Considering the salt accumulation results in soil, it is highly recommended that the application rate of co-digestate should not exceed the crop fertilization rate based on N supplement. With these results, it was concluded that co-digestate could be used as an alternative fertilizer for chemical fertilizer. More study is needed for the long-term effects of co-digestate application on the soil and water environment.