• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
• /
• v.19 no.6
• /
• pp.680-684
• /
• 2008

The formation of methane hydrate ($CH_4$ hydrate) in silica sand and decomposition experiments were performed at $7.0^{\circ}C$ using a newly designed reactor. Temperature profile within silica sand bed was measured by thermocouples installed at different height of reactor. Both temperature and pressure are the main parameters for the formation (measured by adsorption experiment) and decomposition (measured by desorption experiment) of methane hydrate. Experiment of methane hydrate formation at 8 MPa and $7.0^{\circ}C$ showed that 70% of methane was converted to hydrate and the recovery of methane by the decomposition of methane hydrate was 82%.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
• /
• v.17 no.5
• /
• pp.321-330
• /
• 2008

Methane is a potent greenhouse gas and methane emissions from landfills have been linked to global warming. In this study, LandGEM (Landfill Gas Emission Model) was applied to predict landfill gas quantity over time, and then this result was compared with the data surveyed on the site, Cheongju Megalo Landfill. LandGEM allows the input of site-specific values for methane generation rate (k) and potential methane generation capacity $L_o$, but in this study, k value of 0.05/yr and $L_o$ value of $170m^3/Mg$ were considered to be most appropriate for reflecting non-arid temperate region conventional landfilling, Cheongju Megalo Landfill. High discrepancies between the surveyed data and the predicted data about landfill gas seems to be derived from insufficient compaction of daily soil-cover, inefficient recovery of landfill gas and banning of direct landfilling of food garbage waste in 2005. This study can be used for dissemination of information and increasing awareness about the benefits of recovering and utilizing LFG (landfill gas) and mitigating greenhouse gas emissions.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
• /
• v.37 no.4
• /
• pp.293-305
• /
• 2009

Methane, as a greenhouse gas, is some 21~25 times more detrimental to the environmental than carbon dioxide. Landfills generally constitute the most important anthropogenic source, and methane emission from landfill was estimated as 35~73 Tg per year. Biological approaches using biocover (open system) and biofilter (closed system) can be a promising solution for older and/or smaller landfills where the methane production is too low for energy recovery or flaring and installation of a gas extraction system is inefficient. Methanotrophic bacteria, utilizing methane as a sole carbon and energy source, are responsible for the aerobic degradation (oxidation) of methane in the biological systems. Many bench-scale studies have demonstrated a high oxidation capacity in diverse filter bed materials such as soil, compost, earthworm cast and etc. Compost had been most often employed in the biological systems, and the methane oxidation rates in compost biocovers/boifilters ranged from 50 to $700\;g-CH_4\;m^{-2}\;d^{-1}$. Some preliminary field trials have showed the suitability of biocovers/biofilters for practical application and their satisfactory performance in mitigation methane emissions. Since the reduction of landfill methane emissions has been linked to carbon credits and trading schemes, the verified quantification of mitigated emissions through biocovers/biofilters is very important. Therefore, the assessment of in situ biocovers/biofilters performance should be standardized, and the reliable quantification methods of methane reduction is necessary.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
• /
• v.36 no.1
• /
• pp.55-68
• /
• 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 Environmental Agriculture
• /
• v.30 no.1
• /
• pp.31-36
• /
• 2011

BACKGROUND: Disposal of slurry animal manure produced by an anaerobic slurry-type barn method is not easy since the animal slurry contain high moisture content which makes solid-liquid separation a difficult process. However, recently, the interest about anaerobic digestion process as an environment-friendly waste disposal method has gained a wide interest because it can treat highly organic matter contained by the piggery slurry, decrease the odor after treatment, and enable the effective recovery of the methane gas which is a valuable energy resource. The objectives of this study were to identify the solubilization characteristics and to improve the anaerobic digestion efficiency of piggery slurry through full-scale anaerobic digestion experiments. METHODS AND RESULTS: In a full-scale continuous anaerobic digestion operation, the adaptability of single anaerobic digestion and its digestion efficiency were also evaluated in the farm field. The actual pH range and alkalinity concentration of piggery slurry used during the operation were comparatively higher than the concentrations of pH and alkalinity in the digestion tank which were stable at 7.5~8.0, 4,008 mg/L (as$CaCO_3$), respectively. The removal efficiency of organic matter (TCOD) by anaerobic digestion was 75~90% and methane gas production amount was at 0.33 L/L/day, a little higher than that of ordinary animal manure. CONCLUSION(s): Our findings showed higher recovery of highly purified methane and greater efficiency of anaerobic tank digestion since its methane gas content was at 65~70%.

• Resources Recycling
• /
• v.22 no.5
• /
• pp.20-28
• /
• 2013

This study was carried out to evaluate the possibility of resource recovery for municipal solid waste(MSW) that sorted by a MBT system. First, physical property of MSW was similar to wastes carried into Sudokown landfill site. However, moisture of MSW was little higher than that. As a result of BMP test using organic fraction of MSW(OFMSWs), approximately 60 ~ 80 mL $CH_4/g$-VS of methane was occurred. Compared to the other studies, the value of methane is lower. It seems to be caused that high ratio of vinyl/plastic in OFMSWs. The other BMP test using sample of MBT system located in Sudokwon landfill was conducted each physical properties. According to the result of experiment, food waste makes 193 mL $CH_4/g$-VS, and paper is 102 mL $CH_4/g$-VS. However, there was not methane production in vinyl and rubber. Additionally, others that can't sort no more show 30 m $CH_4L/g$-VS of methane production. From the result of experimental data OFMSWs has high fraction of vinyl, rubber and other substance that difficult for biodegradation. Therefore it is need to sort of them.

• Journal of Biosystems Engineering
• /
• v.37 no.4
• /
• pp.233-244
• /
• 2012

Purpose: The kinetic evaluation was performed for swine manure (SM) degradation and biogas generation. Methods: The SM was anaerobically digested using batch digesters at feed to inoculum ratio (F/I) of 1.0 under mesophilic conditions ($36.5^{\circ}C$). The specific gas yield was expressed in terms of gram total chemical oxygen demand (mL/g TCOD added) and gram volatile solids added (mL/g VS added) and their effectiveness was discussed. The biogas and methane production were predicted using first order kinetic model and the modified Gompertz model. The critical hydraulic retention time for biomass washout was determined using Chen and Hashimoto model. Results: The biogas and methane yield from SM was 346 and 274 mL/ TCOD added, respectively after 100 days of digestion. The average methane content in the biogas produced from SM was 79% and $H_2S$ concentration was in the range of 3000-4108 ppm. It took around 32-47 days for 80-90% of biogas recovery and the TCOD removal from SM was calculated to be 85%. When the specific biogas and methane yield from SM (with very high TVFA concentration) was expressed in terms of oven dried volatile solids (VS) basis, the gas yield was found to be over estimated. The difference in the measured and predicted gas yield was in the range of 1.2-1.5% when using first order kinetic model and 0.1% when using modified Gompertz model. The effective time for biogas production ($T_{Ef}$) from SM was calculated to be in the range of 30-45 days and the critical hydraulic retention time ($HRT_{Critical}$) for biomass wash out was found to be 9.5 days. Conclusions: The modified Gompertz model could be better in predicting biogas and methane production from SM. The HRT greater than 10 days is recommended for continuous digesters using SM as feedstock.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
• /
• v.53 no.3
• /
• pp.295-301
• /
• 2015

A theoretical analysis was carried out to examine the concentration behavior of methane from a biogas using a polysulfone membrane. After the governing equations were derived for the cocurrent flow mode in a membrane module, the coupled nonlinear differential equations were numerically solved with the Compaq Visual Fortran 6.6 software. At the typical operating condition of mole fraction of 0.7 in a feed stream, the mole fraction of methane in the retentate increased to 0.76 while the normalized retentate flow rate to the feed flow rate decreased from 1 to 0.79. When either the mole fraction of methane in a feed increased or the pressure of the feed stream increased, the methane mole fraction in the retentate increased. On the other hand, it was found that as either the membrane area decreased or the ratio of the permeate pressure to the feed pressure increased, the methane mole fraction in the retentate decreased. In case that the stage cut increased, the methane mole fraction in the retentate increased while the recovery of methane slightly decreased.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
• /
• v.44 no.6
• /
• pp.1245-1251
• /
• 2011

As a result of the growing livestock industry, varieties of organic solid and waste biomass are be generated in swine breeding and slaughtering stages. Anaerobic digestion is a promising alternative for the treatment of livestock waste biomass, as well as for the material recovery and energy production. Objectives of this study were to analyze the biochemical methane potential of swine waste biomasses that were generated from swine pen and slaughterhouse and to investigate the material recovery and methane yield per head. As pig waste biomass, swine slurry, blood, intestine residue, and digestive tract content were collected for investigation from pig farmhouse and slaughterhouse. The $B_{th}$ (Theoretical methane potential) and $B_0$ (Biochemical methane potential) of swine slurry generating in swine breeding stage were 0.525 and $0.360Nm^3\;kg^{-1}-VS_{added}$, the ratio of degradation ($B_0/B_{th}$) was 68.6%. $B_{th}$ of blood, intestine residue, and digestive tract content were 0.539, 0.664, and $0.517Nm^3\;kg^{-1}-VS_{added}$, and $B_0$ were 0.405, 0.213, and $0.240Nm^3\;kg^{-1}-VS_{added}$, respectively. And the ratio of degradation showed 75.1, 32.1, and 46.4% in blood, intestine residue, and digestive tract content. Material yield of swine waste biomass was calculated as TS 73.79, VS 46.75, TN 5.58, $P_2O_5$ 1.94, and $K_2O$ $2.91kg\;head^{-1}$. And methane yield was $16.58Nm^3\;head^{-1}$. In the aspect that slaughterhouse is a large point source of waste biomass, while swine farmhouse is non-point source, the feasibility of an anaerobic digestion using the slaughtering waste biomass need to be assessed in the economical aspect between the waste treatment cost and the profitable effect by methane production.

• The Korean Journal of Ceramics
• /
• v.5 no.2
• /
• pp.125-130
• /
• 1999

After $SnO_2$ fine powder by precipitation method, Ca as crystallization inhibitor and Pd as catalyst were added to $SnO_2$ raw material by various methods. Thick film device was fabricated on the alumina substrate by mixing ethylene glycol and such mixed powders. The sensing characteristics of the device for methane gas were investigated. The most excellent gas sensing property was shown by the thick film device fabricated by Method 3 in which Ca and Pd doped $SnO_2$ powder is prepared by mixing $SnO_2$ powder, 0.1 wt% Ca acetate and 1 wt% $PdCl_2$ in deionized water and by calcining the mixture, after $Sn(OH)_4$ is dried at $110^{\circ}C$ for 36h. The sensitivity of the sensor fabricated with $SnO_2$-0.1 wt%Ca acetate-1wt%$PdCl_2$ powder heat-treated at $700^{\circ}C$ for 1h was about 86% for 5,000 ppm methane in air at $350^{\circ}C$ of the operating temperature. Response time and recovery were also excellent.