Evaluation of methane generation and process stability from anaerobic co-digestion of sugar beet by-product and cow manure

The effect of mesophilic anaerobic co-digestion of dried pellets of exhausted sugar beet cossettes (ESBC-DP) and cow manure (CM) on the enhancement of methane generation and process stability were studied with the aim to select the best substrate mixture ratio. A series of batch experiments was conducted using the following five mixture ratios of ESBC-DP:CM: 0:100; 25:75; 50:50; 75:25 and 100:0. Best results were obtained from mixture ratios with ESBC-DP proportions in the range of 25–50%. Mixture ratio of 50:50 showed a specific methane production (SMP) increase of 81.4% and 25.5%, respectively, in comparison with mono-digestion of ESBC-DP and CM. Evolution of the indirect parameter named acidogenic substrate as carbon (ASC) could be used to provide more insight about the process stability of anaerobic digestion. ASC accumulation was observed in reactors with higher ESBC-DP proportions leading to a delay in VFAs consumption and conversion into methane.