Mesophilic methane fermentation of chicken manure at a wide range of ammonia concentration: Stability, inhibition and recovery

• High solid methane fermentation of chicken manure was investigated.
• Ammonia inhibition was the main problem for stable operation.
• The ammonia inhibitive sensitivities for different reactions were evaluated.
• Methanogenesis, acidogenesis and hydrolysis were simulated by models.
• The seriously inhibited reactor was successfully recovered by dilution.

A 12 L mesophilic CSTR of chicken manure fermentation was operated for 400 days to evaluate process stability, inhibition occurrence and the recovery behavior suffering TAN concentrations from 2000 mg/L to 16,000 mg/L. A biogas production of 0.35–0.4 L/gVSin and a COD conversion of 68% were achieved when TAN concentration was lower than 5000 mg/L. Ammonia inhibition occurred due to the addition of NH4HCO3 to the substrate. The biogas and COD conversion decreased to 0.3 L/gVSin and 20% at TAN 10,000 mg/L and was totally suppressed at TAN 16,000 mg/L. Carbohydrate and protein conversion decreased by 33% and 77% after inhibition. After extreme inhibition, the reactor was diluted and washed, reducing TAN and FA to 4000 mg/L and 300 mg/L respectively, and the recovered biogas production was 0.5 L/gVSin. The extended Monod model manifested the different sensitivities of hydrolysis, acidogenesis and methanogenesis to inhibition. VFA accumulation accompanied an increase in ammonia and exerted a toxic on microorganism.

Figure optionsDownload as PowerPoint slide