The Effect of Ammonia Toxicity on Methane Production of a Full-Scale Biogas Plant—An Estimation Method
Ammonia accumulation in biogas plants reactors is becoming more frequently encountered, resulting in reduced methane (CH<sub>4</sub>) production. Ammonia toxicity occurs when N-rich substrates represent a significant part of the biogas plant’s feedstock. The aim of this study was to deve...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2021-08-01
|
| Series: | Energies |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/14/16/5031 |
| _version_ | 1797523947350130688 |
|---|---|
| author | Sotirios D. Kalamaras Georgios Vitoulis Maria Lida Christou Themistoklis Sfetsas Spiridon Tziakas Vassilios Fragos Petros Samaras Thomas A. Kotsopoulos |
| author_facet | Sotirios D. Kalamaras Georgios Vitoulis Maria Lida Christou Themistoklis Sfetsas Spiridon Tziakas Vassilios Fragos Petros Samaras Thomas A. Kotsopoulos |
| author_sort | Sotirios D. Kalamaras |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Ammonia accumulation in biogas plants reactors is becoming more frequently encountered, resulting in reduced methane (CH<sub>4</sub>) production. Ammonia toxicity occurs when N-rich substrates represent a significant part of the biogas plant’s feedstock. The aim of this study was to develop an estimation method for the effect of ammonia toxicity on the CH<sub>4</sub> production of biogas plants. Two periods where a biogas plant operated at 3200 mg·L<sup>−1</sup> (1st period) and 4400 mg·L<sup>−1</sup> (2nd period) of ammonium nitrogen (NH<sub>4</sub><sup>+</sup>–N) were examined. Biomethane potentials (BMPs) of the individual substrates collected during these periods and of the mixture of substrates with the weight ratio used by the biogas plant under different ammonia levels (2000–5200 mg·L<sup>−1</sup> NH<sub>4</sub><sup>+</sup>–N) were determined. CH<sub>4</sub> production calculated from the substrates’ BMPs and the quantities used of each substrate by the biogas plant was compared with actual CH<sub>4</sub> production on-site. Biogas plant’s CH<sub>4</sub> production was 9.9% lower in the 1st and 20.3% in the 2nd period in comparison with the BMP calculated CH<sub>4</sub> production, of which 3% and 14% was due to ammonia toxicity, respectively. BMPs of the mixtures showed that the actual CH<sub>4</sub> reduction rate of the biogas plant could be approximately estimated by the ammonia concentrations levels. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T08:50:22Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-181272c270e8408d83bb79ec0748cd14 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1996-1073 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T08:50:22Z |
| publishDate | 2021-08-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Energies |
| spelling | doaj.art-181272c270e8408d83bb79ec0748cd142023-11-22T07:30:57ZengMDPI AGEnergies1996-10732021-08-011416503110.3390/en14165031The Effect of Ammonia Toxicity on Methane Production of a Full-Scale Biogas Plant—An Estimation MethodSotirios D. Kalamaras0Georgios Vitoulis1Maria Lida Christou2Themistoklis Sfetsas3Spiridon Tziakas4Vassilios Fragos5Petros Samaras6Thomas A. Kotsopoulos7Laboratory of Agricultural Structures & Equipment, Department of Hydraulics, Soil Science and Agricultural Engineering, School of Agriculture, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, GR-54124 Thessaloniki, GreeceLaboratory of Agricultural Structures & Equipment, Department of Hydraulics, Soil Science and Agricultural Engineering, School of Agriculture, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, GR-54124 Thessaloniki, GreeceLaboratory of Agricultural Structures & Equipment, Department of Hydraulics, Soil Science and Agricultural Engineering, School of Agriculture, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, GR-54124 Thessaloniki, GreeceResearch, Analytical & Quality Control Laboratory, QLAB Private Company, GR-57008 Thessaloniki, GreeceBiogas Lagada S.A. Biogas Plant, Organic Waste Treatment & Electricity Generation, Plot 677 Kolchikou, GR-57200 Kolchiko Lagada, GreeceLaboratory of Agricultural Structures & Equipment, Department of Hydraulics, Soil Science and Agricultural Engineering, School of Agriculture, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, GR-54124 Thessaloniki, GreeceDepartment of Food Science and Technology, School of Geotechnical Sciences, International Hellenic University, GR-57400 Thessaloniki, GreeceLaboratory of Agricultural Structures & Equipment, Department of Hydraulics, Soil Science and Agricultural Engineering, School of Agriculture, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, GR-54124 Thessaloniki, GreeceAmmonia accumulation in biogas plants reactors is becoming more frequently encountered, resulting in reduced methane (CH<sub>4</sub>) production. Ammonia toxicity occurs when N-rich substrates represent a significant part of the biogas plant’s feedstock. The aim of this study was to develop an estimation method for the effect of ammonia toxicity on the CH<sub>4</sub> production of biogas plants. Two periods where a biogas plant operated at 3200 mg·L<sup>−1</sup> (1st period) and 4400 mg·L<sup>−1</sup> (2nd period) of ammonium nitrogen (NH<sub>4</sub><sup>+</sup>–N) were examined. Biomethane potentials (BMPs) of the individual substrates collected during these periods and of the mixture of substrates with the weight ratio used by the biogas plant under different ammonia levels (2000–5200 mg·L<sup>−1</sup> NH<sub>4</sub><sup>+</sup>–N) were determined. CH<sub>4</sub> production calculated from the substrates’ BMPs and the quantities used of each substrate by the biogas plant was compared with actual CH<sub>4</sub> production on-site. Biogas plant’s CH<sub>4</sub> production was 9.9% lower in the 1st and 20.3% in the 2nd period in comparison with the BMP calculated CH<sub>4</sub> production, of which 3% and 14% was due to ammonia toxicity, respectively. BMPs of the mixtures showed that the actual CH<sub>4</sub> reduction rate of the biogas plant could be approximately estimated by the ammonia concentrations levels.https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/14/16/5031BMP testmethane productionammonia toxicity |
| spellingShingle | Sotirios D. Kalamaras Georgios Vitoulis Maria Lida Christou Themistoklis Sfetsas Spiridon Tziakas Vassilios Fragos Petros Samaras Thomas A. Kotsopoulos The Effect of Ammonia Toxicity on Methane Production of a Full-Scale Biogas Plant—An Estimation Method Energies BMP test methane production ammonia toxicity |
| title | The Effect of Ammonia Toxicity on Methane Production of a Full-Scale Biogas Plant—An Estimation Method |
| title_full | The Effect of Ammonia Toxicity on Methane Production of a Full-Scale Biogas Plant—An Estimation Method |
| title_fullStr | The Effect of Ammonia Toxicity on Methane Production of a Full-Scale Biogas Plant—An Estimation Method |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Effect of Ammonia Toxicity on Methane Production of a Full-Scale Biogas Plant—An Estimation Method |
| title_short | The Effect of Ammonia Toxicity on Methane Production of a Full-Scale Biogas Plant—An Estimation Method |
| title_sort | effect of ammonia toxicity on methane production of a full scale biogas plant an estimation method |
| topic | BMP test methane production ammonia toxicity |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/14/16/5031 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT sotiriosdkalamaras theeffectofammoniatoxicityonmethaneproductionofafullscalebiogasplantanestimationmethod AT georgiosvitoulis theeffectofammoniatoxicityonmethaneproductionofafullscalebiogasplantanestimationmethod AT marialidachristou theeffectofammoniatoxicityonmethaneproductionofafullscalebiogasplantanestimationmethod AT themistoklissfetsas theeffectofammoniatoxicityonmethaneproductionofafullscalebiogasplantanestimationmethod AT spiridontziakas theeffectofammoniatoxicityonmethaneproductionofafullscalebiogasplantanestimationmethod AT vassiliosfragos theeffectofammoniatoxicityonmethaneproductionofafullscalebiogasplantanestimationmethod AT petrossamaras theeffectofammoniatoxicityonmethaneproductionofafullscalebiogasplantanestimationmethod AT thomasakotsopoulos theeffectofammoniatoxicityonmethaneproductionofafullscalebiogasplantanestimationmethod AT sotiriosdkalamaras effectofammoniatoxicityonmethaneproductionofafullscalebiogasplantanestimationmethod AT georgiosvitoulis effectofammoniatoxicityonmethaneproductionofafullscalebiogasplantanestimationmethod AT marialidachristou effectofammoniatoxicityonmethaneproductionofafullscalebiogasplantanestimationmethod AT themistoklissfetsas effectofammoniatoxicityonmethaneproductionofafullscalebiogasplantanestimationmethod AT spiridontziakas effectofammoniatoxicityonmethaneproductionofafullscalebiogasplantanestimationmethod AT vassiliosfragos effectofammoniatoxicityonmethaneproductionofafullscalebiogasplantanestimationmethod AT petrossamaras effectofammoniatoxicityonmethaneproductionofafullscalebiogasplantanestimationmethod AT thomasakotsopoulos effectofammoniatoxicityonmethaneproductionofafullscalebiogasplantanestimationmethod |