The Hard Reality of Biogas Production through the Anaerobic Digestion of Algae Grown in Dairy Farm Effluents
Much emphasis has been given to algal biomass growth in dairy farm wastewater. Most of the systems examined require productive land to be converted and/or freshwater use to dilute high concentrations of nutrients found in dairy effluent. A rotating algal biofilm (RABR) provides the capacity to grow...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2024-02-01
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| Series: | Fermentation |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2311-5637/10/3/137 |
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| author | Marianne Hull-Cantillo Mark Lay Graeme Glasgow Peter Kovalsky |
| author_facet | Marianne Hull-Cantillo Mark Lay Graeme Glasgow Peter Kovalsky |
| author_sort | Marianne Hull-Cantillo |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Much emphasis has been given to algal biomass growth in dairy farm wastewater. Most of the systems examined require productive land to be converted and/or freshwater use to dilute high concentrations of nutrients found in dairy effluent. A rotating algal biofilm (RABR) provides the capacity to grow algae without sacrificing productive land or freshwater. In theory, this system would overcome some of the economic and environmental challenges that other systems have. A combination of theoretical information, nutrient uptake formulas, and economic formulas were used to calculate the potential of biogas production from algae grown in an RABR with dairy effluents. The average nutrient uptake was 0.8 mgN/m<sup>2</sup> per day and 0.1 mgP/m<sup>2</sup> per day. The maximum methane production from the anaerobic digestion of algae was 112 m<sup>3</sup>/RABR·year. The minimum and maximum economic scenarios resulted in gross profits of NZD −2101 and −1922. After evaluating this system for the first time in the New Zealand dairy farming context, it was found that biogas production from an RABR is not a feasible option for New Zealand dairy farmers. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-24T18:17:52Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-41bb999543cb49f5be046c256186391b |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2311-5637 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-24T18:17:52Z |
| publishDate | 2024-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Fermentation |
| spelling | doaj.art-41bb999543cb49f5be046c256186391b2024-03-27T13:37:56ZengMDPI AGFermentation2311-56372024-02-0110313710.3390/fermentation10030137The Hard Reality of Biogas Production through the Anaerobic Digestion of Algae Grown in Dairy Farm EffluentsMarianne Hull-Cantillo0Mark Lay1Graeme Glasgow2Peter Kovalsky3School of Engineering, University of Waikato, Private Bag 3105, Hamilton 3240, New ZealandSchool of Engineering, University of Waikato, Private Bag 3105, Hamilton 3240, New ZealandSchool of Engineering, University of Waikato, Private Bag 3105, Hamilton 3240, New ZealandSchool of Engineering, University of Waikato, Private Bag 3105, Hamilton 3240, New ZealandMuch emphasis has been given to algal biomass growth in dairy farm wastewater. Most of the systems examined require productive land to be converted and/or freshwater use to dilute high concentrations of nutrients found in dairy effluent. A rotating algal biofilm (RABR) provides the capacity to grow algae without sacrificing productive land or freshwater. In theory, this system would overcome some of the economic and environmental challenges that other systems have. A combination of theoretical information, nutrient uptake formulas, and economic formulas were used to calculate the potential of biogas production from algae grown in an RABR with dairy effluents. The average nutrient uptake was 0.8 mgN/m<sup>2</sup> per day and 0.1 mgP/m<sup>2</sup> per day. The maximum methane production from the anaerobic digestion of algae was 112 m<sup>3</sup>/RABR·year. The minimum and maximum economic scenarios resulted in gross profits of NZD −2101 and −1922. After evaluating this system for the first time in the New Zealand dairy farming context, it was found that biogas production from an RABR is not a feasible option for New Zealand dairy farmers.https://www.mdpi.com/2311-5637/10/3/137anaerobic digestiondairyeffluentbiogasNew Zealandrotating algal biofilm reactor |
| spellingShingle | Marianne Hull-Cantillo Mark Lay Graeme Glasgow Peter Kovalsky The Hard Reality of Biogas Production through the Anaerobic Digestion of Algae Grown in Dairy Farm Effluents Fermentation anaerobic digestion dairy effluent biogas New Zealand rotating algal biofilm reactor |
| title | The Hard Reality of Biogas Production through the Anaerobic Digestion of Algae Grown in Dairy Farm Effluents |
| title_full | The Hard Reality of Biogas Production through the Anaerobic Digestion of Algae Grown in Dairy Farm Effluents |
| title_fullStr | The Hard Reality of Biogas Production through the Anaerobic Digestion of Algae Grown in Dairy Farm Effluents |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Hard Reality of Biogas Production through the Anaerobic Digestion of Algae Grown in Dairy Farm Effluents |
| title_short | The Hard Reality of Biogas Production through the Anaerobic Digestion of Algae Grown in Dairy Farm Effluents |
| title_sort | hard reality of biogas production through the anaerobic digestion of algae grown in dairy farm effluents |
| topic | anaerobic digestion dairy effluent biogas New Zealand rotating algal biofilm reactor |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2311-5637/10/3/137 |
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