Biotechnology Industry
  Environmental Biotechnology
Electronic Journal of Biotechnology ISSN: 0717-3458 Vol. 10 No. 3, Issue of July 15, 2007
© 2007 by Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso -- Chile Received June 6, 2006 / Accepted March 5, 2007
DOI: 10.2225/vol10-issue3-fulltext-7
RESEARCH ARTICLE

Effect of temperature on the anaerobic digestion of palm oil mill effluent

Wanna Choorit*
Biotechnology Program
School of Agricultural Technology
Walailak University
Tasala, Nakhonsithammarat 80160 Thailand
Tel: 667 567 2355
Fax: 667 567 2302
E-mail: cwanna@wu.ac.th

Pornpan Wisarnwan
Biotechnology Program
School of Agricultural Technology
Walailak University
Tasala, Nakhonsithammarat 80160 Thailand
Tel: 667 567 2303
Fax: 667 567 2302
E-mail: rombiot@hotmail.com

*Corresponding author

Financial support: Walailak University and the Southern Palm (1978) Co., Ltd.

Keywords: hydraulic retention times, mesophilic reactor, methane, organic loading rate, temperature variations, thermophilic reactor, volatile fatty acids.

Abbreviations:

BOD: biochemical oxygen demand
COD: chemical oxygen demand
CSTRs: continuous stirred tank reactors
HRT: hydraulic retention time
OLRs: organic loading rates
POME: palm oil mill effluent
TKN: total Kjeldahl nitrogen
TS: total solid
TSS: total suspended solid
TVFA: total volatile fatty acid
UASFF: up-flow anaerobic sludge fixed film

Abstract
Full Text

Two continuous stirred tank reactors (CSTRs) each fed with palm oil mill effluent (POME), operated at 37șC and 55șC, respectively, were investigated for their performance under varies organic loading rates (OLRs). The 37șC reactor operated successfully at a maximum OLR of 12.25 g[COD]/L/day and a hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 7 days. The 55șC reactor operated successfully at the higher loading rate of 17.01 g[COD]/L/day and had a HRT of 5 days. The 37șC reactor achieved a 71.10% reduction of chemical oxygen demand (COD), a biogas production rate of 3.73 L of gas/L[reactor]/day containing 71.04% methane, whereas the 55șC reactor achieved a 70.32% reduction of COD, a biogas production rate of 4.66 L of gas/L[reactor]/day containing 69.53% methane. An OLR of 9.68 g[COD]/L/day, at a HRT of 7 days, was used to study the effects of changing the temperature by 3șC increments. The reactor processes were reasonably stable during the increase from 37șC to 43șC and the decrease from 55șC to 43șC. When the temperature was increased from 37șC to 46șC, the total volatile fatty acid (TVFA) concentration and biogas production was 2,059 mg as acetic acid/L and 1.49 L of gas/L[reactor]/day at day 56, respectively. When the temperature was reduced from 55șC to 40șC, the TVFA concentration and biogas production was 2,368 mg as acetic acid/L and 2.01 L of gas/L[reactor]/day at day 102, respectively. By first reducing the OLR to 4.20 g[COD]/L/day then slowly increasing the OLR back to 9.68 g[COD]/L/day, both reactors were restored to stable conditions at 49șC and 37șC respectively. The initial 37șC reactor became fully acclimatized at 55șC with an efficiency similar to that when operated at the initial 37șC whereas the 55șC reactor also achieved stability at 37șC but with a lower efficiency.

Supported by UNESCO / MIRCEN network