Efficient removal and recycling of nitrogen from organic waste as fertiliser (NIREC)
Work Package 1
Pre-treatment technologies of possible input materials in an anaerobic digestion plant
Objectives
To compare the bioavailability of substrates with several different pre-treatment approaches. By doing the best pre-treatment technology will be found, additionally the behaviour of the treated materials will be characterized. Thus disadvantageous behaviour like foaming, early hydrolysis etc. will be minimized.
Task 1.1: pre-treatment experiments in laboratory scale
The technical objective in task 1.1 is to find out the best pre treatment technology for various input materials in laboratory scale.
The technical work to be carried out is that chemical, physical and biological pre-treatment should be compared in laboratory, in order to investigate the behaviour of Nitrogen e.g. the transformation of organic nitrogen to NH4.
The work performed in the lab comprises: pressure/temperature trials (to consider 4 different combinations of pressure, temperature and time); chemical treatment adding alkali (2 different combination of dose and time), one thermo chemical treatment (1 treatment combination of alkali dose, pressure, temperature and time) and finally two physical treatments by ultrasonic disintegrator. Each of these experiments will be carried out for at last two different substrates. The evaluation of pre-treatment efficiency will be done by physic-chemical characterization and biodegradability tests. As a reference the physic-chemical characterization and biodegradability for the same substrate will be performed without pre-treatment. Special attention should be paid to the problem of foaming during the pre-treatment step.
This is the best way to find out the most suitable pre-treatment technology for a stable biogas plant operation and a high biogas yield.
Task 1.2: design, installation and experiments in half technical scale
The technical objective in task 1.2 is to scale up the best pre-treatment technology found in the laboratory.
The technical work to be carried out is to accompany the installation of a prototype at the plant of one SME running a biogas plant. The prototype will be run batch-wise with a working volume of at least 500 litres. The best pre-treatment technology found in the lab should be applied and verified. The main physic-chemical characteristics will be analyzed and thus a data set up is provided. This knowledge enables the participating SMEs working in the constructive field to design pre-treatment units in industrial scale.
NIREC PROJECT
List of particpants:
University of Renewable Resources and Applied Life Sciences, Dept. IFA-Tulln,Institute for Environmental Biotechnology IFA
Technische Universität Hamburg Harburg, Arbeitsbereich Abfallwirtschaft, TUHH
Societa Estiense Servizi Ambientale, SESA
Gestión Integral de Residuos Organicos,GIRO
Università Ca' Foscari Venezia Dipartimento di Scienze Ambientali, UNIVE
Scuola Agraria del Parco di Monza, Working Group on Composting and Integrated Waste Mangament, MONZA
Machowetz und Partner Consulting ZT GmbH, MUP
SC. Avicola Arad SRL, AVICOLA
Christiaens Group, CHRIS
Rudolf Großfurtner Ges.m.b.H. & Co, GROSS
The technical objectives of the project are to: develop a new sustainable technology for nutrient recovery and recycling from anaerobic digesters, which concurrently enhance the anaerobic digestion process. It also aims at the maximum valorisation of all residuals and to convert them into a marketable product, with standard quality specifications. It will develop, combine, scale up and test the different components and techniques of the processes to obtain a totally integrated solution. When the solid part of the anaerobic effluent is composted the liquid part is recycled and the valuable compounds are sold, this process targets for a zero emission solution.
The technical program contains 8 Work Packages (WP), each addressing the main technological aspect. It starts with the pre-treatment of the substrate devoted for anaerobic digestion; another major activity is the development of a technical solution allowing stripping the ammonium directly in front or out of the anaerobic digester and it deals with the emerging odour emission from a waste treatment plant. It includes, a legal/economic WP dedicated to strengthen the acceptability of the developed process, and to fortify the potential end-users´ position.
The proposed work will be fulfilled in a framework of advanced management. Laboratory work will be carried out to develop new technical solutions. The results will be used to design a pilot unit integrating all aspects investigated. After construction and start-up, a comprehensive evaluation with the pilot unit will be performed at a SME. The project has an important process dissemination and exploitation component including a strategy for market introduction assured by legal and economic assessment and evaluation of the results. The cooperation between 4 SME and 1 end-user is beneficial for all SME partners involved. Moreover 5 RDT performers contribute, all working on a European level.
