Methane production from food waste using a feedback control strategy in a sequencing batch reactor

The performance of a feedback control strategy in the operation of a sequencing batch reactor was evaluated. This strategy uses the online biogas flow measurements to define the duration of the reaction phase of each operating cycle, thereby increasing the energy production of the system and maximizing the methane production rate. The reaction phase is ended when the biogas flow rate reaches a sustained value significantly lower value than the maximum flow rate achieved, as a consequence of the depletion of the soluble chemical oxygen demand. The implementation of the depletion-time control was successful and reached a maximum methane production rate of 1.22 L CH4/d, showing an average productivity of 0.73 ± 0.3 L CH4/d. The reaction phase varied from 1.2 to 6 days with hydraulic retention times from 6 to 30 days. The use of this feedback control strategy increased the methane production and the energy production in 80% of the evaluated cycles (from 10.4 to 43.8%) compared to the operation of conventional AD without a control strategy. Furthermore, the strategy is easy to implement since it does not require complex calculations and uses a readily available biogas flow rate sensor. HIGHLIGHTS A control strategy to optimize methane production rate from organic solid waste was proposed.; The availability of the soluble substrate was an indicator to define the reaction time.; The implementation of the depletion-time control maximized the energy production rate.