Abstract:
This thesis focused on biogas production from food waste using 2 stage anaerobic fixed film reactors with recirculation system. The first reactor contained food waste acted as the acid production stage and the leachate was circulate to the second reactor which acted as the methane production stage. The polyethylene bio-media was used as the supporting media in the second reactor. Leachate from fixed fh reactor was recirculated back to the acidtator with organic loading rate variation. The degradation of food waste, organic loading rate, methane production rate, COD reduction efficiency as well as stabilization of system were observed. Food waste from cafeteria of King Mongkut's University of Technology Thonburi was used in this study, biochemical methane potential was determined in order to compare extents and rate of their conversion to methane. As the methane yield of food waste was estimated to be as high as 0.345 m3Kg.c0~ with COD removal efficiency of 97 % within 65 day. During running the 2 stage reactors (working volume 200 liters) it was found that rapid degradation occurred and produced high concentration of total volatile acid (TVA) maximum of 19,340 mgil and total COD 120,000 mgil. Un-continuous feed at high concentration of TVA and COD was effect to methanogenic bacteria and suppressed the methane production. The ratio of TVNCOD of first reactor leachate was 0.11 and the second reactor was 0.20-0.39. In the application of continuous feed, the increasing of organic loading rate (OLR) and methane production rate could be operated higher than un-continuous feed. The ratio of TVNCOD of second reactor was increased to 0.68-0.98. Increasing of OLR from 0.55 to 0.75, 1, 1.5 and 2 Kg.~0D/rn3/day in the continuous feed, resulted is higher quantity of biogas production rate from 70-160 literslday to be 100-200 literslday with COD removal efficiency of 95-96 %. However the COD removal efficiency was decrease to 78 % at OLR of 2.0 K~.coD/~~/~~~. Although increasing of OLR lead to higher biogas production rate but shown no effect on methane yield. The highest of methane yield was 0.26 rn3/Kg.C0D at the OLR 1.0 K~.coD/~~/~~~. Composition of methane in biogas was 56-60 %, COD removal efficiency was 93 %. Average methane yield of this study was 0.24 m3/Kg.C0D, which was 70 % of biochemical methane potential of food waste. Average biogas production rate was 120 litres/day. The limit of biogas production from food waste using 2 stage anaerobic fixed film reactors with recirculation system is the converted step of volatile acid production to methane by methanogenic bacteria.