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Two commonly used methods for managing organic waste are anaerobic digestion and composting. Both effectively divert organic waste from landfills, reducing methane emissions and alleviating pressure on waste management infrastructure. They are environmentally friendly options suitable for both small-scale and community-based applications. While both techniques have the common goal of converting organic matter into useful products, they differ in their processes and applications. In this blog post, we will explore the differences between anaerobic digestion and composting and discuss the circumstances in which each method is most suitable.
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While both anaerobic digestion and composting share a purpose of minimizing the environmental impact of organic waste and maximizing the value from the materials, they do so in distinct ways that complement one another. Composting requires space and time for the natural decomposition of highly fibrous materials leading to effectiveness in smaller-scale applications. In contrast, the quick operational readiness and compact design of anaerobic digesters make them suitable to process a wide range of organic waste into biogas and biofertilizer in medium-to-large scale contexts. When deciding between these methods or using them together, consider factors like waste type and volume, available resources, and the desired end products. Learn more about how anaerobic digestion complements composting.
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Anaerobic digestion is a biological process that decomposes organic materials in the absence of oxygen. This technique utilizes microorganisms to break down organic matter into biogas, a mixture of methane and carbon dioxide, as well as a nutrient-rich byproduct known as digestate. Anaerobic digestion typically takes place in sealed containers called digesters, where controlled conditions optimize the decomposition process.
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1. Biogas Production: The primary advantage of anaerobic digestion is the generation of biogas, a renewable energy source that can be used for heating, electricity generation, or even as a vehicle fuel. Biogas production helps reduce dependence on fossil fuels and mitigates greenhouse gas emissions.
2. Waste Management of Varied Organic Waste Feedstocks: Anaerobic digestion can effectively process a wide range of organic waste, including food waste, agricultural residues, and sewage sludge, that can typically be challenging to deal with because of odor and other concerns. Because anaerobic digestion occurs in a sealed environment, odors are easier to control and the potential for undesirable runoff is eliminated.
3. Digestate as Fertilizer: The digestate produced as a byproduct of anaerobic digestion is rich in nutrients, making it an excellent biofertilizer. It can be used to enhance soil fertility, improve crop yields, and close nutrient loops in agriculture. These nutrient loops ensure that all of the valuable nutrients within agriculture are continually utilized as shown below.
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Anaerobic digestion is ideal when:
1. Energy Generation is a Priority: If the primary goal is to produce renewable energy, anaerobic digestion is a suitable choice. It is particularly beneficial for facilities with a consistent supply of organic waste, such as large-scale farms, universities, food processors, waste haulers and more.
2. Managing Organic Waste of 25 - tons/year: Anaerobic digestion is well-suited for managing medium-large volumes of organic waste generated by companies and municipalities. It provides an efficient way to reduce waste, capture energy, and minimize environmental impact.
3. Space is constrained: Smaller-scale solutions like Chomp&#;s are built for communities of 500-100K people in urban or rural settings since they are compact and able to be delivered and operational within six months.
4. Odor and other nuisances are a priority to control: Because Chomp&#;s solutions are designed to be self-contained and operated entirely on-site, odor can be more easily controlled. In addition, noise, traffic, and pollution are eliminated.
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Composting is a natural process that decomposes organic materials in the presence of oxygen. It relies on the activity of aerobic microorganisms, such as bacteria, fungi, and insects, to break down organic matter. Composting can occur in various settings, including backyard compost piles, large-scale composting facilities, or controlled composting systems.
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1. Soil Improvement: Compost acts as a valuable soil conditioner, enriching soil structure, enhancing moisture retention, and promoting the growth of beneficial microorganisms. It provides essential nutrients to plants, reduces the need for synthetic fertilizers, and improves overall soil health.
2. Green waste management: Composting is especially well suited for high carbon feedstocks typically found in curbside yard waste collection and drop-off programs. These feedstocks benefit from a longer composting residence time.
3. Versatile Applications: Finished compost has diverse applications, including landscaping, horticulture, urban farming, and agriculture. It can be used in gardens, parks, farms, and even as a component in growing media for nurseries and greenhouses.
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Composting is a preferable choice when:
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1.Managing Organic Waste at a Small Scale: For individual households, community gardens, or small-scale agricultural operations, composting is an ideal solution.
2. Soil Enrichment and Regeneration is a priority: If the main objective is to enhance soil quality, improve plant growth, and support sustainable agriculture, composting is an excellent choice. It helps restore depleted soils, mitigate erosion, and promote biodiversity.
3. Space is not a constraint: To reach full composting maturity, space and time are required. When these resources are readily available, composting may be a good option.
4. Your organic waste is highly fibrous. If you have more green waste, such as leaves, landscaping waste, weeds, etc., it is well-suited for decomposing these materials.
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In the realm of organic waste management, both anaerobic digestion and composting offer valuable solutions for minimizing environmental impact and maximizing resource utilization. Anaerobic digestion excels in medium-to-large scale applications where energy generation is a priority, while composting shines in smaller-scale contexts, focusing on soil improvement and organic waste diversion. The choice between the two methods or to use multiple solutions simultaneously ultimately depends on factors such as waste volume, available resources, and the desired end products. By adopting these techniques appropriately, we can move closer to a more sustainable future while minimizing waste and maximizing the value of organic materials.
Under the right conditions, liquid manure will break down into biogas and a low-odor effluent. Biogas can be burned to produce heat, electricity, or both the anaerobically-digested manure, can be stored and applied to fields with significantly less odor than stored, untreated liquid manure. Anaerobic digestion does not reduce the volume or nutrient value of manure. If dilution water is added to the system, the volume of material to handle is increased.
The following test can help you determine if anaerobic digestion is a viable option for your farm. If most of the following statements describe your farm, anaerobic digestion may be compatible with your operation.
Anaerobic digestion, or the decomposition of organic matter by bacteria in the absence of oxygen, occurs naturally in liquid manure systems. The lack of oxygen and abundance of organic matter in liquid manure provide the proper conditions for anaerobic bacteria to survive. Unfortunately, uncontrolled anaerobic decomposition can cause the foul odors sometimes associated with liquid manure storage and spreading. However, controlled anaerobic decomposition not only can reduce the odors in liquid manure systems, but also can turn odorous compounds and organic matter into energy. The effluent remaining after controlled anaerobic decomposition, equal in volume to the influent material, is liquefied, low in odor, and rich in nutrients. This digested material is biologically stable and will resist further breakdown and odor production when stored under normal conditions.
Anaerobic bacteria transform manure and other organic material into biogas and a liquefied effluent during the three stages of biogas production (Figure 1). In the liquefaction stage, liquefying bacteria convert insoluble, fibrous materials such as carbohydrates, fats and proteins into soluble substances. However, some fibrous material cannot be liquefied and can accumulate in the digester or can pass through the digester intact. Water and other inorganic material also can accumulate in the digester or pass through the digester unchanged. Undigested materials make up the low-odor, liquefied effluent. Most of the liquified, soluble compounds are converted to biogas by the acid- and methane-forming bacteria during steps 2 and 3 of biogas production. In the second stage of anaerobic digestion, acid-forming bacteria convert the soluble organic matter into volatile acids--the organic acids that can cause odor production from stored liquid manure. Finally, methane- forming bacteria convert those volatile acids into biogas--a gas composed of about 60 percent methane, 40 percent carbon dioxide, and trace amounts of water vapor, hydrogen sulfide, and ammonia. Not all volatile acids and soluble organic compounds are converted to biogas; some become part of the effluent.
Methane-forming bacteria are more sensitive to their environment than acid-forming bacteria. Acid-forming bacteria can survive under a wide range of conditions while methane-forming bacteria are more demanding (Figure 2). Under the conditions typical of liquid manure storages, more acid-forming bacteria can survive than methane- forming bacteria. Therefore, acids are formed and are not converted to biogas. This excess of volatile acids can result in a putrid odor. In a controlled, optimum environment, methane-forming bacteria survive and convert most of the odor-producing volatile acids into biogas. Conditions that encourage activity of both acid- and methane-forming bacteria include:
For consistent operation of an anaerobic digester, the manure that "feeds" the bacteria should be:
Figure 2. Conditions for survival of acid- and methane- forming bacteria.
Anaerobic digestion is simply a continuation of the animal's digestive system--a process to turn manure into energy and effluent, just like an animal turns feed into energy and manure.
An anaerobic digestion system (Figure 3) can provide an optimal environment for controlled anaerobic digestion. A typical system consists of liquid manure handling equipment, a heated anaerobic digester, gas utilization equipment, safety equipment, and effluent storage and handling systems. The anaerobic digestion system is an addition to the manure handling scheme--a step for manure processing between the barn and the storage facility. It does not replace any part of a typical manure handling system.
Figure 3. Schematic diagram of a typical anaerobic digestion system. (Adapted with permission from Anaerobic Digesters for Dairy Farms published by Cornell Cooperative Extension.
A liquid manure handling system (such as the system used to transport liquid manure from a barn to a storage facility) transports manure from the animal housing facility to the anaerobic digester, and from the digester to the storage facility or spreader. When possible, the use of gravity flow is encouraged to reduce the energy consumption and complexity of the handling system. A bypass line routes manure around the digester when the manure is unsuitable for digestion or the digester is not operating.
An anaerobic digester is a sealed, heated tank which provides a suitable environment for naturally-occurring anaerobic bacteria to grow, multiply, and convert manure to biogas and a low-odor effluent. Typical digesters have been insulated, squat, silo-like structures or in-ground rectangular or round concrete tanks. Rigid or flexible covers have been used. They are designed to hold about 20 days of manure and a small supply of biogas. Manure, added daily to the digester, remains inside for about 20 days, the retention time, before flowing to the storage facility or spreader. Because there is no volume reduction with anaerobic digestion, the same amount of material added daily to the digester is also removed daily. While manure is flowing through the digester, the bacteria convert organic matter to biogas and effluent.
During the retention time, lightweight material such as bedding or animal hair can float to the top of the digester, forming a crusty scum, and heavy or insoluble material such as dirt can settle to the bottom. Settling reduces the effective volume of the digester and can cause incomplete digestion and odor problems, while crusting can keep gas from escaping the surface of the digesting manure. To control settling and scum formations, material in the digester can be agitated by a slurry pump, a mechanical stirrer, or strategic placement of the heating pipes. Slurry pumps are an effective way to keep material in the digester well-mixed. Mechanical mixing adds complexity to the system, but can aid thermal uniformity, reduce settling, and break up crust formation. Mechanical mixing may be necessary for certain manure handling systems such as flush systems where solid and liquid portions may separate easily into distinct layers within the digester. Strategic placement of the heating pipes will encourage thermal circulation and reduce settling problems.
The heating system is a critical part of the anaerobic digester. Heating pipes in which hot water circulates must be able to heat all material entering the digester to 95°F and to resist corrosion from manure. Adding manure to the digester as soon as possible after it is excreted from the animal will help minimize heating requirements.
To get an idea of the size of an anaerobic digester, consider one designed for 200 milking cows with a 20 day retention time:
Assuming each high-producing milking cow produces 2.2 ft3 manure per day, the daily volume of manure from these milking cows would be:
200 cows x 2.2 ft3 manure/day/cow = 440 ft3 manure/day
If dilution water is needed for manure flowability or added from the milking center at a rate of 3 gallons per cow per day, the additional volume added daily would be:
200 cows x 3 gallons water/cow/day ÷ 7.5 gallons water/ft3 water = 80 ft3 water/day
The total material added daily to the digester, therefore, would equal:
440 ft3 manure/day + 80 ft3 water/day = 520 ft3 material/day
To hold 20 days worth of manure and water, the digester volume would need to be:
520 ft3/day x 20 days = 10, 400 ft3
A digester with a rigid cover, a 3 ft head space for gas collection, and a material volume (no bedding included) of 10,400 ft3, would be approximately 15 ft deep and 33 ft in diameter.
Biogas is collected in the head space of the anaerobic digester (or under the flexible cover) and has about 60 percent of the energy density of natural gas (methane)--about 600 BTU/ft3. With minor equipment modifications, biogas can be used in the same applications as LP gas, propane, or natural gas.
Biogas is best suited for stationary continuous operation because of its low energy density, the corrosive nature of some of the impurities and the constant production rate. Biogas utilization equipment typically consists of either an engine-generator set with electric utility hook-up, an engine operating hydraulic or air pumps, or a gas boiler. Utilization equipment should be housed in a separate equipment shed apart from the digester to prevent corrosion.
Operating biogas-powered equipment continuously keeps the equipment temperature high enough to prevent condensation and sulfuric acid formation. Sulfuric acid is highly corrosive and can ruin expensive engines or boilers. Because biogas is a gas and not a liquid fuel, it is not practical for fueling vehicles. It would take 240 ft3 of biogas to produce the same energy as one gallon of fuel oil. Biogas cannot feasibly be compressed to a liquid fuel due to its low energy density.
For electricity production, biogas is piped to an internal combustion engine. The engine drives a generator to produce electricity that can be used on the farm or sold. To maintain continuous operation, the engine throttle is adjusted to balance biogas use with production. Waste heat from the engine is used to heat the digester and for other farm heating needs. Most systems produce about 2 kilowatt-hours per day per 1,400 pound cow. Many utility companies in Pennsylvania pay only about 2¢ per kilowatt-hour for farm-produced electricity, much less than the consumer price for a kilowatt-hour. Therefore, maximizing the replacement of purchased energy with farm-produced energy will improve the economics of on- farm electricity generation.
Because biogas is a potentially dangerous gas, safety devices such as gas detectors, flame traps, physical barriers, and warning signs (Figure 4) control and minimize the hazards of biogas and manure storage. See the next section and other resources for more detailed information about required safety devices.
Figure 4. Example of a warning sign placed outside an anaerobic digester.
Anaerobic digesters are confined spaces which pose a potential immediate threat to human life. They are designed to seal out oxygen, making death by asphyxiation possible within seconds of entry. Toxic gases such as hydrogen sulfide and ammonia accumulate inside a digester. Never enter an empty digester without extensive venting with mechanical fans, checking for toxic gases with gas detection equipment, and following safe entry procedures. Natural ventilation is not enough to remove toxic gases from the digester or to provide sufficient breathable air. Dense hydrogen sulfide gas will sink to the bottom of the tank, lighter ammonia will linger in the top of the tank, and neither gas will escape without mechanical ventilation. Moreover, methane is explosive when mixed with air in concentrations of 5 to 15 percent. A leak in a gas line will create a fire hazard.
Anaerobic digesters are at least as dangerous, if not more so, than manure pits. For more information about safety concerns associated with anaerobic digesters, call the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health at 1-800-35-NIOSH. See Penn State Extension Fact Sheet, Manure Storage Hazards, for an outline of safety procedures for entering manure pits.
With minor equipment modifications, biogas can be used as a substitute for natural gas. Running a gas-fired boiler is an inexpensive and efficient method to use biogas. The obstacle will be finding uses for the heat, especially in the summer. Absorption (heat-activated) cooling systems are a promising technology for using excess heat, but currently have a high initial cost.
Another option is to remove carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulfide from the biogas and sell it as natural gas. Scrubbing the gas, finding a market, providing the buyer with a dependable supply of gas, and maintaining the distribution equipment require money, time, maintenance, and management. Additionally, natural gas will sell for a much lower price than electricity. Although other options are available for biogas utilization, electricity is the most versatile and valuable energy product from biogas.
If expansion of an animal production operation or a new facility is planned but an anaerobic digestion system is not included in the layout, leaving adequate space and installing a compatible manure handling system could add to the flexibility for the future. There may be a time when investing in a digester is just the right step for a farm.
Separating solids prior to anaerobic digestion and digesting only the organic matter in the liquid portion of the manure may produce a higher quality biogas (70 percent methane has been observed) and typically will reduce crusting and settling problems. The solids can be field-applied, sold, or composted and used for animal bedding. Separation and marketing of solids can generate farm income. Replacing bedding with composted solids could be a money-saver if a substantial amount of bedding currently is purchased and a solids separator is owned. However, if a solids separator needs to be purchased, the savings in bedding costs may not cover the cost of solids separation.
In the future, a "fixed film" digester may be available. In this type of system, a digester is filled with a medium such as rocks or plastic mesh. The medium acts as a resting and growing place for the bacteria. Many bacteria, instead of being flushed out with the effluent, remain attached to the medium inside the digester. By retaining the bacteria within the fixed film digester, bacteria can consume more organic matter than in standard digesters. Therefore, in a short period, a smaller, fixed film digester can treat the same amount of organic matter and produce the same quantity of biogas as a larger, standard, digester. The retention time in a fixed film digester potentially can be reduced from twenty to between one and three days, significantly reducing digester volume and cost. In a fixed film digester, solids need to be separated and removed from the loading slurry prior to digestion. Fixed film digesters are only in the research phase, however, and a full-scale farm digester has yet to be tested.
More detailed information on anaerobic digestion is available. Copies of "On-Farm Biogas Production-- NRAES-20" are available for $6 and "Anaerobic Digesters for Dairy Farms--Extension Bulletin 458" for $5.35 from the Northeast Regional Agricultural Engineering Service, 154 Riley-Robb Hall, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY , (607) 255-. Information about AgSTAR, a federal program to promote the use of anaerobic digesters, can be requested by calling 1-800-95-AgSTAR.
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