Simulação do desempenho de diferentes sistemas de reatores para processos anaeróbicos de produção de biogás

Abstract

Currently, the inadequate management and treatment of swine manure brings with it serious environmental problems. In order to solve the environmental aggravating factors, there is a wide range of treatments, such as anaerobic digestion. Anaerobic digesters through microorganisms, convert organic matter into carbon dioxide and methane, in the form of biogas. For better optimization of anaerobic reactors, mathematical studies have been performed. The present work constitutes in the characterization and modeling of anaerobic reactors using swine manure from the kinetic study elaborated by Chen (1983) and Chen and Hashimoto (1978), who used the model of Contois (1959) for the specific rate of cell growth and after that, they determined the kinetic parameters. A Continuos stirred tank reactor (CSTR), a non-ideal reactor identified as a system of two reactors in series with variable volumes was studied and also the reactors with and without recycle of cell biomass were studied. The performance of anaerobic reactors was compared based on substrate conversion and gas production determination for different residence times employed. Also, the efficiency of a simple CSTR reactor system with biomass recycle was discussed, it is very important due to the fact that the microorganisms are still active at the exit of the system, they can be reused and, therefore, they cause increased reactor performance.