The Effect of Ammonia Toxicity on Methane Production of a Full-Scale Biogas Plant—An Estimation Method

Laboratory of Agricultural Structures & Equipment, Department of Hydraulics, Soil Science and Agricultural Engineering, School of Agriculture, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, GR-54124 Thessaloniki, Greece

Research, Analytical & Quality Control Laboratory, QLAB Private Company, GR-57008 Thessaloniki, Greece

Biogas Lagada S.A. Biogas Plant, Organic Waste Treatment & Electricity Generation, Plot 677 Kolchikou, GR-57200 Kolchiko Lagada, Greece

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Department of Food Science and Technology, School of Geotechnical Sciences, International Hellenic University, GR-57400 Thessaloniki, Greece

Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.

Academic Editor: Attilio Converti

Energies 2021, 14(16), 5031; https://doi.org/10.3390/en14165031

Received: 12 July 2021 / Revised: 5 August 2021 / Accepted: 11 August 2021 / Published: 16 August 2021

(This article belongs to the Topic Anaerobic Digestion Processes)

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Abstract

Ammonia accumulation in biogas plants reactors is becoming more frequently encountered, resulting in reduced methane (CH₄) production. Ammonia toxicity occurs when N-rich substrates represent a significant part of the biogas plant’s feedstock. The aim of this study was to develop an estimation method for the effect of ammonia toxicity on the CH₄ production of biogas plants. Two periods where a biogas plant operated at 3200 mg·L⁻¹ (1st period) and 4400 mg·L⁻¹ (2nd period) of ammonium nitrogen (NH₄⁺–N) were examined. Biomethane potentials (BMPs) of the individual substrates collected during these periods and of the mixture of substrates with the weight ratio used by the biogas plant under different ammonia levels (2000–5200 mg·L⁻¹ NH₄⁺–N) were determined. CH₄ production calculated from the substrates’ BMPs and the quantities used of each substrate by the biogas plant was compared with actual CH₄ production on-site. Biogas plant’s CH₄ production was 9.9% lower in the 1st and 20.3% in the 2nd period in comparison with the BMP calculated CH₄ production, of which 3% and 14% was due to ammonia toxicity, respectively. BMPs of the mixtures showed that the actual CH₄ reduction rate of the biogas plant could be approximately estimated by the ammonia concentrations levels. View Full-Text

Keywords: BMP test; methane production; ammonia toxicity

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MDPI and ACS Style

Kalamaras, S.D.; Vitoulis, G.; Christou, M.L.; Sfetsas, T.; Tziakas, S.; Fragos, V.; Samaras, P.; Kotsopoulos, T.A. The Effect of Ammonia Toxicity on Methane Production of a Full-Scale Biogas Plant—An Estimation Method. Energies 2021, 14, 5031. https://doi.org/10.3390/en14165031

AMA Style

Kalamaras SD, Vitoulis G, Christou ML, Sfetsas T, Tziakas S, Fragos V, Samaras P, Kotsopoulos TA. The Effect of Ammonia Toxicity on Methane Production of a Full-Scale Biogas Plant—An Estimation Method. Energies. 2021; 14(16):5031. https://doi.org/10.3390/en14165031

Chicago/Turabian Style

Kalamaras, Sotirios D., Georgios Vitoulis, Maria L. Christou, Themistoklis Sfetsas, Spiridon Tziakas, Vassilios Fragos, Petros Samaras, and Thomas A. Kotsopoulos. 2021. "The Effect of Ammonia Toxicity on Methane Production of a Full-Scale Biogas Plant—An Estimation Method" Energies 14, no. 16: 5031. https://doi.org/10.3390/en14165031

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Author Biographies

Sotirios D. Kalamaras

He is an Agriculturist, currently working as a Research Associate at the Laboratory of Agricultural Structures and Equipment (ASE) of Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTH) where he is involved in several EU and National funded research projects. He has a bachelor’s degree from the Agricultural University of Athens (AUA) which he received in 2007 and a MSc degree in Food Science and Human Nutrition obtained in 2009 from the same University. He received his second MSc in Agricultural Engineering at the School of Agriculture of AUTH in 2014. In 2020 he concluded his doctoral thesis in the field of Biogas Production at AUTH. His research interests focus on agro-industrial waste treatment, optimization of the anaerobic processes, biogas production and upgrading, and microbiology of anaerobic processes. During his PhD he received the Scholarship of Excellence of the Research Committee of AUTH for PhD Candidates.

Georgios Vitoulis

He is an agriculturist graduated in 2016 from the School of Agriculture of Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTH). He received his MSc in Agricultural Engineering and Water Resources at the School of Agriculture of AUTH in 2020. His MSc dissertation is titled “Biogas production under different ammonia levels”. He has experience as a laboratory researcher working at AUTH and by participating in national funded research projects. His interests focused on biogas production, greenhouse technology, alternative energy sources in agriculture and water resources.

Maria Lida Christou

Maria Lida Christou is currently a PhD student and works as a researcher in the School of Agriculture at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTH). She obtained her Diploma in Agriculture from the School of Agriculture at AUTH. She holds a MSc in Hydraulics, Soil Science and Agricultural Engineering with specialization in Hydraulics. She is working since 2018 in EU and national funded research projects. Her scientific interests concern microbiological and hydraulic parameters, such as organic loading rate and hydraulic retention and how they affect Anaerobic Digestion (AD). Additionally, she is experienced in bioaugmention as a method to alleviate ammonia toxicity during AD and has knowledge of CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) and simulation-modeling of flow and hydraulic parameters in general.

Themistoklis Sfetsas

Themistoklis Sfetsas holds a BSc (Organic Chemistry & Biochemistry, 2005) and MSc (Didactics in Chemistry, 2009) of Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. He has been a research fellow for many years with CPERI/CERTH where he developed several methodologies for bio-oils and fuels analysis via GCxGCToFMS. Since 2012, Themistoklis is technical and quality control manager of QLAB Private Company and has developed a variety of analytical methodologies and quality systems. He is also a PhD candidate studying “Anaerobic digestion effluents treatment by advanced microalgae cultivation” and has a strong participation in national research funded programs.

Spiridon Tziakas

Tziakas Spyridon holds a degree in Electrical Engineering from the Polytechnic School of Aristotle University of Thessaloniki specializing in Energy and High Voltages. He holds a license to practice the profession of Electrical Engineer from the TEE / TKM (1996). He has a Master's degree in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Macedonia (1998). He has worked as a project manager in public and private technical projects. Since 2000 he is a founding member of the Development Consulting company ERGOPLANNING based in Thessaloniki. In 2011 he is President and CEO of the company BIOGAS LAGADA S.A. dedicated to organic waste treatment and electricity generation. His interests are focused on biogas production, waste management, energy production and electrical engineering projects.

Petros Samaras

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4081-8590

Thomas A. Kotsopoulos

Thomas Kotsopoulos (TK), PhD is Associate Professor at Faculty of Agriculture, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece. TK holds a bachelor degree in Agronomy and a diploma in Civil Engineering. He received the M.Sc. and Ph.D. degrees in agricultural engineering with an emphasis in biogas production from Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, in 2001 and 2005, respectively. He is Director of the Lab of Agricultural Structures & Equipment (ASE). His current research interests include: livestock buildings, energy saving in agricultural structures, anaerobic reactors configuration for biohydrogen and biomethane production, environmental engineering and anaerobic process monitoring and optimization.

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The Effect of Ammonia Toxicity on Methane Production of a Full-Scale Biogas Plant—An Estimation Method

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