Water Environment Federation (WEF) Discussion Forums / WEF Discussion Forums / Laboratory Management & Technical Issues / Glycerol digestion / Latest Posts

RE: Glycerol digestion

altjeff — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 22:37:39 GMT

hi!

does glycerin hasten or increases methane yield if added to an anaerobic digester?

does anyone has a link for this?

RE: Glycerol digestion

Rob Baur — Thu, 27 Jul 2006 11:22:23 GMT

I got a link to this off line:

Buswell equation for predicting methane yield:

CaHbOc + (a-b/4 - c/2) H2O => (a/2-b/8+c/4) CO2 +(a/2+b/8-c/4)CH4

Both these equations are greatly simplified, ignoring intermediate products and cell formation. The Buswell equation also ignores nitrogen in the reaction. Nonetheless, these relationships are useful for estimating reaction stoichiometry.

RE: Glycerol digestion

Victor — Wed, 26 Jul 2006 12:43:17 GMT

Rob:

I think that a generalized equation would be difficult at best due to the various enzymatic pathways possible. Just as an example: various anaerobic bacteria ferment glycerol and produce butyric or propionic with valeric and caproic acids observed at smaller concentrations.

RE: Glycerol digestion

In this before dirt — Wed, 26 Jul 2006 12:21:42 GMT

This is going to be tough because there seems to be a lot of literature on the enzyme process, but not the final products. Good luck.

Glycerol digestion

Rob Baur — Wed, 26 Jul 2006 11:12:38 GMT

Glycerol is C3-H8-O3. Under anaerobic digestion does the the oxygen end up as CO2 or H2O or both? What is the equation? C3H8O3--> X CO2 + Y CH4 + Z H20.