BiogasProduction

fromMunicipalOrganicSolidWastes
RuihongZhang1,PetrosGekas1,Baoning Zhu1, James
Lord2,ChrisChoate2
1 UniversityofCalifornia,Davis
2NorcalWasteSystems,Inc.

MunicipalSolidWaste(MSW)Generationand
ManagementinUnitedStates
Amount
250milliontonsperyear
32%recycled
68%landfilled

Composition
65%Biodegradable(paper,
yardtrimmings,foodscraps,
wood)
35%Nonbiodegradable
(plastic,metals,rubber,glass,
etc.)

US EPA

SeparationofBiodegradableMaterials
fromMSW
Sourceseparationbeforecollection
Separationaftercollection
Mechanicalseparationbydensityandsize
Thermalorbiologicaltreatmentcombinedwith
mechanicalseparation
Thermaltreatment heatingandsteamexplosion
Biologicaltreatment rotatingdrumreactor(RDR)
(commercialnames:Bedminster,Biomixer)

Organics

Raw MSW

Inorganics

OperatingConditionsofRDRProcess
9

Batchorcontinuouswithdailyfeeding

DesirableMoistureContentofFeed:5060%

TemperatureinDrum:5055C

RetentionTime:6hoursto5days

AerationUsingAirBlowers

MSWTREATMENTPLANTSUSINGRDR
OPENED

NO. OF
DRUMS

PLANT
CAPACITY t/d

Big Sandy, TX

1971

30

Pinetop-Lakeside, AZ

1991

75

Sevierville, TN

1992

350

Sorel-Tracy, QC, Canada

1992

100

Cobb Country, GA

1996

350

Rapid City, SD

1996

220

Sumter County, FL

1997

75

Marlborough, MA

1999

150

Nantucket, MA

1999

100

Port Stephens, NSW, Austr.

1999

120

Edmonton, AL, Canada

2000

750

Saitama, Japan

2001

60

Hines, AK

2002

30

Cairns, Queensland, Austr.

2002

300

Perth, WA, Australia

2003

350

Delaware County, NY

2005

100

LOCATION

ResearchGoal
9Developanintegratedtreatmentsystemthat
caneffectivelyseparatetheorganicsfrom
MSWandconvertitintobiogasenergyand
compost.

Integrated RDR-APS-Digester System

Trommel screen
RotatingDrum
Reactor
Biogas Energy
MSW

Anaerobic
Digestion
Composting

To landfill
or recycling

ResearchObjectives
9 Characterizetheorganicmaterialsderivedfrom
MSWviaRotatingDrumReactorprocess
9 Determinethebiogasproductionpotentialofthe
organicmaterialsandanalyzethefeasibilityforuse
asfeedstockforanaerobicdigestion.

ResearchApproach
SurveysixfacilitiesinUSthatuseRDRprocessfor
treatingmunicipalsolidwaste
MSWtypesandamount
RDRspecificationsandoperatingconditions

Sampleandanalyzetheorganicmaterialsproducedfrom
theRDRforphysicalandchemicalcharacteristics
Bulkdensity,moisturecontent,solidscontent,andnutrientand metal
contents

Performbatchanaerobicdigestionteststodetermine
therateofdigestionandbiogasandmethaneyieldsof
organicsamples.

VISITEDMSWTREATMENTPLANTS

PARAMETER

Type of waste

Capacity (ton/d)
Organics
recovered
(% of MSW)
Moisture content
in drum (%)
Max Temperature
in drum (C)
Retention in drum
(d)
Number of drums
Rotation speed
(rpm)
Aeration in drum
Openings, primary
screening (mm)

AZ

MA

NY

MSW
Biosolids
MSW
MSW
(BS)
Biosolids
Biosolids
Paper &
Yard waste
cardboard
20MSW+10
BS
20-100 MSW
100 MSW
10 P&C +10 7.5 BS and YW 30 BS (16% TS)
BS

SD

TN

GA

MSW
Biosolids

MSW
Biosolids

MSW
Biosolids

220 MSW
9 BS (8% TS)

225 MSW
200 MSW
55 BS (18% TS) 60 BS (20% TS)

55

80

55-60

52

60

65

55-60

55

50-55

55

55

55

44

52-58

35

13-20

46-52

55

3-5

0.25

0.83

Yes

No

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

31.8

25.4

31.8

44.5

38.1

31.8

CharacteristicsofOrganicsRecoveredfrom
MSWviaRDRProcess
RDR
Facility

TS (%)

MC (%)

VS (%) VS/TS

C (%)

N (%)

C/N

AZ

Average
St. dev.

49.38
3.82

50.62
3.82

34.79
2.30

0.706
0.041

35.33
3.01

1.44
0.08

24.51
2.24

MA

Average
St. dev.

55.61
2.38

44.39
2.38

41.28
2.40

0.743
0.025

37.57
3.20

0.92
0.08

40.87
2.18

NY

Average
St. dev.

43.85
3.93

56.14
3.93

32.67
3.15

0.745
0.021

37.30
1.97

1.03
0.11

36.46
2.03

SD

Average
St. dev.

47.75
7.59

52.25
7.59

34.79
2.87

0.735
0.058

37.07
0.60

0.88
0.13

42.74
7.72

TN

Average
St. dev.

47.67
4.52

52.33
4.52

38.59
3.32

0.811
0.026

39.53
2.18

1.08
0.12

36.88
2.34

GA

Average
St. dev.

35.24
5.36

64.76
5.36

26.97
4.22

0.766
0.033

38.47
1.62

1.09
0.07

35.37
2.58

TS-total solids, MC-moisture content, VS-volatile solids, C-carbon, N-Nitrogen

BatchAnaerobicDigestionTests
AnaerobicReactors
0.5Lworkingvolumeand1.0Ltotalvolume

Inoculum
ThermophilicAnaerobicSludgefrom
aworkingdigester

TestConditions
Initialvolatilesolidsloading:3gVS/L
Temperature:55+2C
Digestiontime:20days

MeasurementsandResults
Dailybiogasyield(ml/gVS.day)andcumulativebiogasyield(ml/gVS)
Biogascomposition(%methaneandcarbondioxide)
InitialandfinalpHinthereactor

DairyBiogasProductionandBiogasYield
DuringBatchThermophilicDigestion

MethaneContentofBiogasProducedDuring
BatchAnaerobicDigestion

Biogas Yields of Organics Recovered from MSW

via RDR Process
Biogas Yield
(ml/gVS)

RDR
Facility

13 d

20 d

Methane
Content of
Biogas
(%)

AZ

Average
St. dev.

483
34

533
37

59

MA

Average
St. dev.

529
13

579
16

58

NY

Average
St. dev.

549
30

609
26

58

SD

Average
St. dev.

611
36

676
35

60

TN

Average
St. dev.

583
36

641
44

59

GA

Average
St. dev.

512
9

565
12

58

Conclusions
The organic materials recovered from MSW using the
RDR process have 44-60% moisture content, high
organic content, 70-89% volatile solids in total solids,
and 22-40 C/N.
They are highly digestible with relatively high biogas
yields, 533 -676 ml/gVS or 0.533-0.676 m3/kgVS.
The biogas contained 58-60% methane.
The organic materials derived from RDR process are
suitable feedstock for anaerobic digesters.

Pilot Testing Planned for Anaerobic Digestion of Municipal

Organic Solids Wastes at UC Davis

Acknowledgement
FundingsupportfromCaliforniaIntegrated
WasteManagementBoard
CooperationofsixMSWtreatmentplants