Thermophilic anaerobic biodigestion of vinasse in combined acidogenic-methanogenic systems to enhance bioenergy recovery in first generation sugarcane biorefineries

• Grant number: 12/15606-9
• Support type: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• Effective date (Start): March 01, 2013
• Effective date (End): February 28, 2017
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Sanitary Engineering - Water Supply and Wastewater Treatment
• Principal researcher: Marcelo Zaiat
• Grantee: Lucas Tadeu Fuess
• Home Institution: Escola de Engenharia de São Carlos (EESC). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Carlos , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 09/15984-0 - Bioenergy production from wastewaters and environmental fitting of liquid and solid wastes generated, AP.TEM

Abstract

The difficulties associated to the trade and use of fossil fuels in the recent decades resulted in the development of alternative energy sources, considering an ever-increasing demand for energy, especially in the automotive sector. Among the alternative sources, we highlight the industry of biofuels, especially the one related to the production of ethanol. Ethanol production is based on the fermentation of sugars found in biological materials (eg sugarcane, corn, etc.) and on the distillation of the alcoholic media formed during the fermentative process. Stillage is characterized as the main wastewater resulting from this process, with high concentrations of organic matter as well as acidic and corrosive characteristics. Currently almost the entire volume of stillage generated in Brazilian distilleries is directed to the fertigation of sugarcane, due to its fertilizer character. However, the polluting potential of stillage characterizes its disposal in the ground as problematic, considering probable negative impacts over the soil and water resources in case of excessive dosages. Considering the available treatment technologies, we highlight anaerobic digestion, a process that associates the reduction in the polluting potential of effluents to the generation of energy through biogas. Thus, in this work we intend to study aspects of the environmental adequacy and energetic reuse of stillage, considering the application of anaerobic digestion. The main objective of this research includes analysing the feasibility of the possible technological routes for the energy reuse of biogas, based on the processes related to the enrichment of syngas in a biorefinery. We intend to assess the stability and the production (yield) of hydrogen and methane in anaerobic reactors in series, respectively acidogenic (packed fixed bed) and methanogenic (packed and orderly fixed bed), applied to the treatment of stillage, operated in bench scale. The experimental results will be subsequently included in the flowchart of the biorefinery, so we can analyze the best scenario for the reuse of biogas (methane and hydrogen or methane only). Furthermore, we will evaluate the microbial diversity in the anaerobic reactors and the energetic potential, ie the energy recovery capacity of the biogas generated in the reactors. In the last step we will compare the energetic potential of stillage to the energy consumption associated to the production of ethanol.

Scientific publications

(7)

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

FUESS, LUCAS TADEU; GARCIA, MARCELO LOUREIRO; ZAIAT, MARCELO. Seasonal characterization of sugarcane vinasse: Assessing environmental impacts from fertirrigation and the bioenergy recovery potential through biodigestion. Science of The Total Environment, v. 634, p. 29-40, SEP 1 2018. Web of Science Citations: 15.

FUESS, LUCAS TADEU; KLEIN, BRUNO COLLING; CHAGAS, MATEUS FERREIRA; ALVES FERREIRA REZENDE, MYLENE CRISTINA; GARCIA, MARCELO LOUREIRO; BONOMI, ANTONIO; ZAIAT, MARCELO. Diversifying the technological strategies for recovering bioenergy from the two-phase anaerobic digestion of sugarcane vinasse: An integrated techno-economic and environmental approach. RENEWABLE ENERGY, v. 122, p. 674-687, JUL 2018. Web of Science Citations: 13.

FUESS, LUCAS TADEU; ZAIAT, MARCELO. Economics of anaerobic digestion for processing sugarcane vinasse: Applying sensitivity analysis to increase process profitability in diversified biogas applications. PROCESS SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION, v. 115, n. SI, p. 27-37, APR 2018. Web of Science Citations: 4.

FUESS, LUCAS TADEU; NUNES FERRAZ, JR., ANTONIO DJALMA; MACHADO, CARLA BOTELHO; ZAIAT, MARCELO. Temporal dynamics and metabolic correlation between lactate-producing and hydrogen-producing bacteria in sugarcane vinasse dark fermentation: The key role of lactate. Bioresource Technology, v. 247, p. 426-433, JAN 2018. Web of Science Citations: 14.

MAZINE KIYUNA, LUMA SAYURI; FUESS, LUCAS TADEU; ZAIAT, MARCELO. Unraveling the influence of the COD/sulfate ratio on organic matter removal and methane production from the biodigestion of sugarcane vinasse. Bioresource Technology, v. 232, p. 103-112, MAY 2017. Web of Science Citations: 24.

FUESS, LUCAS TADEU; MAZINE KIYUNA, LUMA SAYURI; NUNES FERRAZ JUNIOR, ANTONIO DJALMA; PERSINOTI, GABRIELA FELIX; SQUINA, FABIO MARCIO; GARCIA, MARCELO LOUREIRO; ZAIAT, MARCELO. Thermophilic two-phase anaerobic digestion using an innovative fixed-bed reactor for enhanced organic matter removal and bioenergy recovery from sugarcane vinasse. APPLIED ENERGY, v. 189, p. 480-491, MAR 1 2017. Web of Science Citations: 43.

FUESS, LUCAS TADEU; DE ARAUJO JUNIOR, MOACIR MESSIAS; GARCIA, MARCELO LOUREIRO; ZAIAT, MARCELO. Designing full-scale biodigestion plants for the treatment of vinasse in sugarcane biorefineries: How phase separation and alkalinization impact biogas and electricity production costs?. CHEMICAL ENGINEERING RESEARCH & DESIGN, v. 119, p. 209-220, MAR 2017. Web of Science Citations: 14.