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    Start Up, Shut Down

    Uploaded by

    Julian Ashby
    The document provides steps for starting up an anaerobic digester for processing bioethanol plant effluent. The digester is steam cleaned and seeded with activated sludge to reduce the startup time to two weeks. The organic slurry flow is slowly increased over time to allow the anaerobic bacteria population to grow while monitoring temperature, acid levels, pH, solids ratios, and methane concentration. The document also outlines maintenance procedures if issues like temperature loss, overloading, or equipment failure occur, as well as cleaning requirements every three years. Shut down of the digester involves turning off feed and agitation, draining the digester partially, purging with nitrogen, and allowing it to equalize before opening.

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    © All Rights Reserved
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    Start Up, Shut Down

    Uploaded by

    Julian Ashby
    701 views2 pages
    The document provides steps for starting up an anaerobic digester for processing bioethanol plant effluent. The digester is steam cleaned and seeded with activated sludge to reduce the startup time to two weeks. The organic slurry flow is slowly increased over time to allow the anaerobic bacteria population to grow while monitoring temperature, acid levels, pH, solids ratios, and methane concentration. The document also outlines maintenance procedures if issues like temperature loss, overloading, or equipment failure occur, as well as cleaning requirements every three years. Shut down of the digester involves turning off feed and agitation, draining the digester partially, purging with nitrogen, and allowing it to equalize before opening.

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    The document provides steps for starting up an anaerobic digester for processing bioethanol plant effluent. The digester is steam cleaned and seeded with activated sludge to reduce the startup time to two weeks. The organic slurry flow is slowly increased over time to allow the anaerobic bacteria population to grow while monitoring temperature, acid levels, pH, solids ratios, and methane concentration. The document also outlines maintenance procedures if issues like temperature loss, overloading, or equipment failure occur, as well as cleaning requirements every three years. Shut down of the digester involves turning off feed and agitation, draining the digester partially, purging with nitrogen, and allowing it to equalize before opening.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as docx, pdf, or txt
    701 views2 pages

    Start Up, Shut Down

    Uploaded by

    Julian Ashby
    The document provides steps for starting up an anaerobic digester for processing bioethanol plant effluent. The digester is steam cleaned and seeded with activated sludge to reduce the startup time to two weeks. The organic slurry flow is slowly increased over time to allow the anaerobic bacteria population to grow while monitoring temperature, acid levels, pH, solids ratios, and methane concentration. The document also outlines maintenance procedures if issues like temperature loss, overloading, or equipment failure occur, as well as cleaning requirements every three years. Shut down of the digester involves turning off feed and agitation, draining the digester partially, purging with nitrogen, and allowing it to equalize before opening.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as docx, pdf, or txt
    of 2

    Start Up

    Steam clean through maintenance hatch to ensure sterility


    Digester filled with bioethanol plant effluent while agitation starts when
    operating level reached
    Stabilised to mesophilic temperature (35oC)
    Headspace purged with Nitrogen gas also biogas piping purged (for
    safety and ensure completely anaerobic conditions)
    Digester seeded with biologically activated sludge (procured from similar
    plant) Produces population of bacteria required for AD. Volume of seed
    solid is approximately 4.5% of total volume. (Can reduce the start-up time
    to two weeks or less compared to the 40 days of no seeding) Saves on
    additional chemicals to control pH
    Flow of organic slurry starts at very slow rate and incrementally increased
    over ensuring digester conditions remain within the ranges provided;

    Temperature between 34.5 and 35.5 C, with 35 C target value.


    Ratio of volatile acids/alkalinity less than 0.35
    pH between 6.5 and 8.0, with target value of 7.1
    Ratio of TS feed/TS in digester between 0.05 to 0.1
    Ratio of VS feed/VS in digester between 0.03 to 0.1
    o Digester gas methane concentration higher than 55% by volume concentration
    Until full flow is increased, the digester effluent can be recycled
    o
    o
    o
    o
    o

    It can take up to 30days to achieve full operation of the digester due to the slow
    growth of the anaerobic, methane forming bacteria.

    M. Hatzigeirgiou & B. Owsenek (2006) Startup of Anaerobic Mesophilic


    Digesters, Water Environment Foundation
    P.C. Suryawanshi & A.B. Chaudhari (2013) Operating Procedures of Efficient
    Anaerobic Digester Operation, Research Journal of Animal, Veterinary and Fishery
    Sciences, Vol 1

    Maintenance
    When maintenance may be require
    Hydraulic washout, temperature loss, mechanical repairs, organic overload or
    toxic loading;
    All piping can be isolated for cleaning
    Nitrogen purge to remove any flammable biogas before access to digester
    Suitable plans to replace any failed equipment e.g. agitator
    Multiple temperature sensors to ensure mesophilic conditions. Variable
    flow on heating system to help maintain system temperature, alter flow
    until temperature is equalised. Slow mixing to reduce heat loss through
    the thin fixed dome roof.
    If hydraulic washout occurs through accidental over pumping recycle
    slurry from the digester and reduce the feed rate.

    Organic or toxic over loading increase influent to dilute content


    Cleaning
    Maximum frequency is once every three years. Cleaning required if Grease or
    grit accumulation occurs, mixing efficiency is compromised
    (1976) Anaerobic Sludge Digestion Operations Manual, EPA Office of Water.
    (2003) Natural resources conservation service conservation practice standard
    anaerobic digester controlled temperature. Code 366
    Shut Down

    Turn off feed and agitation


    Drain digester (if going to be restarted leave 15% full)
    Purge system with nitrogen
    Leave to equalise 1-2 days and re-purge then open to environment

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