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This diploma thesis is mainly focused on the digestate thickening in a biogas plant. First, overview of the biogas technology in the Czech Republic is presented. Furthermore, problems with waste heat utilization and processing of fermentation residues (digestate) are described in more detail. Based on the research, multi-stage flash (MSF) evaporation was chosen as the technology for the digestate thickening. The main part deals with the integration of the chosen technology into a biogas plant process. The programming language Python was used to simplify the given task. In the preliminary stage, a complex mathematical model of a biogas plant was created, focusing particularly on the mass and energy balances. Subsequently, a computational model of the MSF evaporator was programmed. A procedure for the integration was suggested using the sensitivity analyses. Additionally, the model of a biogas plant was extended with the MSF evaporator. The key outcome of the thesis is a technical-economic analysis in which the impact of digestate transport price and electricity feed-in tariff on payback period is investigated. The results suggest profitability of MSF evaporator for biogas plants without subsidized feed-in tariff. Contrastingly, installation of MSF evaporator in older biogas plants with subsidized feed-in tariff can be economically viable only in cases of significantly longer transport distances.

The operation of biogas plants solves environmental aspects (energy management, reduction of negative impacts on the environment, use of renewable energy sources) and their influence in connection with the production of acidogenic (solid) as well as methanogenic (liquid) digestate. This requires establishing mandatory solution procedures in terms of the current legislation (air protection, use of fertilizers). The research for the thesis was carried out in the Agricultural and Commercial Cooperative in Kámen (in the region of Havlíčkův Brod), which lies 527 metres above the sea level. A biogas station has been operated by the cooperative since 2011. In addition to biogas, the cooperative also utilizes the fermentation remnants separated methanogenic digestate as a fertilizer and acidogenic digestate as a raw material for the production of compost. The thesis examined the use of methanogenic digestate when growing silage maize. During the one-year research, two maize hybrids and their response to fertilization by methanogenic digestate were assessed. Both hybrids achieved a higher yield of biomass and a higher yield of the dry matter.

Permanent grassland in agricultural landscapes represents an important position in terms of biodiversity. Becoming a habitat of endangered plant species, they are rich in flowering plants and also provide wintering territories to many animals. The aim of this study is to assess the biomass production of grassland for energy recovery, describe ways to use herbaceous biomass and impact of digestate on species composition and productivity of grassland. The experiment was conducted on the land in the village Dmýštice, located in the county of Písek. The site of fertilization by digestate is located near the village of Novosedly, county Strakonice. On these lands there were monitored ecological conditions of grasslands, dates and intensity of their use, botanical composition, species diversity and biomass production. Furthermore, this thesis uses methods of preservation of harvested biomass and comparing fertilized and unfertilized plots. The obtained data were used to calculate the Simpson index species diversity, nutrient and water mode positions. The values were statistically processed.

Die Nutzung von verlustmindernden Verfahren im Stickstoff- und Phosphorkreislauf gewinnt aufgrund ökonomischer, ökologischer und sozialer Aspekte immer stärker an Bedeutung und bildet die Grundlage für eine ressourcenschonende Landbewirtschaftung. Gegenstand dieser Arbeit ist die ökologische und ökonomische Bewertung von unterschiedlichen Verfahren zur Minimierung von Nährstoffverlusten im Stickstoff- und Phosphorkreislauf. In diesem Zusammenhang wurden folgende Fragestellungen untersucht: • Welchen Einfluss haben Boden, Applikationstechnik und Nitrifikationsinhibitor auf Stickstoffverluste (NH3 und N2O) und Nmin-Gehalte bei der Gülle- und Gärrestausbringung? • Können durch eine Gülleablage in zwei Bändern vertikal übereinander Stickstoffverluste (NH3 und N2O) reduziert und Erträge im Silomaisanbau gesteigert werden? • Wie können aus Klärschlammaschen P-Recyclingdüngemittel hergestellt werden, die in ihrer P-Löslichkeit, mineralischen Zusammensetzung und Ertragswirksamkeit mit Triplesuperphosphat (TSP) vergleichbar sind? Die Einflüsse unterschiedlicher Applikationstechniken (Schleppschlauch mit Einarbeitung und Injektion in 15 und 20 cm Bodentiefe) von verschiedenen Substraten (Gülle und Gärrest) auf unterschiedlichen Böden (Plaggenesch, Gley und Erd-Niedermoor) unter Anwendung eines Nitrifikationsinhibitors (3,4-Dimethyl-Pyrazol-Phosphat – DMPP) auf die Emissionsfreisetzung (NH3, N2O, CO2 und CH4) wurden in zwei Mikrokosmenversuchen untersucht. In einem Feldversuch wurden die im Mikrokosmenversuch gewonnenen Ergebnisse überprüft. Außerdem wurde in diesem Versuch erstmalig der Einfluss einer Gülleablage in zwei Bändern vertikal übereinander auf Stickstoffverluste und Ertragswirksamkeit im Silomaisanbau untersucht. In den Mikrokosmenversuchen mit ungestörten Bodensäulen wurde festgestellt, dass der Boden (Bodentextur, Bodenfeuchtigkeit, Bodenkohlenstoffgehalt) (P < 0,001), der Zusatz von einem Nitrifikationsinhibitor (P < 0,001) zu Gärrest und die Applikationstechnik (P < 0,01) einen Einfluss auf die N2O-Freisetzung haben können. Die Tiefe der Gülle- und Gärrestinjektion hatte nur bei dem untersuchten Erd-Niedermoorboden einen signifikanten Einfluss (P < 0,01) auf die Höhe der N2O-Emissionen. Bei den Böden mit einem niedrigen Kohlenstoffgehalt (Gley: 1,7 % Corg; Plaggenesch: 2,4 % Corg) und einem geringen Wassergehalt (Gley: 28 % H2O vol.; Plaggenesch: 21 % H2O vol.) hatte die Applikationstechnik einen geringen Einfluss auf die Freisetzung von N2O-Emissionen. Auf kohlenstoffreichen Böden war ein Unterschied (P < 0,5) zwischen den beiden Substraten Gülle und Gärrest auf die N2O-Freisetzung gegeben. Der Einsatz des Nitrifikationsinhibitors DMPP reduzierte die N2O-Emissionen im Mikrokosmenversuch durchschnittlich um 45 % (P < 0,001). Die Wirkung von DMPP (P < 0,001) war unabhängig von der Applikationstechnik und hatte einen statistisch größeren Einfluss auf die N2O-Freisetzung als die Applikationstechniken (P < 0,01). Zur weiteren Reduzierung von Stickstoffverlusten wurde im Feldversuch mit Silomais ein Premaister (Unterfußinjektor - Firma Kotte Landtechnik, Deutschland) so modifiziert, dass in zwei Bändern vertikal übereinander (10 und 20 cm) Gülle ausgebracht werden konnte. Das sollte die Nährstoffbedürfnisse von Mais in mehreren Wachstumsphasen berücksichtigen. Im Feldversuch wurden zwischen den unterschiedlichen Varianten [Schleppschlauch mit sofortiger Einarbeitung (Gülle und Gärrest), Injektion 15 cm (Gülle und Gärrest), Injektion 10 und 20 cm (Gülle), Injektion 15 cm mit DMPP (Gülle) und Kontrolle ohne Düngung und Bodenbearbeitung] hinsichtlich der durchschnittlichen N2O-Emissionen (52 - 153 µg N/h/m²) Unterschiede festgestellt, die aber statistisch nicht absicherbar waren. Die Ablage von Gülle in zwei Bändern übereinander führte tendenziell zu den höchsten N2O-Emissionen (153 µg N/h/m²). Durch die Ablage von zwei Güllebändern übereinander bildeten sich verstärkt „anoxic hot spots“, welche Nitrifikation und Denitrifikation förderten. Im Vergleich zur Gülleinjektion ohne DMPP (64 µg N/h/m²) konnte die Gülleinjektion mit DMPP (71 µg N/h/m²) N2O Emissionen nicht reduzieren. Im Vergleich zu allen gedüngten Varianten konnte DMPP die N2O-Emissionen um durchschnittlich 33 % reduzieren. Die freigesetzten NH3-Emissionen aller Varianten lagen unter der Bestimmungsgrenze. Die unterschiedlichen Applikationstechniken zeigten keinen Einfluss auf die Nmin-Gehalte. Die Nmin-Gehalte waren in den mit DMPP behandelten Varianten am höchsten. Der Nitrifikationsinhibitor DMPP reduzierte die Umwandlung von NH4-N zu NO3-N und erhöhte den Nmin-Gehalt im Boden um durchschnittlich 16 %. Zwischen den Erträgen (537 - 620 dt/ha FM und 197 - 225 dt/ha TM) und den Erntequalitäten der Versuchsvarianten konnten im Feldversuch keine signifikanten Unterschiede festgestellt werden. Ein Nitrifikationsinhibitor kann nach der Wirtschaftsdüngerapplikation die Umwandlung von NH4-N zu NO3-N verlangsamen und die Freisetzung von N2O-Emissionen reduzieren. Gegenüber der Schleppschlauchausbringung mit sofortiger Einarbeitung (141 €/ha) hat die Injektion (82 €/ha) eine höhere monetäre Vorzüglichkeit. Zur Steigerung der Verfahrenseffizienz bei der Gülle- und Gärrestapplikation ist auf Böden mit einem geringem Kohlenstoff- und Wassergehalt der Einsatz der Injektionstechnik (Injektion in 12 - 15 cm) kombiniert mit Nitrifikationsinhibitoren zu empfehlen. Auf Böden mit einem Kohlenstoffgehalt über 5 % und einer Feldkapazität von über 60 % sollte die Schleppschlauchapplikation kombiniert mit einem Nitrifikationsinhibitor eingesetzt werden. In einem zweiten Teil dieser Arbeit wurde das P-Recyclingpotential von thermochemisch aufbereiteten Klärschlammaschen untersucht. In einem Laborversuch wurden verschiedene Produkte aus der thermochemischen Klärschlammaufbereitung (Klärschlammasche + Na, Ca, Si und Klärschlammasche + Konverterschlacke) auf ihre P-Löslichkeitsformen (analog zur DüMV, ANONYM 2012) und auf ihre mineralische Zusammensetzung untersucht. Außerdem wurden die Produkte auf ihre Düngewirkung überprüft. Durch die thermochemische Behandlung von Klärschlammasche werden die enthaltenen schlecht pflanzenverfügbaren Phosphate (Ca3(PO4)2) in gut pflanzenverfügbare Calcium- und Natrium-Silico Phosphate (Na2Ca4(PO4)2SiO4 und Ca2SiO4 x 0,05Ca3(PO4)2) umgewandelt. Die unbehandelte Klärschlammasche hatte eine relative Neutralammoniumcitratlöslichkeit von 54 %. Mit ihrer NAC-Löslichkeit von über 85 % lagen die aufgeschlossenen Klärschlammaschen deutlich höher. In einem anschließenden Gefäßversuch mit Mais wurden verschiedene thermochemisch aufbereitete Klärschlammaschen (Klärschlammasche + Na, Ca, Si und Klärschlammasche + Konverterschlacke) im Vergleich zu einer nicht aufbereiteten Klärschlammasche und TSP, in drei Stufen, auf ihre Düngewirkung untersucht. Die Düngung mit thermochemisch aufbereiteteten Klärschlammaschen (45 - 55 g/Gefäß TM Ertrag) führte im Vergleich zur unbehandelten Variante (8,35 g/Gefäß TM Ertrag) zu signifikant (P < 0,05) höheren Erträgen. Die Ertragswirkung der thermochemisch aufbereiteten Klärschlammaschen ist mit der von TSP (48 g/Gefäß TM) vergleichbar. Die RAE der thermochemisch aufbereiteten Klärschlammaschen (102 %) liegt deutlich über der von unbehandelten Klärschlammaschen (21 %) und ist vergleichbar mit der von TSP (100 %). Die Marktpreise für thermochemisch aufbereitete Klärschlammaschen zur Nutzung als Düngemittel liegen zwischen 2,50 - 3,50 €/kg P (Aufschluss von Klärschlammasche mit Na, Ca und Si) und 2,15 €/kg P (Klärschlammasche + Konverterschlacke).

A ce jour, le contexte énergétique mondial est dominé par une utilisation massive des énergies fossiles non-renouvelables et épuisables par nature. La production de biohydrogène de 2ème génération issu de déchets organiques par le procédé de fermentation sombre constitue donc une solution attractive pour diversifier le mix énergétique actuel. Dans ce cadre, l’objectif de ce travail est d’étudier l’influence de la qualité du mélange sur l’efficacité de la voie fermentaire sombre. En effet, les conditions d’agitation mécanique (type d’agitateur, vitesse d’agitation) et la viscosité du digestat (fonction des intrants en cours de culture), comptent parmi les paramètres abiotiques les moins étudiés à ce jour dans ce procédé. Or, l’agitation joue un rôle clé puisqu’elle doit permettre non seulement d’homogénéiser la phase liquide riche en bactéries, en substrats organiques, en métabolites et en biogaz soluble, mais aussi de favoriser les échanges de matière liquide-bactéries et liquide-gaz. Cependant, pour atteindre la qualité de mélange requise, il faut faire face à deux contraintes : d’une part il faut maintenir un niveau acceptable de stress mécanique pour les bactéries du consortium ; d’autre part, la puissance mécanique consommée par l’agitation doit rester limitée pour assurer la viabilité économique du procédé. Dans ce travail, les effets combinés de la viscosité du digestat et de la vitesse d’agitation des mobiles sur la production de biohydrogène dans un bioréacteur ont été étudiés dans un premier temps. Les résultats ont montré une influence significative de ces deux facteurs sur la productivité en biohydrogène qui a pu être reliée au nombre adimensionnel de Reynolds et au régime d’écoulement du digestat. Un maximum de productivité a été observé lors de la transition laminaire-turbulent. Dans un deuxième temps, des méthodes de détermination du temps de mélange (conductimétrie, décoloration chimique, Fluorescence Induite par Nappe Laser) et du transfert de matière liquide-gaz (désoxygénation/oxygénation) ont été mises en oeuvre dans les mêmes conditions de viscosité et d’agitation afin de rechercher les étapes limitantes pouvant expliquer les évolutions observées lors des essais de fermentation. Les résultats ont montré que transfert interfacial et mélange ne sont limitants qu’en régime laminaire, alors que les faibles productivités en régime turbulent résultent vraisemblablement d’une interaction entre la turbulence et les agrégats bactériens. Ensuite, l’écoulement dans le bioréacteur a été modélisé par une approche de type Mécanique des Fluides Numérique (CFD) et analysé par une méthode de Vélocimétrie par Images de Particules (PIV) afin de déterminer les échelles spatiales locales de la turbulence et de pouvoir les comparer à la dimension caractéristique des agrégats bactériens. Les mesures locales confirment les hypothèses émises à partir des valeurs moyennes observées. Finalement, un modèle de type ADM1 (Anaerobic Digestion Model N°1) standard a été modifié en prenant en compte les ions lactate et un modèle hydrodynamique de type « cascade de cellules » dans le but de simuler la production de biohydrogène en systèmes batch et continu. Les simulations sont en bon accord avec les résultats expérimentaux dans les deux modes de culture en supposant un réacteur parfaitement mélangé. En conclusion, l’ensemble de ce travail confirme que la viscosité du digestat et les conditions de mélange sont effectivement des paramètres essentiels à prendre en compte pour l’optimisation et l’extrapolation du procédé de fermentation sombre. / The global energy trends are currently dominated by a massive use of fossil non-renewable energy sources which are progressively depleting. In this way, the production of second-generation biohydrogen production from organic wastes by the dark fermentation process offers, therefore, an attractive solution to diversify the present energy mix. Within this framework, the aim of this work is to investigate the effect of the efficiency of the mixing process on dark fermentation. The conditions of mechanical agitation (mixer type, mixing speed) and the viscosity of the digestate (which depends on the variability of influent substrate concentration) are, indeed, among the abiotic factors that have been the most disregards up to now in this bioprocess. For example, mixing plays a key role because agitation conditions must ensure on the one hand the homogenization of the liquid phase enriched in bacteria, in organic substrate, in soluble metabolites, and in soluble biogas, and in the other hand promote liquid-to-bacteria and liquid-to-gas mass transfer. However, to reach the desired degree of mixing, two constraints must be faced: firstly, an acceptable level of mechanical stress must be maintained on the microbial consortium, and secondly, mechanical power input due to mixing must comply with the economic sustainability of the process. In this work, the combined effects of digestate viscosity and agitation conditions on the fermentative biohydrogen production in the bioreactor were studied first. Experimental results highlighted a significant effect of these factors on biohydrogen productivity which could be expressed as function of the purely hydrodynamic dimensionless Reynolds number and of the prevailing flow regime. Hydrogen production was maximized in the transition region between laminar and turbulent flow conditions. Secondly, experimental measuring methods of mixing time (conductimetric, chemical decolorization and Planar Laser Induced Fluorescence techniques) and mass transfer (dynamic deaeration/aeration) were implemented in the same conditions of viscosity and agitation conditions so as to investigate the possible limiting steps that could explain the trends observed in the mixed cultures. The results proved that mixing and liquid-gas transfer was slower than hydrogen production rate only in the laminar flow regime, while low production rate under turbulent flow conditions might stem from an interaction between turbulent eddies and bacterial aggregates. Then, the flow field in the bioreactor was simulated using a CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) methodology and analyzed experimentally using PIV (Particle Image Velocimetry) to determine the characteristic turbulent length scales and to compare them to the characteristic size of the bacterial aggregates. Local measurements confirmed the assumptions made from average values derived from power input data. Finally, a modified ADM1 model (Anaerobic Digestion Model N°1) was developed to simulate the biohydrogen production, accounting for lactate ions and non-ideal mixing, under batch and continuous culture conditions. Simulations fairly agree with experimental data in both modes of cultures assuming perfect mixing condition. As a conclusion, the present work as a whole confirms that digestate viscosity and mixing conditions constitute key parameters that must be considered for process optimization and for the scale-up of dark fermentation.

The diploma thesis deals with the processing of digestate, which is the remaining material after biogas production. It aims to experimentally prove how chosen operational parameters of antifoaming agents influence digestate foaming associated with the vacuum evaporating technology. Based on the research of available antifoamers and the issue of digestate foaming itself, it was observed how three selected antifoamers (i.e. rapeseed oil, silicone antifoamer Erbslöh Schaum-ex and oleic acid), together with the decrease in the pH factor of the evaporating digestate, influence the final foam production. For the purposes of the research, an apparatus simulating the vacuum evaporating process was set up in which the heated sample was brought to boil by gradual pressure decrease. The process of foaming was observed in a transparent cylinder of a testing culumn. The essential part of the experimental activity is represented by a planned experiment which by means of a DoE (Design of experiments) method proved rapeseed oil to be very efficient. In contrast, other antifoamers, as well as the influence of the pH factor decrease, manifested themselves as insignificant factors, while the oleic acid even supported the foaming. The supplementary measurements led to a more detailed research of the effects of rapeseed oil and to the construction of a mathematical model describing how the concentration of rapeseed oil undermines the amount of generated foam. The main contribution of the thesis is firstly the evidence that rapeseed oil plays an important part in the reduction process of digestate foaming and secondly the determination of minimum substance concentration leading to the foaming reduction of a particular sample which is considered efficient enough to enable functioning of a vacuum evaporator. The thesis has also experimentally demonstrated the influence of some polymer organic flocculants which have been proved to support the foaming.

Efforts to remove and recover nutrients from wastewater are motivated by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and the National Academy of Engineering Grand Challenges of Engineering. Of the seventeen Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), multiple SDGs relate to managing nutrients in wastewater. SDG 6, which is to “ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all,” contains targets that aim to improve water quality by reducing pollution, halve the amount of untreated wastewater released to the environment, and increase recycling and safe reuse of wastewater (UN, 2017). SDG 2 seeks to improve food security and SDG 12 seeks to sustainably manage natural resources. Similarly, the National Academy of Engineering Grand Challenges of Engineering highlight managing the nitrogen cycle and providing access to clean water (NAE, 2019). Centralized wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) have historically been designed to remove nutrients (such as nitrogen and phosphorus) and other contaminants prior to discharge. Modern wastewater treatment practices integrate recovery of resources including nutrients, energy, and water. The many available technologies, coupled with competing priorities, can complicate community decision-making on the choice of technology and the scale at which to implement the technology (i.e. building, community, or city), as well as determining how new upstream treatment may affect existing downstream treatment. Technologies that recover energy or manage nutrients such as anaerobic digestion, struvite precipitation, and microbial fuel cells can be implemented at a variety of scales in urban settings and may also be viable for influent types such as agricultural waste. Therefore, the overall goal of this dissertation is to contribute to the achievement of multiple sustainable development goals through the removal and recovery of nitrogen and phosphorus from a variety of influents at a variety of scales. One type of decision-making tool that assists in the choice of nutrient management technologies is a House of Quality. I developed a tool based on the House of Quality that integrated multiple priorities at three scales in a sewershed and produced rankings that generally align with current wastewater treatment practice. Accordingly, top-ranked city-scale technologies are those commonly employed (e.g. A2O, oxidation ditch) that use the dissolved organic carbon present in the wastewater to drive denitrification. Similarly, conventional treatment (e.g. flush toilet connected to a sewer) is ranked highest at the building scale because of its easy maintenance, small footprint, and inoffensive aesthetics. However, future trends such as technology development will likely affect the technologies, weightings, and scores and therefore improve the ranking of novel and emerging technologies. This trend may be amplified by the implementation of test beds, which can provide opportunities to improve the technical characteristics of developing technologies while minimizing risk for municipalities. The House of Quality planning tool was utilized in an in silico case study to analyze nutrient management technologies at three scales across the Northwest Regional Water Reclamation Facility sewershed in Hillsborough County, FL. The study demonstrated that employing treatment technologies upstream from the centralized wastewater treatment (i.e. building-scale source separation and community-scale technologies) could reduce nitrogen loading to the mainstream treatment train by over 50%. Sidestream treatment (i.e. the liquid effluent of anaerobic digestion that typically recycles back to the beginning of the mainstream treatment process) has minimal impact in nitrogen reduction, but is effective in reducing phosphorus loading to the mainstream due to high quantities of phosphorus recycling back to the head of the plant. These results can inform decision-makers about which context-specific nutrient management technologies to consider at a variety of scales, and illustrate that sidestream technologies can be the most effective in reducing phosphorus loading while building- and community-scale technologies can be most effective in reducing nitrogen loading to the centralized treatment plant. Struvite precipitation and microbial fuel cells (MFCs) can be used in combination to manage nutrients and recover energy in sidestreams of centralized WWTPs. Because the liquid effluent from engineered struvite precipitation often contains high concentrations of total nitrogen, I constructed and demonstrated a fixed-film nitrification reactor and a two-chambered MFC to further reduce total nitrogen and recover energy. The primary benefit of the MFC in the technology demonstrated here is not its ability to produce energy, but rather its ability to remove additional nitrogen through nitritation and denitritation. The sidestream nutrient removal prevents nutrients from returning to mainstream treatment, reducing operational costs. Such improvements to wastewater treatment processes can facilitate the transition to the resource recovery facility of the future by becoming a net-energy producer while also achieving the simultaneous benefits of nutrient recovery/removal and reduced costs associated with mainstream treatment. Nutrients and energy can also be recovered in agricultural settings. In this dissertation I studied an agricultural waste treatment system comprising a small-scale tubular anaerobic digester integrated with a low-cost, locally produced struvite precipitation reactor. This study investigated two digesters that treated swine waste in rural Costa Rica. I also facilitated construction of a pilot-scale struvite precipitation reactor that was built on site using local labor and local materials for approximately $920. Local products such as bittern (magnesium source) and soda ash (base) allowed for the production of struvite, a fertilizer that can replace synthetic fertilizer for rural farmers. Liquid-phase concentrations of PO43–-P and NH4+-N in agricultural wastewater increased by averages of 131% and 116%, respectively, due to release from the swine waste during anaerobic digestion. Despite this increase in liquid-phase concentrations, an average of 25% of total phosphorus and 4% of total nitrogen was removed from the influent swine manure through sedimentation in the digesters. During struvite precipitation, an average of 79% of PO43–-P and 12% of NH4+-N was removed from the waste stream and produced a solid with percentages (mass basis) of Mg, N, P of 9.9%, 2.4%, and 12.8%, respectively, indicating that struvite (MgNH4PO4) was likely formed. The treatment system offers multiple benefits to the local community: improved sanitation, removal of nutrients to prevent eutrophication, recovery of struvite as a fertilizer, and production of a final effluent stream that is suitable quality to be used in aquaculture. These are examples of how, more generally, quantifying nutrient recovery from agricultural waste and understanding recovery mechanisms can facilitate progress toward multiple sustainable development goals by improving sanitation, promoting sustainable management of wastes and natural resources, improving food security, and supporting local ecosystems. Managing nutrients from a variety of influent types at different scales can contribute to the achievement of multiple sustainable development goals. Worldwide trends of population growth and resource depletion highlight the need for models to easily allow decision-makers the ability to understand the fate of nutrients and implement infrastructure accordingly.

Hagelrums Gård/Biogas är ett lantbruk som producerar fordonsgas genom rötning.Till rötningen används främst gödsel i deras biogasanläggning med två rötkammare. Den här rapporten undersöker om installation av en värmepump som tar vara på den värmen från rötresten skulle vara ekonomisk och fördelaktig för uppvärmning av den första rötkammaren. Jämförelsen kommer att ske emot anläggningens nuvarande flispanna. I resultat presenteras den nuvarande anläggningens drift och tre olika scenarier med en värmepump med COP 4 och ett konstant flöde av rötrest. I resultatet presenterasäven jämförelser över hur installationen av den föreslagna värmepumpen skulle påverka driften av anläggningen. Slutsatsen av arbetet är att en värmepump inte är ekonomisk eller lämplig förnuvarande anläggning. Orsakerna är den extra kostnaden och driften av anläggningensom inte är optimal för en värmepump. / Hagelrums Gård/Biogas is a farm that produces biomethane for transportation from anaerobic digestion. For the anaerobic digestion manure is mainly used in their facility with two digesters. This report investigates if installation of a heat pump that takes heat from the digestate would be economically and beneficial for heating of the first digester. The comparison will be done against the facility’s current chip boiler. The current facility’s operation and three different scenarios with a heat pump with COP 4 and continuous flow of digestate is presented in the result section. In the results section is also comparisons of how an installation of the proposed heat pump would affect the operation of the facility. The conclusion of the project is that a heat pump is not economical or suitable for the current facility. The extra costs and operation of the facility that is not optimal for a heat pump is the reasoning of the conclusion.

HEMAB’s biogasanläggning har bytt rötningsprocess till våtrötning. En utmaning med våtrötning är stora mängder rötrest, som kan begränsas genom minskad vattentillsatts i processen. En minskad vattentillsats kan göra processen instabil och ge lågt gasutbyte. Tillsatser kan behövas för att göra processen stabil. Ett ökat rötrestflöde gör även att mer värme kan återvinnas från rötrest. I detta examensarbete undersöks hur rötrestflödet kan begränsas och samtidigt ge en stabil biogasprocess med en metanhalt om minst 55 % samt ett biogasutbyte om minst 190 Nm3 per ton matavfall exklusive vattentillsats, för HEMAB’s biogasanläggning. Tillsatsämnen som ökar gasutbytet i en våtrötningsanläggning som rötar matavfall har också undersökts. Värmeåtervinning från rötrest genom ett värmeväxlarsystem har undersökts för studerad anläggning för att se ifall biogasanläggningen kan bli mer ekonomisk och ekologisk hållbar. Ett flödesschema över den studerade anläggningen gjordes för att se hur rötrestflödet beror av mängd vatten som tillsätts i processen. Hur mängden tillsatt vatten påverkar metanhalten och biogasutbytet undersöktes genom att ta fram relationer mellan rötsubstrats torrsubstans (TS) och metanhalt samt biogasutbyte, både för studerad anläggning och genom litteraturstudie. Möjliga tillsatsämnen undersöktes genom litteraturstudie. Ett värmeväxlarsystem dimensionerades för värmeåtervinning från rötrest, till vattentanken som tillsätter vatten till rötsubstratet. Flödesschemat visar hur rötresten minskar genom minskad vattentillsats till rötsubstratet. Litteraturstudien visade att metanhalt möjligtvis ökar med ökad TS-halt, för låga TS-halter. För studerad anläggning fanns indikationer om att metanhalt möjligtvis minskar med ökad TS-halt, för höga TS-halter. Litteratur visar att det finns en linjär avtagande trend mellan biogasutbyte och TS-halt, för låga TS-halter. Studerad anläggning gav indikationer om att biogasutbytet eventuellt ökar med ökad TS-halt, för höga TS-halter. För att studerad anläggning ska erhålla ett lågt rötrestflöde och ett tillräckligt högt gasutbyte rekomenderas en TS-halt på 20 %, vilket motsvarar vattentillsatsen 0,65 ton vatten per ton matavfall och rötrestflödet 55,8 ton per dygn. Tillsatser av Ni, Mo, Co, Se och Fe ökar biogasproduktionen, Co och Se högre organisk belastning, och alkalinitetshöjare ökar metanproduktion. Det föreslagna värmeväxlarsystemet är inte ekonomiskt lönsamt om dess intäkter utgörs av det pris deponigas säljs för till fjärrvärmenätet. Det är ekonomiskt lönsamt ifall priset på deponigas är detsamma som dess pris från fjärrvärmenätet till kund. Intäkterna av deponigas som säljs till fjärrvärmenätet tros öka i framtiden, p.g.a. ökat intresse och efterfrågan av alternativ till fossila bränslen. I framtiden kan ett värmeväxlarsystem vara mer ekonomiskt lönsamt i och med eventuella bidrag och högre intäkter från såld deponigas. Det är möjligt att utvinna mer värme från rötresten till andra värmekrävande processer än till att endast värma vattentanken. / HEMAB's biogas plant has changed their digestion process to wet digestion. A challenge with wet digestion is large amounts of digestate, which can be limited by reducing the amount of water added to the process. A reduced water addition can make the process unstable and give a low gas yield. Additives may be necessary to make the process stable. An increased flow of digestate enables for more heat to be recovered from the digestate. This work examines how the digestate flow can be limited and at the same time provide a stable biogas process with a methane content of at least 55% and a biogas yield of at least 190 Nm3 per ton of food waste excluding water addition, for HEMAB's biogas plant. Additives that increase the gas yield in a wet digestion plant, digesting food waste, has also been investigated. Heat recovery from digestate through a heat exchanger system has been investigated for the studied plant to see if the plant can become more economically and ecologically sustainable. A flowchart for the studied facility was made to see how the digestate flow depends on the amount of water added to the process. How the amount of water added affects the methane content and biogas yield was investigated by finding relationships between substrates dry matter (TS) and the methane content and biogas yield, both for the studied plant and by studying literature. Possible additives were investigated through a literature study. A heat exchanger system was dimensioned for heat recovery from the digestate, to the water tank that adds water to the substrate. The flowchart shows how digestate is reduced by reducing the addition of water to the substrate. The literature study indicated that methane content possibly increases with increased TS content, for low TS levels. For the studied plant, there were indications that methane content possibly decreases with increased TS content, for high TS levels. Literature shows there is a linear decreasing trend between biogas yield and TS content, for low TS content. The plant studied gave indications that the biogas yield possibly increases with increased TS content, for high TS levels. To obtain a low digestate flow and a sufficiently high gas yield in the studied plant, a TS content of 20% is recommended, which corresponds to a water addition of 0.65 ton water per ton food waste and a digestate flow of 55.8 tons per day. Additions of Ni, Mo, Co, Se and Fe increases the biogas production, Co and Se enable a higher organic load, and alkalinity increaser enhances the methane production. The suggested heat exchanger system is not economically profitable if its income depends on the price of landfill gas sold to the district heating network. It is economically profitable if the price of landfill gas is equal to its price from the district heating network to customer. The price of landfill gas sold to the district heating network is expected to increase in the future, due to increased interest and demand of alternatives to fossil fuels. In the future, it is possible for a more economically profitable heat exchanger system due to possible subsidies and higher price of landfill gas. It is possible to extract more heat from the digestate than is required to heat the water in the tank, for other heat-demanding processes.