Production of biogas by digestion of organic wastes and other feedstock is one of the important technical solutions that contribute to the transform of the energy system from being fossil fuel dependent to renewable energy originated. To be fully commercial and competitive, the production of biogas needs to be further developed and optimized based on the technical, economic and environmental aspects. Thus, comprehensive understanding of fluid dynamics and microbial reactions in the digestion process is necessary to accurately and robustly model, predict and control the biogas production.
In this paper possible pathways for modeling the biogas reactor is discussed based on previous work on anaerobic digestion modeling and modeling of the fluid flow in reactors. Important parameters for modeling biogas production, with a focus on processes using waste as feedstock, are considered. Identification of knowledge gaps for the modeling of the biogas process is performed and how to overcome the obstacles is addressed.
Paper ID: ICAE2012- A10732