Methods and Systems for Converting Volatile Fatty Acids To Lipids

摘要

Methods and systems for simultaneously enhancing the production of both methane and volatile fatty acids in an anaerobic digestion bioreactor are disclosed. In some embodiments, the methods include: providing a stream of organic feedstock; providing a plurality of anaerobic digester bioreactors, each of the plurality of anaerobic digester bioreactors connected in series; step-feeding predetermined percentages of the stream of organic feedstock to two or more of the plurality of anaerobic digester bioreactors; feeding effluent from each of the plurality of anaerobic digester bioreactors to a subsequent one of the plurality of anaerobic digester bioreactors; and anaerobically digesting at least one of the stream of organic feedstock and the effluent from each of the plurality of anaerobic digester bioreactors to develop a final effluent stream including methane and volatile fatty acids. The volatile fatty acids are then microbially converted to lipids in an aerobic bioreactor.

主权项

1. A method for simultaneously enhancing the production of both methane and volatile fatty acids in an anaerobic digestion bioreactor, said method comprising:
providing a stream of organic feedstock; providing a plurality of anaerobic digester bioreactors, each of said plurality of anaerobic digester bioreactors connected in series; step-feeding predetermined percentages of said stream of organic feedstock to two or more of said plurality of anaerobic digester bioreactors connected in series; feeding effluent from each of said plurality of anaerobic digester bioreactors to a subsequent one of said plurality of anaerobic digester bioreactors in said connected series of anaerobic digester bioreactors; and anaerobically digesting at least one of said stream of organic feedstock and said effluent from each of said plurality of anaerobic digester bioreactors to develop a final effluent stream including methane and volatile fatty acids.