1. BIOCHAIN WORKSHOP 2014 JAN27-29 Characterisation of the organic pools in biomass and the related biochemical methane potential (BMP) Ali Heidarzadeh January 2014

2. Objectives Developing a method/instrument that in real time assess biochemical methane potential (BMP) of agricultural biomass Developing a method to define the organic carbon pools affecting biogas production and GHG emission, and the change in pool size during anaerobic digestion.

3. Activities Activity 1: Pretreatment effect Beet root and ensilage effect Activity 2: Running batch and pilot-scale CSTR Agricultural biomasses and manures, change in content of organic components and defining carbon pools in relation to degradability. Activity 3: Developing fast analytical methods NIR (Methane potential & organic pools) Activity 4: Effect of vegetation age BMP as affected by lignification and cellulose crystallization

4. Types of Biomasses in WP3 Agricultural crops and residues Sewage Municipal organic solid waste Animal residues Industrial organic waste Forestry crops and residues Source: http://www.riomay.com/renewable-technologies/biomass-energy

5. Types of Biomasses studied in my research Livestock by-products  Animal manures  Abattoir Agricultural Lignocellulosic biomass Energy crop (beet roots, maise, etc.) Crop residues ( Straw, beet top etc.) Source: http://www.riomay.com/renewable-technologies/biomass-energy

6. Activity 1 Objectives: Effect of ensilage of beet root pulps on methane potentials and changes in organic pools for biogas production. Effect of depth on beet roots pulp silage characteristics and BMP Effect of silos type (close and open) on ensilaged beet roots characteristics and BMP Table 1. Presenting the characterisation schedule of biomass in the study of beet root biogas production potential.

7. Biochemical Methane Potential (BMP) BMP is reliable and simple method to obtain: Extent of organic matter conversion Rate of organic matter conversion The information from BMP test is useful when: Assessing potential substrates Optimizing the design of an anaerobic digester Functioning of an anaerobic digester BMP application: Methane production determination Biodegradability

8. Factors affecting BMP Inoculum Substrate Experimental and operational conditions pH Inoculum to substrate ratio (I/S ratio) Temperature Mineral Medium

9. Inhibition Minerals pHInoculum Substrate To avoid the inhibition: I/S ratio is at least 2/1 on the VS basis Using buffer solution BMP Protocol (German Standard Method, VDI 4630)

10. Inoculum (German Standard Method, VDI 4630) 1.Origin 2.Characterisation: pH, TS, VS, VFAs, TAN 3.Inoculum concentration between 15 and 20 gVS/L 4.VS content of inoculum should be more than 50% of the solid content Physicochemical analysis

11. Substrate (German Standard Method, VDI 4630) 1.Type (part and particle size) 2.Amount and concentration at start-up of the experiment 3.The gas yield from substrate should make up more than 80% of the total gas 4.The solid content of the batch should not exceeded 10% Physicochemical analysis Fiber extraction

12. Control batch and gas quantification (German Standard Method, VDI 4630) Reference sample and control batch: Not ferment too quickly Completely degradedable A gas quantity produced in the control test should reach 80% of theoretical value Gas quantification: Total biogas mesurement:  Manometric, by pressure  Volumetric, by water displacement or gas counter  Gas bags  Syringe Biogas composition:  Gas Chromatography (GC)

13. VDI 4630 Conditions Mesophilic, 37˚C or Thermophilic 55˚C I/S ratio is at least 2/1 on the VS basis Using buffer solution Inoculum concentration between 15 and 20 gVS/L VS content of inoculum should be more than 50% of the solid content The solid content of the batch should not exceeded 10%

14. Activity 2 Table 2. Presenting the characterisation schedule of biomass in the CSTR study. Objectives: 1.Study transformation of organic components in biogas digesters 2.Provide kinetic constants for the dynamic biogas production model for WP1 and WP2 3.Study effect of retention time and pretreatment 4.Evaluation of GHG with collaboration of and WP4

15. Activity 3 Objectives: 1.Developing a robust model for rapid determination of BMP and related organic pools of animal manure using NIR. (FTIR-TGA may be tested) 2.Study of ultimate digestability and digestion rate of each organic pool in animal manure in anaerobic digestion. NIR spectra Obtaining NIR spectra using a rotating sampler

16. Activity 4 Table 3. Characterisation of samples included in the plant age test. Objectives: 1.Study the effect of physiological age of plant biomass on lignification and cellulose crystallization 2.Study the effect of vegetation age of plant biomass contributing to a low BMP in old biomass 3.Characterisation by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) TGA Curve Cellulose Crystallisation

18. Thanks for your attention