A simulation model of anaerobic digestion was developed, and sugarcane bagasse, rice straw, and sawdust were examined as feeds for the production of biohydrogen and methane. The operating parameters included in the study were pretreatment temperature, hydraulic retention time, and feed-to-water ratio. These parameters were optimized for better biohydrogen and methane yields.
Abstract
Biomass energy is a renewable energy source that is carbon-neutral, versatile, and can never go extinct. In the current study, a simulation model of an anaerobic digester with parameters such as pretreatment temperature (PTT), hydraulic retention time (HRT), and feed-to-water (F/W) ratio was developed and a design of experiment was created. The results showed that the higher hemicellulose content in sugarcane bagasse (SB) gave a decent H2 yield (13–23 %). The significance sequence was PTT > F/W > HRT. The optimal values were HRT of 15–16 d; F/W of 1.5 (SB), 1.26 [rice straw (RS)], and 0.5 [sawdust (SD)]; and PTT of 63.3 (SB), 68.8 (RS), and 75 °C (SD). The optimal H2 yield was 19.80 (SB), 20.94 (RS), and 21.41 % (SD). Therefore, the present simulation and optimization showed concrete results to raise H2 yield.