Generalised modelling approach for anaerobic co-digestion of fermentable substrates.

A general methodology to implement fermentable soluble substrates in the IWA Anaerobic Digestion Model No. 1 (ADM1) that extends its application to anaerobic co-digestion of multiple substrates is presented. The approach considers the fermentation of new soluble substrates, not originally described in ADM1, as channelled through mass- and electron-balanced sugar fermentation equivalent reactions, and that fermentable substrates are degraded by a generic group of fermenters instead of the original ADM1 sugar fermenters. Therefore, no additional microbial group state is required. An additional term that modifies the ADM1 sugar fermentation kinetics equation was included to account for the competition among multiple substrates to be degraded by a particular biomass group. The model was validated at pilot scale treating a blend of pig manure (soluble fraction), wine and gelatine at mesophilic conditions. Only the ADM1 acetoclastic ammonia inhibition parameter was calibrated to obtain consistent model prediction of gas and liquid composition.