Skip to main content
Article
Effect of Ultrasonic Pretreatment on Methane Production Potential from Corn Ethanol Coproducts
Transactions of the ASABE
  • Wei Wu-Haan, Iowa State University
  • Robert T. Burns, Iowa State University
  • Lara B. Moody, Iowa State University
  • Cody John Hearn, Iowa State University
  • David A. Grewell, Iowa State University
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
1-1-2010
Abstract

This article addresses the biochemical methane potential (BMP) production from anaerobic digestion of corn-ethanol coproducts including dried distiller grain with solubles (DDGS), distiller's wet grains (DWG), thin stillage, and condensed distiller's solubles (CDS) as well as evaluating the effects of ultrasonic pretreatment on methane production from these feedstocks. Ultrasonic pretreatment was applied with three amplitude settings of 33% (52.8 µmpp), 66% (105.6 µmpp), and 100% (160 µmpp) as well as five time settings (10, 20, 30, 40, and 50 s) to each of the four coproducts prior to conducting benchtop BMP trials. Ultrasonic pretreatment reduced mean particle size of DDGS and DWG by 45% and 43%, respectively. Without ultrasound pretreatment, CDS had the highest methane production potential (407 mL g-1 VS added) compared to the other coproducts. Ultrasonic pretreatment of DWG co-products (DDGS and DWG) resulted in greater increases in methane production than on liquid coproducts (CDS and thin stillage). Methane yields were increased by 25% and 12% for the ultrasound pretreated DDGS and DWG, respectively, compared with untreated samples. An energy balance for the DWG, thin stillage, and CDS coproducts indicated that ultrasonic pretreatment required more energy than was generated by the process in terms of additional biogas production. However, an energy balance for ultrasonic pretreatment of DDGS provided 70% more energy than was required to operate the ultrasonic unit.

Comments

This article is from Transactions of the ASABE 53, no. 3 (2010): 883–890.

Access
Open
Copyright Owner
American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers
Language
en
File Format
application/pdf
Citation Information
Wei Wu-Haan, Robert T. Burns, Lara B. Moody, Cody John Hearn, et al.. "Effect of Ultrasonic Pretreatment on Methane Production Potential from Corn Ethanol Coproducts" Transactions of the ASABE Vol. 53 Iss. 3 (2010) p. 883 - 890
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/david_grewell/3/