Boosting Your Anaerobic Digester’s Performance with Additives & Supplements

Anaerobic Digester and Additives
Anaerobic digestion (AD) is a process that converts organic waste into valuable biogas and digestate. But this process often needs a little help to run smoothly - that’s where additives and supplements come in!

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These little helpers can supercharge biogas production, stabilise your process, and take your AD system to the next level. 

Let’s dive into the world of AD additives and discover why CreChar might just be your new best friend.

Getting to Know Anaerobic Digestion Additives

Anaerobic digestion additives and supplements fall into a number of types, some are required frequently and others are used when a specific problem arises:

1. Trace Element Supplements
Depending on the feedstock being used the digeste could be deficient in some trace elements that will need to be made up with additives like iron, cobalt, nickel, and selenium. This will prevent nutrient deficiencies and enhance biogas production. Some products are combinations that offer a balanced mix of these crucial elements. A full analysis will be necessary to determine which ones are deficient.

2. Adsorbents: 
Products like biochar can absorb harmful compounds, such as ammonia and excess organic acids, preventing inhibition of the microbes, and improving overall digester performance.

3. Iron Salts
These are important to reduce the concentration of hydrogen sulphide in gas as it is toxic to humans, can be damaging to equipment and can inhibit microbiology. It is a particular problem with feedstocks that have a high sulphur content. Adding iron salts such as ferrous chloride and ferric hydroxide hydrogen sulphide can be controlled.

4. pH Buffers
Maintaining the right pH is vital. Under normal operation the pH should be stable but occasionally problems occur and some additional buffering may be required. Products like sodium bicarbonate or magnesium hydroxide help buffer pH levels and prevent acidification, ensuring optimal microbial activity. Regular FOS:TAC ratio tests will let you know if something is not right.

5. Enzyme Additives
Enzymes break down complex organic materials, speeding up digestion and increasing biogas yield. Enzyme additives can enhance the hydrolysis of feedstock, especially lignocellulosic materials.

Supercharge your AD Plant with CreChar 

The power of CreChar

1. Supercharge Biogas Production

CreChar, a biochar designed and engineered specifically for AD, acts as an adsorbent and a microbial playground. Its porous structure is perfect for microbial communities, encouraging their growth and activity. The result? More efficient digestion and a boost in biogas production. According to our full scale trials, CreChar can improve biogas output by 10% and methane concentration by 3%!

2. Keep Things Steady

Maintaining process stability can be tricky, especially with variable feedstock quality. CreChar helps buffer against pH swings and absorbs nasty inhibitors like ammonia. This keeps your digestion process stable and resilient.

3. Versatility and Ease of Use

Not only is CreChar a jack-of-all-trades additive that addresses numerous challenges within AD, it is also supplied in fully biodegradable packaging that means the product can be thrown directly into the hopper as is with no faff!

CreChar for Superior AD Performance

There are many additives and supplements out there to enhance your anaerobic digester’s performance, but Carbogenics’ CreChar stands out for its multiple benefits. By boosting biogas production, methane concentration and stabilising the digestion process, CreChar offers a comprehensive solution for optimising your AD operations.

Combining CreChar with other targeted supplements can address specific needs and challenges in your system, ensuring maximum efficiency and sustainability.

To discuss how CreChar® can support your Anaerobic Digestion plant, reach out to us at alana.mcskimming@carbogenics.com

Get a tailored CreChar® solution

For further information on Crechar® and other services from Carbogenics please contact: 

Lidia headshot

Lidia Krzynowek

(COO and Co-Founder) lidia.krzynowek@carbogenics.com

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