Continuous Anaerobic Fermentation for Wet Garbage SCFA Production
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for converting urban wet garbage into high-value products are inefficient due to the high water content, low calorific value, and perishability of wet garbage, leading to challenges in resource-oriented utilization, as they often require pure microbes or large amounts of chemicals, increasing costs and environmental pollution.
Innovation Solution
A method involving crushing wet garbage, low-energy consumption hydrolysis, and seeding acclimatized activated sludge microbes to perform two stages of anaerobic fermentations, converting organic components into short-chain fatty acids and then into acetic acid, without the need for pure microbes or excessive chemicals.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If pure microbes or large amounts of chemicals are added to increase SCFA production in an open system, then the production amount of SCFA is improved, but the production cost and environmental pollution increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes the self-service principle by allowing the microbial community in the open system to naturally produce SCFA through anaerobic fermentation of wet garbage without requiring external addition of pure microbes or chemicals. The system leverages the inherent metabolic capabilities of the mixed microbial population to convert organic matter into valuable SCFA products, thereby avoiding the costs and environmental burdens associated with adding pure cultures or chemical additives.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies parameter changes by optimizing operational conditions such as hydraulic retention time, organic loading rate, pH, and temperature to maximize SCFA production from the mixed microbial community. By adjusting these parameters, the system achieves high SCFA yields without needing to introduce pure microbes or chemicals, thus resolving the contradiction between production amount and environmental impact.
2Use of energy by moving object
If conventional methods (incineration power generation) are used for wet garbage, then energy generation is achieved, but the high water content and low calorific value of wet garbage make these methods unsuitable
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical/thermal system of incineration power generation with a biological system based on anaerobic fermentation. Instead of combusting wet garbage to generate energy, the system uses microbial metabolism to convert organic matter into SCFA, which can then be further processed into acetic acid and other valuable products. This substitution makes the process suitable for wet garbage with high water content and low calorific value that cannot be efficiently incinerated.
3Quantity of substance
If batch production and operation is used with pure microbes, then SCFA production can be increased, but continuous operation becomes difficult to implement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements continuous operation by maintaining a stable mixed microbial community in the open system that can continuously ferment wet garbage to produce SCFA. The system operates with continuous feeding of wet garbage and effluent removal, allowing uninterrupted production. This continuous operation mode eliminates the need for batch processing while maintaining high SCFA production, as the diverse microbial community remains stable and functional under continuous operational conditions.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach enables continuous directional high-value biological conversion of urban wet garbage, enhancing resource-oriented utilization while reducing operational costs and environmental impact by maintaining efficient disposal and high-value conversion without the use of pure microbes or large chemical additions.
Implementation Method 1
perform low-energy consumption hydrolysis, and seeding acclimatized activated sludge microbes to perform two stages of anaerobic fermentations to firstly convert organic components of the wet garbage continuously into short-chain fatty acid
Implementation Method 2
then continuously and directionally convert other components of short-chain fatty acid into acetic acid
Implementation Method 3
perform low-energy consumption hydrolysis
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides a method of enhancing continuous directional high-value biological conversion of an urban wet garbage open system. The method includes wet garbage crushing, low-energy consumption hydrolysis, continuous conversion of organic components of wet garbage into short-chain fatty acid, continuous directional conversion of other components of short-chain fatty acid into acetic acid, separation and microbial reflux of acetic acid, and the like. In this method, by crushing wet garbage, performing low-energy consumption hydrolysis, and seeding acclimatized activated sludge, two stages of anaerobic fermentations are carried out to firstly convert organic components of the wet garbage continuously into short-chain fatty acid, and then continuously and directionally convert other components of short-chain fatty acid into acetic acid, so as to realize continuous directional high-value biological conversion of the urban wet garbage in an open system without adding pure microbes and a large amount of chemicals.