Anaerobic Digestion of Cannery Tomato Solid Wastes

Abstract
Two major problems facing the food processing industry are solid waste management and energy cost. Anaerobic digestion of tomato solid waste, a means of both waste treatment and energy (methane) production, is investigated in this study. A series of nine 4-L (1.1-gal) laboratory digesters were operated for four months at 35°C (95°F) to assess effects of various retention times (15, 25 and 35 days) and loading rates (1.0, 3.0 and 5.0 kg VS/m³-day; 0.06, 0.19 and 0.31 lb VS/ft3-day). The results indicate greater COD reduction with decreasing loading rates and/or increasing retention times. Methane production increased with higher loading rates and longer retention times (maximum mean value - 0.36 vol/vol digester per day; minimum mean value - 0.14 vol/vol digester per day). Under standard conditions 1 kg COD produced 0.32 m3 methane (5.1 ft3/lb).

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