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Energetic and environmental benefits of co-digestion of food waste and cattle slurry: a preliminary assessment

Energetic and environmental benefits of co-digestion of food waste and cattle slurry: a preliminary assessment
Energetic and environmental benefits of co-digestion of food waste and cattle slurry: a preliminary assessment
The research evaluated the feasibility of centralised pre-processing and pasteurisation of source-separated domestic food waste followed by transport to farms for anaerobic co-digestion with dairy cattle slurry. Data from long-term experiments on the co-digestion of these two substrates was used to predict gross energy yields; net yields were then derived from full system analysis using an energy modelling tool. The ratio of cattle slurry to food waste in the co-digestion was based on the nutrient requirements of the dairy farm and was modelled using both nitrogen and phosphorous as the limiting factor. The model was run for both medium-size and large farms in which the cattle were housed either all year round or for only 50% of the year. The results showed that the addition of food waste improved energy yields per digester unit volume, with a corresponding increased potential for improving farm income by as much as 50%. Data for dairy farms in the county of Hampshire UK, which has a low density of dairy cattle and a large population, was used as a stringent test case to verify the applicability of the concept. In this particular case the nutrient requirements of the larger farms could be satisfied, and further benefits were gained from the reduction in greenhouse gas emissions avoided through improved manure management and fertiliser imports. The results indicated that this approach offered major advantages in terms of resource conservation and pollution abatement when compared to either centralised anaerobic digestion of food waste or energy recovery from thermal treatment
anaerobic digestion, food waste, cattle slurry, greenhouse gas, enewable energy, nutrient management
0921-3449
71-79
Banks, Charles J.
5c6c8c4b-5b25-4e37-9058-50fa8d2e926f
Salter, Andrew M.
e0537412-9a1c-4f00-9b08-d8dce9dbc900
Heaven, Sonia
f25f74b6-97bd-4a18-b33b-a63084718571
Riley, Keith
25e8d1f1-8996-4773-b696-21c56d799238
Banks, Charles J.
5c6c8c4b-5b25-4e37-9058-50fa8d2e926f
Salter, Andrew M.
e0537412-9a1c-4f00-9b08-d8dce9dbc900
Heaven, Sonia
f25f74b6-97bd-4a18-b33b-a63084718571
Riley, Keith
25e8d1f1-8996-4773-b696-21c56d799238

Banks, Charles J., Salter, Andrew M., Heaven, Sonia and Riley, Keith (2011) Energetic and environmental benefits of co-digestion of food waste and cattle slurry: a preliminary assessment. Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 56 (1), 71-79. (doi:10.1016/j.resconrec.2011.09.006).

Record type: Article

Abstract

The research evaluated the feasibility of centralised pre-processing and pasteurisation of source-separated domestic food waste followed by transport to farms for anaerobic co-digestion with dairy cattle slurry. Data from long-term experiments on the co-digestion of these two substrates was used to predict gross energy yields; net yields were then derived from full system analysis using an energy modelling tool. The ratio of cattle slurry to food waste in the co-digestion was based on the nutrient requirements of the dairy farm and was modelled using both nitrogen and phosphorous as the limiting factor. The model was run for both medium-size and large farms in which the cattle were housed either all year round or for only 50% of the year. The results showed that the addition of food waste improved energy yields per digester unit volume, with a corresponding increased potential for improving farm income by as much as 50%. Data for dairy farms in the county of Hampshire UK, which has a low density of dairy cattle and a large population, was used as a stringent test case to verify the applicability of the concept. In this particular case the nutrient requirements of the larger farms could be satisfied, and further benefits were gained from the reduction in greenhouse gas emissions avoided through improved manure management and fertiliser imports. The results indicated that this approach offered major advantages in terms of resource conservation and pollution abatement when compared to either centralised anaerobic digestion of food waste or energy recovery from thermal treatment

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Banks_et_al_2011_RCR_Hants_-_scholar_text.pdf - Accepted Manuscript
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More information

e-pub ahead of print date: 6 October 2011
Published date: November 2011
Keywords: anaerobic digestion, food waste, cattle slurry, greenhouse gas, enewable energy, nutrient management
Organisations: Centre for Environmental Science

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 300478
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/300478
ISSN: 0921-3449
PURE UUID: 1dff6276-60cf-4944-b975-589eab6d0c7c
ORCID for Charles J. Banks: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0001-6795-814X
ORCID for Sonia Heaven: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0001-7798-4683

Catalogue record

Date deposited: 22 Feb 2012 12:44
Last modified: 15 Mar 2024 02:52

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Contributors

Author: Andrew M. Salter
Author: Sonia Heaven ORCID iD
Author: Keith Riley

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