A Simple Mathematical Model of the Anaerobic Digestion of Wasted Fruits and Vegetables in Mesophilic Conditions

• Main Authors: Elena Chorukova, Ivan Simeonov
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Bulgarian Academy of Sciences 2015-04-01
• Series: International Journal Bioautomation
• Subjects: Anaerobic digestion; Wasted fruits and vegetables; Laboratory experiments; Pilot-scale experiment; Mathematical model; Parameters identification; Verification
• Online Access: http://www.biomed.bas.bg/bioautomation/2015/vol_19.suppl. 1/files/19.s1_04.pdf

Anaerobic digestion is an effective biotechnological process for treatment of different agricultural, municipal and industrial wastes. Use of mathematical models is a powerful tool for investigations and optimisation of the anaerobic digestion. In this paper a simple mathematical model of the anaerobic digestion of wasted fruits and vegetables was developed and verified experimentally and by computer simulations using Simulink. A three-step mass-balance model was considered including the gas phase. The parameter identification was based on a set of 150 days of dynamical experiments in a laboratory bioreactor. Two step identification procedure to estimate 4 model parameters is presented. The results of 15 days of experiment in a pilot-scale bioreactor were then used to validate the model.