Anaerobic digestion process and bio-energy in meat industry: A review and a potential

Greenhouse gases especially methane has been proven to have a significant effect on global warming and climate changes. Large share of methane is emitted to the environment from wastewater treatment plants mostly from uncovered anaerobic digesters. The estimated methane emission is approximately 618 Mt carbon dioxide-equivalents (CO2-e) globally. Methane emissions from uncovered anaerobic digesters can be avoided by carrying out some modification to the treatment process and design. These potential modifications were illustrated in details in this paper. The aims are to gain better understanding of anaerobic digestion process and its performance. This paper is discussing and analysing the difficulties associated with anaerobic digestion process specifically in meat industry and many methods to overcome these problems. There are many ways for enhancing the performance of anaerobic digestion process such as through simulation, co-digestion, addition of surfactants, pre-treatment and optimal digester design. It is obvious that solving the problems associated with anaerobic process may raise investors' interest in covered anaerobic digesters and as a consequence will remarkably reduce emission of greenhouse gases. Anaerobic digester would not only function as a water treatment process but as a resource of renewable energy as well. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.