TAMAYAO, JEANNIE Q.

VILLAMOR, JOCELLE

Conversion of Spent wash from Distillery to Biogas and Liquid Fertilizer

Fe(III) process water

Diammonium Phosphate lime
Urea

Chemical
Dosing Tank

milk of lime
+ Biogas
Nutrients Urea
Heat Exchanger (CH4,CO2,H2S)
Raw Spent Wash Spent wash at
Biomethanated
from Distillery Settling 50-55C
Tank Sump Pit Spent wash
Biodigester

Screening
Flocculation
Sedimentation

Figure 1. Process Flow of Pretreatment of Spent wash from Distillery

Figure 2. Anatomy of Feed Preparation of Spent wash from Distillery to Reactor

Raw Material:

The spent wash generated from distilleries (mainly from ethanol distillation) has high chemical
oxygen demand (COD) (80,000100,000 mg/L) and biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) (40,00050,000
mg/L), high temperature, is dark brown in colour having low pH (4.04.5). The spent wash is produced as
a result of the fermentation and distillation of molasses or sugarcane syrup.

Feed Preparation:
The initial stages before feeding spent wash to the digester are physical and chemical treatments.
Physical treatments include screening and settling of solid particles. Since spent wash contains metals and
organic compounds, electro coagulation and chemical coagulation is needed. Lime is added with process
water in a chemical dosing tank to produce milk of lime which neutralizes the pH of the spent wash. It is
also used as coagulant to treat distillery spent wash to effectively remove chemical oxygen demand.
TAMAYAO, JEANNIE Q.
VILLAMOR, JOCELLE

In the same way, Fe(III), urea and Diammonium phosphate, (NH4)2HPO4 is mixed together to remove the
color and other metals present in spent wash

The electro-coagulation reaction occurring at the electrodes for Iron is:

At anode:
Fe(s) Fe2+ + 2e-
Fe2+ + 2OH- Fe(OH)2

At cathode:
Fe + 2H2O Fe(OH)2 Fe(OH)2 + H2
Fe+2 + 1.5H2O + 0.25O2 FeOOH(s) + 2H+

Anaerobic Digestion
The reaction that occurs in biodigester is anaerobic digestion which has four phases namely:
hydrolysis, acidogenesis, acetogenesis and methanogenesis.
During hydrolysis, enzymes excreted by fermentative bacteria convert complex, heavy and
undissolved materials into less complex and lighter materials.

Reaction: 4H2 + CO2 CH4 + 2H2O

In acidogenesis, dissolved compounds are converted to simple compounds such as NH3, H2S, H2 and CO2.
Digestion products are then converted to H2, CO2 and new cell matter.

Reaction: CH3COOH CH4 + CO2

Methanogenesis is the last phase where acetate, hydrogen plus carbonate, and formate or methanol is
converted to CH4, CO2, H2S, and new cell matter.

Reaction: CH3OH 3CH4 + CO2 + 2H2O

Urea is added to the reactor as nutrients for the microorganisms. The addition of N and P to maintain the
COD removal efficiency and sludge growth. The required ratio of COD biodegradable, N and P is:
TAMAYAO, JEANNIE Q.
VILLAMOR, JOCELLE

COD biodegradable: N : P = 300: 5: 1