JOINT RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT BETWEEN

UNIVERSITI PUTRA MALAYSIA

FELDA PALM INDUSTRIES SDN. BHD.
KYUSHU INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

BIOMETHANE PRODUCTION FROM PALM OIL MILL EFFLUENT (POME) IN

A SEMI-COMMERCIAL CLOSED ANAEROBIC DIGESTER

Presenters: Alawi Sulaiman, Zainuri Busu, Shahrakbah Yacob

Environmental Biotechnology Group, Department of Bioprocess Technology
Faculty of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences
Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM)

Japan Society on Promotion of Science (JSPS)

Seminar on Sustainable Palm Biomass Initiatives
29th November 2007

Professor Dr. Mohd Ali Hassan
Faculty of Biotechnology& Biomolecular
Sciences
Universiti Putra Malaysia
43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
Tel: +603 89467591
alihas@bioteach.upm.edu.my
www.biotech.upm.edu.my
Project Leaders
Professor Dr. Yoshihito Shirai
Graduate School of Life Science &
Systems Engineering
Kyushu Institute of Technology
2-4, Hibikino, Wakamtsu-ku,
Kitakyushu,808-0196 Japan
Tel: +8193 6956070
shirai@life.kyutech.ac.jp
Mr. Zainuri B. Busu
FELDA Palm Industries Sdn. Bhd.
4th Floor, Balai FELDA,
Jalan Gurney Satu
54000 Kuala Lumpur
Malaysia
Tel: +603 26916980
zainuri.b@felda.net.my
Preamble
Biomass existing in nature represents a storehouse of solar energy and is
continuously reprocessed in a biological cycle (renewable).

The majority of biological decomposition processes in nature takes place

involving the consumption of oxygen and, at the same time, the production
of CO2.

A smaller proportion undergoes anaerobic conversion which gives rise to

biogas containing a high percentage of methane representing a
significant energy source.
Global Methane Budget (TG Methane/Yr) -
Without human interruption the (Ehhalt and Prather, 2001)
release of methane could be
easily absorbed by the eco-system
Natural
BUT with industrialization and release
human activities, the emission of 36%

methane has increased which

partly contributed to the global Anthropogenic
warming phenomena sources
64%
Energy Requirement
Global scenario :
Depletion of fossil fuels reserves
Rising of oil price
Energy Balance Report 2003
Depletion of reserves
Political uncertainties oil producers

Malaysia scenario :
Growing demand - developed nation
by 2020
Limited fossil fuel reserves
Net oil importer soon

Rising of crude oil price

 The climate change
The greenhouse effect and global warming are
two major factors contributed to the catastrophic
implications of the global climate change.

Uncontrolled industrialization/human activities has

increased the GHG content which increase in heat
trapped in the atmosphere (1.4-5.8oC in the 21st
century), resulted in increase of the sea level and
changing weather pattern and water supplies and
eventually affect the WORLD FOOD Supply and
natural ecosystem
Kyoto Protocol (1997) - objective is to achieve
sustainable development via quantification of
emission limitation and reduction of GHG
Clean Development Mechanism (CDM)
reduction of GHG emission by facilitating co-
operative projects between developing
countries and developed countries with the
opportunity for additional financial and
technological investments in GHG reduction
projects.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_warming_potential
 Greenhouse Gases under Kyoto Protocol
The GWP is defined as the ratio of the
time-integrated radioactive forcing from
the instantaneous release of 1 kg of a trace
substance relative to that of 1 kg of a reference gas
(IPCC, l990):
For example, the GWP for methane is 21 means that
emissions of 1 million metric tonnes of methane is
equivalent to emissions of 21 million metric tonnes of
carbon dioxide.

Methane
Methane
GWP: 21
GWP: 21
Carbon Nitrous
Carbon Nitrous
dioxide oxide
dioxide oxide
GWP: 1 GWP: 310
GWP: 1 GWP: 310

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_warming_potential

GHGs
GWP
Sulphur
Sulphur Perfluorocarbons
hexafluoride Perfluorocarbons
hexafluoride GWP: 9,200
GWP: 23,900 GWP: 9,200
GWP: 23,900

Hydrofluorocarbon
Hydrofluorocarbon
s
s
GWP: 11,700
GWP: 11,700
Biomass resources: Agricultural residues

Most abundant in Malaysia - (> 70 million tones annually)

Main contributor of biomass 1% 1%

4%

palm oil industry

EFB (solid)
POME (liquid)
Fiber (solid)
Shells (solid)

Mainly ligno-cellulosic materials

Structure:
94%

Palm Oil Rice Sugarcane Wood Industry

 Biomass output from the palm oil mill

Shell Excess shell

(19,200 t/yr) (12,288 t/yr)
47% shell
Fiber Steam generation
(38,400 t/yr) 100% fiber (192,000 t/yr) to generate
60 t/hr Mill 1.3 MW power
Fresh
Fruit
Bunch EFB Incineration Soil mulching
(70,400 t/yr) 60% EFB /Disposal 40% EFB

POME
(160,000 m3/yr)
Treated &
discharged
Maintenance Cost
RM 40,000/yr

From estimation of 28m3 * 0.65 / m3 POME

For 47 million m3 POME would produce

855 million m3 of CH4.

POME Sources and characteristics

POME
sources 80000

70000

C O D F e e d (m g L -1 )
60000

50000

40000

30000
1 10 19 28 37 46 55 64 73 82 91
Operation days

Common COD Strength

Sludge recycling period COD Feed
fluctuations
Non sludge recycling period COD Feed
for 100 days
Start-up period COD Feed

of study
 Palm Oil Industry - POME

POME treatment facility

anaerobic, facultative and aerobic
Algae ponds Open tanks system
Discharge limit 100 mg/L
> 70% of total mill area i.e 20 hectares for 60t/hr mill

Facultative ponds
Open digester system

Open tanks system

Biogas emission - 28m3/m3
POME,with 65% methane
content
Untapped renewable energy

Biogas Mill usage OR

Biogas
Closed digester system Polishing grid
Engine
stage connection
Research Project Motivation

Better management of palm oil mill effluent Sustainable palm oil industry
(POME)

Replacement for open lagoon system

(improvement)

Reduction of land use for treatment

Prevention of bad odor emission (H2S gas)

Technology
Reduction of greenhouse gas emission (i.e CH4) transfer

Recovery of methane gas for renewable energy

Carbon credit through Certified Emission

Reduction (CER) for CDM programs

Technology transfer for closed anaerobic

digester
The biogas plant location

Distribution of palm oil plantations in Malaysia.

Plantation areas are shown in red

Source: MPOB homepage on

www.mpob.gov.my

Malaysia
The biochemistry
Anaerobic
Anaerobic digestion
digestion is
is a
a biological
biological process
process that
that produces
produces a
a gas
gas principally
principally composed
composed of
of methane
methane
(CH
(CH44)) and
and carbon
carbon dioxide
dioxide (CO(CO22..

Anaerobic
Anaerobic processes
processes could
could either
either occur
occur naturally
naturally or
or in
in a
a controlled
controlled environment
environment such
such asas a
a biogas
biogas
plant.
plant. Organic
Organic waste
waste such
such as
as livestock
livestock manure
manure and
and various
various types
types of
of bacteria
bacteria are
are put
put in
in a
a digester
digester so
so
the process could occur. Depending on the waste feedstock and the system design,
the process could occur. Depending on the waste feedstock and the system design, biogas is biogas is
typically
typically 55
55 to
to 75
75 percent
percent pure
pure methane.
methane.

Hydrolysis: complex organic matter is decomposed into

simple soluble organic molecules using water to split the
chemical bonds between the substances.

Acidogenesis: the chemical decomposition

of carbohydrates by enzymes, bacteria, yeasts, or molds
in the absence of oxygen.

Acetogenesis: the fermentation products are converted

into acetate, hydrogen and carbon dioxide by so-called
acetogenic bacteria.

Methanogenesis: methane (CH4) is formed from acetate

and hydrogen/carbon dioxide by methanogenic bacteria...
 Process Flow Scheme

Process flow diagram of the semi-commercial 500m3 single stage closed anaerobic digester;
1-Fresh Raw POME from the mill; 2-Centrifugal pump; 3-Sampling ports; 4-Gas collection chamber;
5-Biogas safety relief system; 6-Settling tank; 7- Sludge recycling pump; 8- pH probe;
9- Temperature probe; 10- pH probe for scrubbing liquid (NaOH Solution).
5

Purified
Methane
Recycling line to To storage
4 6
holding tank

9
8

Gas
Scrubber
System
Palm Oil Mill
Effluent (POME)
Holding Tank
500 m3 10
3 Closed Anaerobic
Digester

Treated
7
Effluent
2
1
 Process Flow Scheme

HOLDING TANK
Continuous feeding GAS SCRUBBER
Biogas polishing

Sludge recycle

DIGESTER
Methane fermentation

SETTLING TANK GAS STORAGE

GAS UTILIZATION
Sludge separation Methane storage
Performance Comparison

Parameters Open digester Closed anaerobic

system digester

COD removal 81% 97%

efficiency (%)

HRT (days) 20 10

Methane utilization Released to Recoverable

atmosphere
Biogas flare (night and day)
Methane yield 0.11 0.20 (target)
(kgCH4/kgCODrem
oved)
Methane content 36 55
(%)
Biogas production 28 20
(m3/tone POME)
Solid discharge 20 8
(g/L)
Start-up of the digester
Seeding used sludge from the
Similar waste (open digester)
60 8.00
and diluted to 5% TS.
7.00
50

O rg a n ic lo a d in g ra t e (O L R )
The start-up was completed 6.00
within a month after 40

HRT, V Feed
acclimatization phase. 5.00

30 4.00
The V Feed was increased from
3.00
10m3/d, 20m3/d, 30m3/d, 40m3/d 20
and 50m3/d. 2.00
10
1.00
The HRT was reduced from 50 days
down to 10 days. 0 0.00
1 5 9 13 17 21 25 29 33
The OLR was automatically increased Operation days
from 1.0 kgCOD/m3/day to
HRT (days) V Feed OLR
6.0 kgCOD/m3/day.
The relationship between HRT, V.Feed and
organic loading rate (OLR) during start-up operation.
The digester performance
during the start-up period

High COD Feed fluctuation, yet 100.00 80000

the system still stable COD measures the organic strength of the raw POME
70000

C O D R em E ff , V F A :A lk
10.00 60000
High COD removal efficiency
of higher than 90% 50000

C O D F ee d
1.00 40000
COD Rem. Eff. = COD Feed COD Treated X 100% 1 5 9 13 17 21 25 29 33
COD Feed 30000
0.10 20000

Operation days 10000

VFA increased with OLR 0.01 0

but the VFA/Alkalinity ratio
was within the optimum VFA:Alk COD Rem. Eff. (%) COD Feed

range (0.1-0.3)
The COD Rem. Eff. (%), VFA to alkalinity ratio and
COD Feed fluctuation during the start-up period.
The effect of increasing
organic loading rate
OLR was increased by increasing
the V Feed to the digester; thus
HRT was reduced
HRT=500m3 10000 0.45
VFeedm3/day
0.40
VFA increased 1000 VFA Steady increased

O L R , V .F e e d , V F A , C O D R e m . E f f
(steadily after OLR 1.5) but still maintained
0.35

below 1000 mg/L (critical limit) 0.30

M e th a n e y i e l d
100
0.25

Alkalinity reduced as more 0.20

alkaline needed in order to 10
0.15
maintain neutral pH condition
0.10
(pH 6.8-7.2) 1
1 10 19 28 37 46
0.05

VFA/Alkalinity increased but still 0.1 0.00

within acceptable limit (0.1-0.3) Operation days

OLR V.Feed VFA COD Methane Yield

Methane yield reduced from 0.17
to 0.10 kg CH4/kgCOD removed The effect of increasing OLR on VFA, COD removal
efficiency and methane yield.
The effect of sludge recycling
on the digester performance
Comparison of the digester performance
The effects of sludge recycling
parameters for the sludge recycling and non
are clear: recycling modes
The operating OLR was higher Mean SD Mean SD Mean SD
(6.0 kgCOD/m3/day) than Organic VFA (mgL ) -1
COD Rem.Eff. (%) Methane yield
-1)
without case (4.0 kgCOD/m3/day) rate
loading (kgCH kgCODremoved 4

(OLR) Sludge Non-sludge Sludge Non-sludge Sludge Non-sludge

recycling recycling recycling recycling recycling recycling
The VFA accumulation was 1.0 - 23822 - 961.0 - 0.170.02
restricted to below 500 mg/L as 1.5 - 24320 - 961.7 - 0.140.14
compared to 1300 mg/L at OLR of
2.0 284122 41277 971.6 940.9 0.170.0 0.160.15
only 4.0 kgCOD/m3/day 4
2.5 26832 46742 960.7 950.2 0.170.0 0.120.12
1
3.0 29367 709138 952.1 941.0 0.140.0 0.120.12
COD removal efficiency was 1

higher even at higher OLR

3.5 25576 98794 960.8 911.9 0.150.0 0.100.09
1
4.0 22489 1300262 943.5 911.2 0.140.0 0.070.07
1
Methane yield was higher
4.5 34388 - 962.8 - 0.140.0 -
1
i.e at OLR 4.0 kgCOD/m3/day
5.0 33685 - 951.6 - 0.130.0 -
1
yield was 0.14 kgCH4/kgCODremoved5.5 43283 - 941.2 - 0.120.0
1
-

as compared to 6.0 500109 - 962.0 - 0.100.0

1
-

0.07 kgCH4/kgCOD removed SD-Standard deviation

Conclusion

The pilot plant design was appropriate for treatment and biomethanation of POME

The biomethanation of POME in a semi-commercial scale was successfully demonstrated.

The biogas plant was start-up and operated within a month after acclimatization period.

Despite high fluctuation of COD the plant was still able to be operated due to its simple
and effective design for POME.

The biogas plant was started-up without sludge recycling and received its peak load at 50
m3/day indicating suitable seeding from the existing open digester tank.

The sludge recycling mode was found to be an effective technique to enhance methane
yield.

Moreover, the technique also ensured higher OLR (up to 6.0 kgCOD/m3/day) to be
operated while restricting VFA accumulation (only to 500 mgL-1) within the system.

The methane yield was improved to 0.14 kgCH4/kgCODremoved

at OLR of 4.0 kgCOD/m3/day while maintaining good COD removal efficiency at higher
than 90%
Special acknowledgements

1. Environmental Biotechnology Group Universiti Putra Malaysia

(Technical and research-MSc. And PhD)

2. Kyushu Institute of Technology (KIT) Japan and

Japan Society for Promotion of Science (JSPS)
(Technical and funding)

3. FELDA Palm Industries (M) Sdn. Bhd.

(Site and engineering works)

4. Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) (PhD scholarship)