Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering
Agricultural Waste Management


Anaerobic Digestion of Agricultural Wastes

Anaerobic digestion of agricultural wastes is a primary research area within the Agricultural Waste Management Laboratory working group led by Dr. Robert Burns.  Increasing interest in producing renewable energy has led to renewed interest in the anaerobic digestion of agricultural wastes.  The Agricultural Waste Management Laboratory group is currently involved with lab, bench, and full scale anaerobic digestion projects.  The Agricultural Waste Management Laboratory has the capability to characterize substrates (pH, alkalinity, volatile fatty acids, COD, TS, TSS, TDS, VS, VSS, TKN, NH4, Total P, and dissolved reactive P) and to access substrate digestion potential.  It maintains an 80-L inoculum reactor to provide biomass for the lab's extensive Biochemical Methane Potential Assay and Anaerobic Toxicity Assay capacity.  Additionally, the working group maintains a fabrication shop at LEBRC (an off campus research facility) with the capabilities of developing bench and pilot scale systems as needed. 

 

Agricultural Waste Management Laboratory Services:

NOTE: BMP and ATA samples need to be submitted and paid for prior to November 16th to be processed in 2009. BMPs and ATAs requested after that date will be processed beginning January 4th following our return from the holiday break. Samples should not be shipped during December without making arrangements with the laboratory.

Related Research Publications:

Bishop, G., R. Burns, T. Shepherd, L. Moody, C. Gooch, R. Spajic. 2009. Evaluation of Laboratory Biochemical Methane Potentials as a Predictor of Anaerobic Dairy Manure Digester Biogas ad Methane Production. Proceedings of the 2009 ASABE International Meeting. June 21-24, 2009. Reno, Nevada.

Spajic, R., R. Burns, L. Moody, D. Kralik. 2009. Anaerobic Digestion System Selection for Croatian Swine Manures. Proceedings of the 44th Annual International Symposium on Agriculture. Opatijia, Croatia.

Moody, L., R. Burns, W. Wu-Haan, R. Spajic. 2009. Use of Biochecmical Methane Potential (BMP) Assays for Predicting and Enhancing Anaerobic Digester Performance. Proceedings of the 44th Annual International Symposium on Agriculture. Opatijia, Croatia.

Muhlbauer, E., R. Burns, L. Moody, R. Spajic. 2009. A Review of Available Resources on Anaerobic Digestion Technologies. Proceedings of the 44th Annual International Symposium on Agriculture. Opatijia, Croatia.

Wu-Haan, W, R.T Burns, L.B. Moody, C.J. Hearn, D. Grewell. 2008. Evaluation of Effects of Ultrasonic Pretreatment on Biogas Production Potential from Corn Ethanol By-products. Proceedings of the 2008 ASABE International Meeting. Providence, RI.

Beddoes, J.C., K.S. Bracmort, R.T. Burns, W.F. Lazarus. 2007. 6 Nov. 2007. Biomass Energy Technical Note No. 1- An Analysis of Energy Production Costs from Manure Anaerobic Digestion Systems on U.S. Livestock Production Facilities. NRCS-USDA. www.nrcs.usda.gov.

Zitomer, D. H., R. T. Burns, M. Duran and D. S. Vogel. 2007. Effect of Sanitizers, Rumensin and Temperature on Anaerobic Digester Biomass. Transactions of the ASABE. Vol. 50 (5): 1807-1813.

Burns, R. T., J. Beddoes, K. Bracmort. 2007. Status of Manure Anaerobic Digesters in the United States. Proceedings of the International Conference on 21st Century Challenges to Sustainable Agri-Food Systems. Pages 476-481.

Hawkins, G. L., D. R. Raman, R. T. Burns, R. E. Yoder, and T. L. Cross. 2001. Enhancing Dairy Lagoon Performance with High-Rate Anaerobic Digesters. Transactions of the ASAE. 44(6):1273-1278.

Hawkins, G.L., D.R. Raman, R.T. Burns, R.E. Yoder, and T.L. Cross. Reducing Dairy Lagoon Organic Loading Rates with High-Rate Anaerobic Digesters. Proceedings of the 8th International Symposium on Animal Agriculture and Food Processing Wastes. Ed. James A. Moore. pp. 362 - 371. Des Moines, Iowa, 9-11 October. ASAE, St. Joseph, MI.

Beal, L.J., R.T. Burns, K.J. Stalder. Effect of Anaerobic Digestion on Struvite Production for Nutrient Removal from Swine Waste Prior to Land Application. Proceedings of the 1999 ASAE Annual International Meeting, Toronto, Canada. Paper No. 994042. 1999.

Useful Online Resources: