Bio-CSTR for biogas production from POME treatment – technology: Design and analysis

Bio Continues Stirring Tank Reactor, bio-CSTR, is the heart of any bio-process in which involving microorganism or its product in the process like microbes or enzymes are used in wide range manufacture application to produce bio-products like biogas. The performance of a bio-CSTR is influenced on many parameters and functions: complexity and interconnection process in the bio-CSTR that will affect to the product of bio-CSTR such as biological, chemical, physic and mechanical to produce, in this case, biogas. The using of Palm Oil Mill Effluent (POME), a liquid waste of palm oil industry, has low pH, containing suspended solid, grease and the microbial processing will produce biogas with contain corrosive compound, H2S. Based on existing bio-reactor at PTSEIK-BPPT, an assessment is conducted and further required in order to observe and analyze the effect for bio-CSTR made of mild stainless steel. It is important to closely consider the parameters like internal and external mass transfer, fluid velocity, and shear stress. The effects of such variables on biological cultures have been addressed in this work. Sophisticated and sound bio-CSTR design with unique performance characteristics is important in production of high quality biogas from POME. Understanding of the behavior in bio-CSTR would result in modified bio-CSTR designs and operation which are important to optimize throughput rates and minimizing cost. The paper discusses the bio-CSTR analysis and design by considering existing bio-reactors and various processes, which are useful to optimize biogas production from POME.