Load preparation
Controlling municipal solid waste anaerobic (methane production) biodegradation processes is a key waste management issue, one which benefits from a significant R&D effort.
In this context, in situ or Bioreactor methane production consisting of placing waste in sealed storage containers and maintaining optimal biodegradation conditions by recirculating leachates is of particular interest.
The goal of pretreatment
Upstream waste preparation is essential to:
- control the quality of waste coming in: which avoid problems of heterogeneity, composition variability and moisture content,
- optimize the process by increasing the quantity of recoverable biogas,
- reduce the presence of inhibitors, disruptors of the process.
Thus, the overall "waste preparation and anaerobic digestion" system should, by accelerating biodegradation, encompass in one generation the impact associated with waste treatment, according to sustainable development principles (Brundtland, 1987).
In the mid-term, significant technological progress is expected in the waste recycling field. Indeed, developments in metrology (detection, identification and characterization techniques), signal processing and automation should significantly benefit the recycling industry. By detecting and extracting undesirable waste (batteries, fire extinguishers, etc.), it becomes possible to optimize downstream biological processes.
Economic interests/technological impact:
Under these conditions and insofar as the proposed project aims to improve methane production performance, a significant potential for national and international industrial and economic development becomes quite clear. In the mid-term, significant developments in upstream waste recycling, which should see broader use, will help get the most out of waste through materials recovery (metals for example) or energy recovery through the production of replacement fuels (SRF, Solid Recovered Fuel).