Anaerobic Digestion

The process of turning waste into biogas, making fuel and fertilizer

Current Project:
Growing capacity of small-scale anaerobic co-digestion: A model system for microbreweries in Appalachia (EPA grant 00E03138)

System design for processing microbrewery waste for partnering microbrewery, Jackie O’s

Off-grid anaerobic digestion demonstrated in temperate climate at University.

This project tested the potential for:

  • convert GHG emissions from decomposing waste to fuel,

  • lower costs and impacts of waste management, and

  • lower costs and the environmental impacts of fertilizer production.

IMG_3382.JPG
Screen Shot 2017-12-16 at 6.37.25 PM.png

Aerial View of OHIO Composting

Ohio University has the largest in-vessel composting facility at any American University.

Uploaded by happytessworldwide on 2017-10-24.

Video about turning beer waste to biogas

Lab member Tess made a short video outlining the process of turning local beer brewing waste into biogas at our anaerobic digester.   Enjoy!

Funding sources: Environmental Protection Agency, National Science Foundation, United States Department of Agriculture, 1804 Fund

Publications:

Herman T, Nungesser E, Miller KE, Davis SC. 2022. Comparative fuel yield from anaerobic digestion of emerging food and brewery systems. Energies 15: 1538 https://doi.org/103390/en15041538.

Miller K, Herman T, Philipinanto D, Davis SC. 2021. Anaerobic digestion of food waste, brewery waste, and agricultural residues in an off-grid continuous reactor. Sustainability 13, https://doi.org/10.3390/su13126509.

Miller KE, Grossman E, Stuart BJ, Davis SC. 2020. Pilot-scale biogas production in a temperate climate using variable food waste. Biomass and Bioenergy 138: 105568.

Davis SC, Kauneckis D, Kruse NA, Miller KE, Zimmer M, Dabelko GD. 2016. Closing the loop: integrative systems management of waste in food, energy, and water systems. Journal of Environmental Studies and Sciences 6:11-24.