Production of biogas and performance evaluation of existing treatment processes in palm oil mill effluent (POME)

Published Date
Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews
February 2015, Vol.42:1260–1278, doi:10.1016/j.rser.2014.10.073

Author 

• Yunus Ahmed ^a,c
• Zahira Yaakob ^a,b,,
• Parul Akhtar ^a
• Kamaruzzaman Sopian ^b

• aDepartment of Chemical and Process Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi, 43600, Selangor, Malaysia
• bSolar Energy Research Institute (SERI), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), Bangi, 43600 Selangor, Malaysia
• cDepartment of Chemistry, Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology (CUET), Chittagong-4349, Bangladesh

Received 17 January 2014. Revised 18 September 2014. Accepted 22 October 2014. Available online 18 November 2014. 

Abstract

Palm oil is an important edible oil in the global fats and oil market and its industry is also one of the prominent global agricultural industries. The production of crude palm oil reached 62.34 million tonnes in 2014. However, enormous volumes of production has subsequently discharged large volumes of a palm oil mill effluent (POME). POME is a remarkably contaminating effluent due to its high amount of COD, BOD and colour concentrations, which can affect the environment, especially water resources. However, it was recognized as a prospective source of renewable biogas such as biomethane and biohydrogen. Nowadays, with the global emphasis on sustainability, if we simultaneously operate wastewater treatment and produced renewable bio energy in the palm oil industry, then this industry can be environmentally sound, with cleaner production and greater sustainability. The aim of this review is to discuss various existing treatment processes (mainly anaerobic and aerobic digestion, physicochemical treatment and membrane separation) and factors that influence the treatment methods and conversion of POME to renewable biogas such as biomethane and biohydrogen on a commercial scale.

Keywords

Renewable biogas

POME

Anaerobic

Aerobic

Physiochemical treatment

Upflow anaerobic sludge-fixed film (UASFF) reactor

Membrane separation treatment

Abbreviations

AD, anaerobic digestion

AF, anaerobic filter

AFBR, anaerobic fluidized bed reactor

ABR, anaerobic baffled reactors

ASBR, anaerobic sequencing batch reactor

Alk, total alkalinity

AOPs, advanced oxidation processes

AT-POME, anaerobically treated palm oil mill effluent

BOD, biochemical oxygen demand

BPAC, banana peel activated carbon

BT-POME, biologically treated palm oil mill effluent

BSA, bovine serum abumine

BFR, Bio-fouling reducers

CA, cellulose acetate

CPO, crude palm oil

CSTR, continuous stirred tank reactor

CRT, cell retention time

COD, chemical oxygen demand

CGAs, colloidal gas aphrons

CH₄, methane

CO₂, carbon dioxide

DoE, Department of Environment

DAF, dissolved air flotation

DMF, N,N-dimethylformamide

EQA, Environmental Quality Act

EGSB, expanded granular sludge blanket

EC, electrocoagulation

FFB, fresh fruit bunches

FBR, fluidized bed reactor

FFA, free fatty acid

GAC, granular activated carbon

GHG, greenhouse gas

H₂, hydrogen

H₂O₂, hydrogen peroxide

HRT, hydraulic retention time

MLVSS, mixed liquor volatile suspended solids (MLVSS)

MIRHA, microwave incinerated rice husk ash

MAS, membrane anaerobic system

MF, micro-filtration

NF, nanofiltration

nZVI, nano zero-valent iron

OLR, organic loading rate

O&G, oil and grease

POME, palm oil mill effluent

PAC, powdered activated carbon

PAMS, propenoic acid modified sawdust

POMSE, palm oil mill secondary effluent

PES, polyethersulfone

PEG, polyethylene glycol

RBC, rotating biological contactor

RO, reverse osmosis

SCAR, suspended closed anaerobic reactor

SBR, sequencing batch reactor

SVI, sludge volume indices

SRT, solid retention time

SS, suspended solids

SG, specific gravity

TVS, total volatile solid (mg/l)

TKN, total Kjeldahl nitrogen

TS, total solids

TSS, total suspended solids

UFF, upflow fixed film

UASB, up-flow anaerobic sludge blanket reactors

UASFF, upflow anaerobic sludge-fixed film reactor

UF, ultra-filtration

US-EPA, US Environmental Protection Agency

VFAs, volatile fatty acids

VSS, volatile suspended solids

VUV, vacuum ultraviolet

---

Nomenclature

AD

Anaerobic digestion

AF

Anaerobic filter

AFBR

Anaerobic fluidized bed reactor

ABR

Anaerobic baffled reactor

ASBR

Anaerobic sequencing batch reactor

Alk

Total alkalinity

AOPs

Advanced Oxidation Processes

AT-POME

Anaerobically treated palm oil mill effluent

BOD

Biochemical oxygen demand

BPAC

Banana peel activated carbon

BT-POME

Biologically treated palm oil mill effluent

BSA

Bovin serum abumine

BFR

Bio-fouling reducer

CA

Cellulose acetate

CPO

Crude palm oil

CSTR

Continuous stirred tank reactor

CRT

Cell retention time

COD

Chemical oxygen demand

CGAs

Colloidal gas aphrons

CH₄

Methane

CO₂

Carbon dioxide

DoE

Department of Environment

DAF

Dissolved air flotation

DMF

N, N-dimethylformamide

EQA

Environmental Quality Act

EGSB

Expanded granular sludge blanket

EC

Electrocoagulation

FFB

Fresh fruit bunches

FBR

Fluidized bed reactor

FFA

Free fatty acid

GAC

Granular activated carbon

GHG

Greenhouse gas

H₂

Hydrogen

H₂O₂

Hydrogen peroxide

HRT

Hydraulic retention time

MLVSS

Mixed liquor volatile suspended solids (MLVSS)

MIRHA

Microwave incinerated rice husk ash

MAS

Membrane anaerobic system

MF

Micro filtration

NF

Nanofiltration

nZVI

Nano zero-valent iron

OLR

Organic loading rate

O&G

Oil and grease

POME

Palm oil mill effluent

PAC

Powdered activated carbon

PAMS

Propenoic acid modified sawdust

POMSE

Palm oil mill secondary effluent

PES

Polyethersulfone

PEG

Polyethylene glycol

RBC

Rotating biological contactor

RO

Reverse osmosis

SCAR

Suspended closed anaerobic reactor

SBR

Sequencing batch reactor

SVI

Sludge volume indices

SRT

Solid retention time

SS

Suspended solids

SG

Specific gravity

TVS

total volatile solid

TKN

Total Kjeldahl Nitrogen

TS

Total solids

TSS

Total suspended solids

UFF

Upflow fixed film

UASB

Up-flow anaerobic sludge blanket reactors

UASFF

Upflow anaerobic sludge-fixed film reactor

UF

ultra-filtration

US-EPA

US Environmental Protection Agency

VFAs

Volatile fatty acids

VSS

Volatile suspended solids

VUV

Vacuum ultraviolet

Subscripts

min

Minute

ha

Hectare

t

Tonne

m³

Cubic meter

kPa

Kilopascal

MPa

Megapascal

mg/L

Milligram per litre

m³(CH₄)/ kg COD_rem

Cubic meter methane per kilogram COD removed

m³(H₂)/ kg COD_rem

Cubic meter hydrogen per kilogram COD removed

kg COD/m³d

Kilogram COD per cubic meter per day

kg COD/m³h

Kilogram COD per cubic meter per hour

w/v

Weight to volume ratio

h

Hour

d

Day

V

Volt

A/m²

Ampere per square meter

RM

Malaysian Ringgit

 Table 1

Table 1.

 Table 2

Table 2.

 Table 3

Table 3.

Fig. 1.

 Table 4

Table 4.

 Table 5

Table 5.

 Table 6

Table 6.

• ⁎ 
  Corresponding author at: Department of Chemical and Process Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi, 43600, Malaysia. Tel.: +60 389216420; fax: +60 389216148.

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