Anaerobic fermentation in LAMBDA MINIFOR laboratory fermenter
In the recent study by the Universidad Autónoma de Baja California, organic solid waste was fermented under anaerobic conditions to produce biogas in continuously stirrer lab scale digesters, LAMBDA MINIFOR laboratory fermenter of 7 liters capacity.
For the biodegradation process, the researchers fed organic solid waste as a substrate to the fermentation vessel of MINIFOR anaerobic lab digester, discharged treated effluent from the vessel output and collected the produced biogas by water displacement method.
During anaerobic fermentation, automated regulation and measurement of essential fermentation parameters such as pH and temperature with the integrated sensors were carried out in MINIFOR lab fermenter.
Maintaining anaerobic conditions made easy with MINIFOR lab fermenter!
With the MINIFOR laboratory fermenter, the anaerobic conditions are easy to maintain throughout the fermentation:
Complete sealing of reactor vessel for anaerobic fermentation
LAMBDA MINIFOR fermenter assures complete physical closure (sealing) of the vessel from the outer environment.
Permanent multi-seal silicone stoppers at the side necks allow an easy and perfect closure of probes, liquid and gas lines to the lab fermenter.
Figure 2: Complete closure of MINIFOR vessel ensures maintaining anaerobic conditions during fermentation.
Purging reactor vessel with N2 gas
For anaerobic process, controlled addition of inert N2 gas to fermentation vessel displaces the residual Air in the MINIFOR fermenter:
- Purging headspace with N2 gas
- N2 sparging for oxygen displacement in the medium
The axis of the agitation of the MINIFOR fermenter is equipped with the gas line and a self-cleaning microsparger. It will be sparging nitrogen (N2) continuously into the system.
H2S gas and protection of laboratory fermenter
During degradation of organic waste under anaerobic conditions, the produced biogas contains hydrogen sulphide (H2S) which is corrosive.
To protect both the laboratory fermenter and the biodegradation experiments from corrosion, LAMBDA Laboratory Instruments supplies glass reactor vessels for MINIFOR lab fermenter.
LAMBDA fermenter manufacturer offers customized replacement parts made with H2S resistant elastomers or polyurethane membranes for protection against H2S gas corrosion in the MINIFOR anaerobic digester.
Off-gas measurement of biogas production
The exhaust or outgas line of the MINIFOR laboratory fermenter allows the possibility to connect the devices to measure the concentration of carbon dioxide and methane:
- LAMBDA METHAMETER or CH4-METER measures the concentration of Methane in 0 – 5% pCH4 and / or 0 – 100%.
- LAMBDA CARBOMETER or CO2-METER measures the concentration of CO2 in 0 – 100%.
The gas flow meter MASSFLOW HS continuously measures the total gas flow from the exhaust gas line during laboratory fermentation processes, such as anaerobic digestion of organic waste in waste water or biogas production.
Source : https://www.lambda-instruments.com/news/detail/minifor-continuously-stirred-lab-scale-anaerobic-digesters/