Performance comparison and energy recovery potential analysis of anaerobic digestion systems for high-lipid food waste

REN Yuanyuan; LI Yemei; HE Ziang; LI Yuyou

doi:10.13205/j.hjgc.202510002

Volume 43 Issue 10

Oct. 2025

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REN Yuanyuan, LI Yemei, HE Ziang, LI Yuyou. Performance comparison and energy recovery potential analysis of anaerobic digestion systems for high-lipid food waste[J]. ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING , 2025, 43(10): 14-21. doi: 10.13205/j.hjgc.202510002

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REN Yuanyuan, LI Yemei, HE Ziang, LI Yuyou. Performance comparison and energy recovery potential analysis of anaerobic digestion systems for high-lipid food waste[J]. ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING , 2025, 43(10): 14-21. doi: 10.13205/j.hjgc.202510002

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Performance comparison and energy recovery potential analysis of anaerobic digestion systems for high-lipid food waste

doi: 10.13205/j.hjgc.202510002

REN Yuanyuan^1,2,
LI Yemei¹,
HE Ziang³,
LI Yuyou^{1,3
,
,}

1. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Tohoku University, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8579, Japan;
2. School of Energy and Environmental Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083, China;
3. Department of Frontier Science for Advanced Environment, Graduate School of Environmental Sciences, Tohoku University, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8579, Japan

Received Date: 2025-09-15
Accepted Date: 2025-10-15
Rev Recd Date: 2025-10-02

Available Online: 2025-12-03

Publish Date: 2025-10-01

Abstract

Abstract

With rapid urbanization， the generation of food waste has increased significantly， and its high-lipid fraction presents both high methane potential and challenges to anaerobic digestion （AD） stability. This study systematically evaluated the anaerobic valorization performance of high-lipid food waste under different temperatures and process configurations， using mesophilic single-phase anaerobic digestion （MAD）， thermophilic single-phase anaerobic digestion （TAD）， and mesophilic anaerobic digestion coupled with a membrane system （AnMBR） as case studies. Results showed that in the MAD system， at TS-lipid/TS-substrate ≤50%， methane yield and biogas production reached 587 mL/g VS and 3.55 L/（L·d）， respectively， with a methane fraction of 66.96% and lipid degradation efficiency exceeding 90%， achieving the highest energy return ratio. The TAD system further increased treatment capacity up to TS-lipid/TS-substrate = 70%， with methane yield reaching 638 mL/g VS， indicating that high temperatures enhance hydrolysis and methanation. The AnMBR system operated stably at 36% lipid content， with slow membrane fouling， effluent COD of 2%， and coordinated microbial growth and sludge accumulation. Comparative analysis suggests that MAD is suitable for scenarios with TS-lipid/TS-substrate ≤50% where economic efficiency is prioritized， TAD is preferable for rapid biogas production or higher lipid loads， and AnMBR allows further load increase while maintaining high effluent quality and system stability. These findings provide theoretical insights and engineering guidance for process optimization， system selection， and energy recovery from high-lipid food waste.

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References

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