Control of anaerobic digestion processes based on methane production and the state of the process

Everything under control? - Despite an increasing number of biogas plants in Germany, automatic controls for the anaerobic digestion process are still in the developing phase, where approaches with different methods and under differing control purposes are studied. Basically all attempts have in common that a securely stable process operation to prevent process failure is the basic performance requirement for any control strategy. Further reaching objectives are to optimize the operation of the process according to specific needs and thereby to contribute to better use existing potentials and as well to facilitate simple, low-cost and clear handling for the operation. - A control based on methane production and the state of the process is shortly introduced here. 1. Aim of the research a control system which: • is easy to handle, • is able to ensure a stable process, • is based on commonly installed measurements equipment or which can be set up easily by additional new on-line measurements like for example equipment based on near-infrared-spectroscopy (NIRS) (s. Stockl (2009)), • allows to conduct the anaerobic process to user-defined operation states.