Recovery Of Agro-Industrial By-Products For Anaerobic Digestion: Olive Pomace And Citrus Pulp

CRPA Lab has conducted anaerobic digestion tests in the experimental continuous pilot plants, of two agro-industrial by-products, olive pomace and citrus pulp. They were co-digested in mixtures with cattle manure and maize silage. Four mixtures were tested; the process was conducted in mesophilic conditions. Olive pomace and citrus pulp represented from 35 to 50% of volatile solids fed daily in reactors ( corresponding to about 30% by weight). Results of the tests showed that all mixture generated biogas in significant quantities, of which 57-58% is methane; the mixtures with citrus pulp has provided the best performance. However, during the test, appropriate attention to the evolution of the main parameters for the monitoring process were required.