Technological, Economic, and Environmental Optimization of Energy and Material Utilization of Biodegradable Waste

• UCT Prague - coordinator
• Pražské vodovody a kanalizace, a.s.

The main objective of the project is to design an optimal procedure for the energy utilization of three representative types of biodegradable waste (BRO) through co-fermentation with sewage sludge.

Technological optimization will focus on:

• Thermal pre-treatment of BRO at operational temperatures (mesophilic/thermophilic)
• Fermentor configuration (single-stage vs. two-stage)
• Organic loading rate and its distribution between the first and second stages of the process
• Temperature phase separation and other factors that significantly influence process stability and biogas production

Optimizing these parameters will enable safer waste processing with improved energy yield and reduced environmental impact.

The second goal is environmental optimization, emphasizing the minimization of climate change-related factors. This will be achieved by comparing selected scenarios using the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) method.

The third goal is economic optimization, aimed at reducing transportation and associated operational costs while maximizing the benefits of energy and material recovery from BRO.

The fourth goal is to develop a mathematical model capable of simulating the potential of the proposed procedures for application in other specific cases.

The project “Technological, Economic, and Environmental Optimization of Energy and Material Utilization of Biodegradable Waste” is co-financed with state support from the Technology Agency of the Czech Republic and the Ministry of the Environment under the “Environment for Life” programme. This project was funded through the National Recovery Plan from the European Recovery and Resilience Facility.