Digital monitoring system for anaerobic bioreactor conditions based on information on biogas volume, biogas pressure and methane gas content

Abstract

Abstract The operational conditions of the anaerobic bioreactor can be predicted using three parameters, such as biogas pressure, biogas mass flow rate, and methane gas content. This research will present a monitoring system for the operational conditions of an anaerobic bioreactor through the measurement of those operational parameters based on knowledge data. The knowledge-based monitoring system is equipped with an interface for connectivity with pressure sensor, mass flow rate and methane gas content sensor, so that it can monitor the condition of the bioreactor in real time. The implementation of bioreactor monitoring is applied at bioreactors in Pakal Benowo Forest, Surabaya. The trial test was carried out under three different conditions: In the morning (around 08.00 AM) indicated information on the methane gas content of 72.5% LEL, biogas pressure 7.3 kPa and mass flow rate biogas 0.3 liters per minute. The second one during the day (around 11.00 AM) indicates information on the methane gas content of 56.5% LEL, biogas pressure 1.1 kPa and biogas mass flow rate of 0.3 liters per minute. The last, in the afternoon (around 03.00 PM) indicates information on the methane gas content of 51.1% LEL, biogas pressure of 1.1 kPa and biogas mass flow rate of 0.3 liters per minute. From those results, our monitoring system is able to identify the operational conditions of the anaerobic bioreactor.