Simulation of an Integrated Anaerobic Digestion and Combined Heat and Power System for Food Waste Utilization

Demand for renewable energy such as biogas is increasing because it is considered a clean and environmentally friendly source of energy and has the potential for minimizing carbon emissions. Biogas production through anaerobic digestion (AD) of organic materials is considered one of the most sustainable ways. It can be utilized directly or indirectly to generate heat, electricity, or mechanical energy for transportation. One of the most effective ways to use biogas is the combined heat and power (CHP) system, especially in combination with simulation software to facilitate the whole process without an actual experimental setup, easing the evaluation and analysis process. This study aims to develop an integrated model of AD for biogas production from food waste and CHP plants, through simulation using Aspen Plus software. The simulated results show that the developed process model can predict the heat and power produced from food waste feedstock.