Our research group works on improving anaerobic digestion through the use of additives, with the aim of optimizing the process and making it more efficient and stable.
Process optimization with additives
It has been demonstrated that certain materials can:
- Increase biogas production.
- Enhance the methane concentration in biogas.
- Improve process stability, making it more resilient to operational changes.
Use of new materials in anaerobic digestion
The group’s research focuses on the addition of new materials such as:
- Iron nanoparticles and other metals.
- Biochar.
- Nanoparticles immobilized on biochar or other materials.
These strategies are studied in both mesophilic anaerobic digestion and in the psychrophilic temperature range, to better understand how they affect process performance under different conditions.
Process scale
We have equipment that allows the process to be studied at different scales:
🧪 Small scale: batch tests (<1 L) to analyze multiple variables.
⚙️ Laboratory scale: 2 L digesters operating in continuous mode.
🏭 Pilot scale: digesters of up to 100 L to validate results under conditions closer to industrial reality.
This research enables progress toward more efficient, sustainable, and scalable anaerobic digestion systems.