Thermophilic anaerobic digester performance under different feed-loading frequency.

The effect of feed-loading frequency on digester performance was studied on a thermophilic anaerobic digester with a working volume of 27.43 m(3). The digester was fed 0.93 m(3) of chicken-litter slurry/d, containing 50.9 g/L chemical oxygen demand. The treatments were loading frequencies of 1, 2, 6, and 12 times/d. The hourly pH, biogas production, and methane percent of the biogas were less stable at lower feed frequencies. There was no statistical difference among treatments in methanogenic activity. The feed-loading frequency of six times per day treatment provided the greatest biogas production.