Advancement of A Lab-Scale Anaerobic Biodigester to Implement Monitoring and Sensing Technologies: A Promising Educational Instrument for Reducing Carbon Emissions and Combating Climate Change

Abstract

This study showcases a laboratory-scale anaerobic biodigester designed to introduce monitoring and sensing methods for tracking microorganism growth based on various parameters, including redox potential, pH, pressure, and temperature, measured in a near-continuous manner. A microcontroller system (Atmega328—Arduino) was employed for this purpose. The design's foundation lies in flexible and open-source software, hardware, and firmware (Scilab, Arduino, Processing), making it easily adaptable for other relevant research. The biodigester was developed as an educational tool for engineering students to gain a deeper understanding of its operation and to track the system's properties and progression over time. This enables the creation of property curves, which can be correlated for a more comprehensive understanding of biodigester functionality. The study specifically explored the connection between the oxidation-reduction reaction and microbial activity, demonstrating that redox potential can effectively measure microorganism growth in an anaerobic environment. Ultimately, this laboratory-scale biodigester serves as an introduction to the technology typically utilised for controlling carbon footprints, particularly in the wastewater sector, and consequently contributes to climate change mitigation efforts.

Keywords: wastewater; low-carbon; biodigester; laboratory scale; open-source tools

DOI: 10.7176/JNSR/14-8-04

Publication date:May 31^st 2023