Biogas Production from Steam-Exploded Maize Stover: Results from Continuous Anaerobic Tank Bioreactor Tests

Steam explosion pretreatment of lignocellulosic biomass presents a promising technology for agricultural residues before anaerobic degradation. This study aimed to assess biogas production in continuously stirred tank reactors using steam-exploded maize stover mono-digestion. The continuous digestion tests were carried out four fermenters with capacity 150 L under mesophilic and thermophilic conditions. Maize was pretreated at 173 °C 15 min. Four different organic loading rates (OLR) tested, the methane rate monitored, parameters such as dry matter (DM), volatile solids (VS), pH, C:N analyzed. results showed that system over range an OLR from 1.0 3.5 kg VS m–3 d–1 is feasible nitrogen additive only. maximum yield, 637 LN d–1, measured conditions d–1. trend increased gas increasing observed applied OLRs, although average yield mode higher than it one.