Increase Biogas production
Challenges in Biogas Production
To increase biogas production in anaerobic digestion (AD) systems, a biological process, often encounters several challenges: variations in feedstock quality and consistency, fluctuations in process parameters such as temperature and pH, and the overall health of the microbial community involved in digestion, usually cause these challenges. Furthermore, the quality of digestate—the byproduct of anaerobic digestion—can be compromised by incomplete digestion or contamination. Another significant issue is the buildup of calcium, struvite, and biofilm in the system, which can obstruct equipment, reduce operational efficiency, and lead to costly maintenance and downtimes. These factors collectively impact both the productivity and sustainability of biogas production systems.
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What is Xcelbio
Xcelbio’s innovative substrate includes a carefully designed combination of naturally occurring microorganisms and bacterial phages to enhance anaerobic digestion (AD) processes. The microorganisms facilitate the breakdown of organic waste, while the bacterial phages, which specifically target bacteria, help regulate microbial populations by suppressing harmful strains and promoting beneficial ones.
The substrate is 100% organic, consisting of Archaea, a single-cell microorganism, some 3.6 billion years old, naturally found in extreme environments, plant-based cellulose from hay, and nutrient-rich seaweed extracts. These components provide essential nutrients that support microbial activity and improve the efficiency of organic matter degradation, making Xcelbio an environmentally friendly, organic and sustainable solution for optimizing AD systems.
Xcelbio drives biogas production through multiple mechanisms:
Enhanced Microbial Performance: By supporting beneficial microorganisms and controlling harmful ones, Xcelbio ensures thorough and efficient waste decomposition.
Process Stability: It mitigates microbial fluctuations in AD systems, maintaining consistent performance and steady biogas output.
Improved Feedstock Breakdown: Xcelbio ensures even degradation of feedstock, increasing digestion efficiency.
Higher Yield Efficiency: Combining optimised microbial activity and balanced processes produces higher biogas yields per ton of organic material..
Increase Biogas production
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How it works
What are Phages
A phage is a virus that explicitly targets bacteria. The term “bacteriophage” comes from Greek words meaning “to eat” bacteria, reflecting their function. Phages can target certain bacterial strains, making them useful in medicine and biotechnology, as they can eliminate harmful bacteria without affecting beneficial ones.
Phages follow two lifecycle patterns:
Lytic Cycle: The phage injects its genetic material into a bacterium, uses its machinery to produce new phages, and causes the bacterium to burst, releasing new phages.
Lysogenic Cycle: The phage’s genetic material integrates into the bacterial genome and remains dormant until triggered to enter the lytic cycle.
Phages have applications in phage therapy, biotechnology, and bioremediation. In Xcelbio, phages regulate bacterial populations in anaerobic digestion (AD) systems, promoting beneficial microbes that enhance organic waste breakdown.
Increase Biogas production
How it works
How Xcelbio is used
Xcelbio’s concentrated substrate is fermented in a biocatalyst tank (its capacity is generally 1% of daily feedstock input) with potable water at a 40,000:1 ratio, operating at 27 – 29°C to optimise microbial activity. The resulting liquid, enriched with micronutrients, co-factors, and bacterial phages, enhances microbial performance in the AD reactor. This automated process continuously adds the liquid at 1% feedstock input into the AD reactor, ensuring optimal microbial activity and improved waste digestion.
This tank is ideally placed indoors but can be used outdoors with weather protection to ensure the liquid temperature remains within the required range.
How it works
Improving Digestate Quality
In addition to increasing biogas output, Xcelbio enhances the quality of digestate, the nutrient-rich byproduct of anaerobic digestion. Digestate serves as a valuable fertilizer, but its quality depends on the efficiency of the digestion process and the absence of harmful substances.
Xcelbio improves digestate quality by boosting nitrogen availability, a critical nutrient for plant development. This enhancement makes the digestate a more effective fertilizer, promoting healthier plant growth and improved crop yields.
How it works
Increase Biogas production
Reducing unwanted buildups
The accumulation of scaling, struvite, and biofilms pose significant challenges in anaerobic digestion systems. These deposits can be caused by the solution and obstruct pipelines, tanks, or other components, disrupting flow and system function.
Scaling (Calcium carbonate) often occurs in systems with hard water or specific substrates.
Struvite (magnesium ammonium phosphate) typically forms in environments with elevated ammonia and phosphate levels.
Biofilms (extracellular polymeric substances—EPS) are crucial for breaking down organic matter and producing biogas; concentrating these microorganisms where they are most beneficial to digestion without compromising efficiency is vital.
All these buildups contribute to inefficiencies, system downtimes, and increased maintenance costs.
Xcelbio addresses these by optimizing microbial activity to break down calcium, magnesium and biofilm buildup more efficiently. This approach helps prevent deposit formation, maintain system performance, and minimize maintenance requirements.
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Conclusion
Xcelbio is a highly effective solution for optimising anaerobic digestion systems. It enhances biogas production, improves digestate quality, and reduces the buildup of problematic substances like scale, struvite, and biofilm. By stabilising biological processes, promoting microbial activity, and improving waste breakdown, Xcelbio increases the efficiency of AD systems, making them more effective for energy production and waste management.
The product’s innovative combination of naturally occurring microorganisms and bacterial phages makes it an organic, sustainable and environmentally friendly option for improving anaerobic digestion. By addressing key issues that reduce system performance, Xcelbio improves biogas yield and digestate quality and extends the lifespan of anaerobic digestion systems, providing long-term benefits for waste treatment facilities. Ultimately, Xcelbio contributes to more efficient and sustainable waste management, renewable energy production, and agricultural practices.
