Open Access

Optimized Surfactant-Integrated Mechanical Pretreatment Framework for Maximizing Biomethane Production from Food Waste Streams

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Dr. Sandeep B. Reddy ¹ , Dr. Kavita M. Iyer ¹ ,

⁴ Department of Civil and Structural Engineering, Advanced Institute of Infrastructure Technology India

⁴ Department of Artificial Intelligence and Data Science, Indian Center for Smart Systems Engineering India

Abstract

The increasing generation of food waste and the global demand for sustainable energy solutions have intensified interest in anaerobic digestion (AD) as a viable pathway for biomethane production. However, the intrinsic recalcitrance of organic substrates and inefficient hydrolysis remain critical limitations. This study proposes an optimized surfactant-integrated mechanical pretreatment framework aimed at enhancing biomethane yield from food waste streams. The research systematically investigates the synergistic interaction between mechanical disruption and surfactant-assisted solubilization to improve substrate accessibility and microbial biodegradability. A multi-parametric optimization model incorporating particle size reduction, surfactant concentration, and energy input is developed to maximize methane yield while minimizing operational costs. Experimental simulations and analytical modeling reveal significant improvements in volatile solids reduction, solubilization efficiency, and methane productivity. The findings demonstrate that the integrated pretreatment approach enhances hydrolysis kinetics and microbial activity, leading to improved process efficiency. Comparative evaluation with existing pretreatment techniques highlights the superior performance of the proposed framework. The study contributes to advancing waste-to-energy systems by offering a scalable, energy-efficient, and economically viable solution for biomethane production.

Keywords

Biomethane production, food waste, anaerobic digestion, mechanical pretreatment

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International Journal of Renewable, Green, and Sustainable Energy

Optimized Surfactant-Integrated Mechanical Pretreatment Framework for Maximizing Biomethane Production from Food Waste Streams

Abstract

Keywords

References

Most read articles by the same author(s)

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