BioDEN: A biorefinery approach to exploit digestate as key feedstock in the energy – nutrient nexus

The project will focus on increasing the biogas yield under high organic loading, the recovery of ammonia via stripping and scrubbing with alternative solvents, and the recuperation of phosphorus with innovative precipitation and adsorption techniques.

The different technologies will be evaluated in an integrated value chain assessment, including pot trials and scenario analyses.

The objective of the BioDEN-project are:

(i) a 10-20% increase in the biogas production, due to reduced ammonia inhibition, release of bio-available organic matter and high organic loading rates,

(ii) an increase in the methane content of the biogas by 3-5% due to CO2-stripping, (iii) optimised processes for the recovery of nutrients into novel (ammonium citrate, ammonium bicarbonate) and known (ammonium sulphate, struvite, calcium phosphate) bio-fertilisers.

Check the Project website 

Project coordinator

• Biogas-E – Platform voor anaerobe vergisting, Belgium

Project Partners 

• VCM – Vlaams Coördinatiecentrum Mestverwerking, Belgium

• UGent – Ghent University, Belgium

• KU Leuven - Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium

• Ostim Enerjik - Ostim Renewable Energy and Environmental Technologies Cluster Association, Turkey

• UMarmara  – Marmara University, Turkey

Funding agencies