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Limitations of biochemical methane potential testing in forecasting farm-scale digester performance under psychrotrophic conditions
Author(s)
Jaimes-Estévez, J.
Industrial University of Santander
Mendieta-Menjura, Oscar
Colombian Corporation for Agricultural Research - AGROSAVIA
Castro, Liliana Del Pilar
Industrial University of Santander
Escalante, Humberto H.
Industrial University of Santander
Martí-Herrero, Jaime
Universidad Regional Amazónica IKIAM
Date Issued
15 de enero de 2026
Type
Article
Publisher
Taylor and Francis Ltd.
Volume
47
Issue
2
Series/Report No.
Environmental Technology
Contained in
Environmental Technology (United Kingdom)
Start Page
171
End Page
181
ISSN
0959-3330
Abstract
This study evaluated the extent to which laboratory-scale biochemical methane potential (BMP) assays predict actual methane production in a full-scale tubular anaerobic digester operating under psychrotrophic conditions. The 8 m³ farm-scale digester, situated in a cold, high-altitude climate, was retrofitted with passive solar heating, resulting in an average sludge temperature of 21.5 ± 1.2°C. In contrast, the mean ambient temperature was kept at 10.6 ± 1.4°C. BMP tests were conducted using the digester influent and effluent as substrate and inoculum, respectively, at mesophilic (35 ± 2°C) and psychrotrophic (23 ± 2°C) temperatures. The methane yield in the full-scale system (0.36 Nm³ CH₄ kg-¹ VS), operated at an average temperature of 21.5°C, significantly exceeded the values obtained in the batch BMP tests (0.19 Nm³ CH₄ kg-¹ VS at 35°C and 0.18 Nm³ CH₄ kg-¹ VS at 23°C). No statistically significant correlation was found between laboratory and field data. These findings show the limited predictive power of BMP testing for farm-scale digester performance in decentralized, low-temperature environments.