ANALYSIS OF AN ANAEROBIC DIGESTION PROCESS USING OPTIMIZATION TOOLS

Anglica Maria Alzate I1 , Luis Gernimo Matallana P2 , Juan Bernardo Restrepo B3

1

Universidad Nacional de Colombia - Sede Manizales, Manizales, Colombia, amalzatei@unal.edu.co

Universidad Nacional de Colombia - Sede Manizales, Manizales, Colombia, lgmatallanap@unal.edu.co
3
Universidad Nacional de Colombia - Sede Manizales, Manizales, Colombia, jbrestrepob@unal.edu.co

keywords: Applications of Dynamical Systems in Engineering; Bifurcation theory and analysis; Dynamics of
Biosystems.
1. INTRODUCTION
Dynamic analysis is an important mathematical tool in
the study of chemical engineering systems. It provides a systematic framework in which to study the system behavior and
the sensitivity at variations in the parameters. However, some
numerical methods for the detection, computation, and continuation of equilibrium and bifurcation points of dynamical
systems, such as manifolds and numerical continuation [1],
by themselves are sometimes not be the best strategy in order
to obtain the optimal dynamic analysis of the system.
Due to the fact that most of chemical engineering processes
have highly non-linear dynamics, and constraints are also
frequently present on both the state and the control variables
[2], it is necessary to solve the mathematical model of these
systems as optimization problems.
2. OPTIMIZATION PROBLEM
Optimization is becoming more widely used in many application areas, most of the optimization models that are NLP
(Non Linear Programming) in chemical engineering, usually have multiple local solutions. The use of global algorithms to find stationary points of differentiable functions
based on convexification strategies result a good proposal to
solve such problems [3], compared with other iterative methods for finding roots of equations such as Newtons method,
which depend on the starting points and are designed for linear systems.
The algorithm for NLP solution requires smooth functions

Figure 1 Algorithm structure

and the resolution is based on different methods but it is almost impossible to predict how it will behave given NLP
solver with a NLP model. In this case we use Baron NLP
solver of the GAMS Software. The modeling languages
GAMS have had such a capability to use specific global
optimization algorithms, perform automatic derivatives, and
have been used in many practical large scale nonlinear applications.
The formulation of the optimization with GAMS (General
Algebraic Modeling System) for solve the dynamical system
correspond to:
min s
x,s

s.t.

h (x) s 0
h (x) s 0
s0
xl x xu

(1)

Where s is slack variable, x represents the state variables

vector and h(x) are the differential equations equaled to zero.
Figures 1 shows the structure of the algorithm using for the
bifurcation diagrams in dynamical analysis.
3. DYNAMIC ANALYSIS OF ANAEROBIC DIGESTION PROCESS
We considered the mathematical model of the anaerobic
process. The anaerobic digestion is a very complex process
in which a great number of bacterial populations intervene.
We assume that the dynamics of the system present two main
stages, acidogenesis and methanogenesis stage [4]. The dynamic model that describes the behavior is:
X 1 = 1 X1 DX1

(2)

X 2 = 2 X2 DX2

(3)

S 1 = D (S1in S1 ) k1 1 X1

(4)

S 2 = D (S2in S2 ) + k2 1 X1 k3 2 X2

(5)

C = D (Cin C) qC + k4 1 X1 + k5 2 X2

(6)

Z = D (Zin Z)

(7)

The kinetic variables 1 and 2 correspond Monod model for

acidogenesis and Haldane model for methanization, respectively. The model of the anaerobic digestion process initially
has been analized by [7] and [8]. In this work, we propose
an analysis of the system based on the reformulation and solution of the mathematical model as optimization problem.
Figure 2 presents the bifurcation diagram of X1 , X2 , S1 and
S2 variation of one parameter, D. The graphic presents two
limit points at D = 1.07 and three bifurcation points. The
curves represent two saddle-node bifurcation curves and two
transcritical bifurcation curves.
The first and second equilibrium branch point corresponds
to the washout of X2 and X1 , at D = 1.65 and D = 0.97.
The third branch point corresponds to the trivial equilibrium
to the washout of X2 but not of X1 at D = 0.91. The first
limit point corresponds to the washout of X1 but not of X2
at D = 1.07 in X2 = 0.48, the acidogenesis stage is not
presented therefore cannot perform the anaerobic digestion
in the bioreactor. The second limit point corresponds to the
trivial equilibrium point at D = 1.07 with X1 = 0.47 and
X2 = 0.68.
0.6

critical bifurcation. The last stage correspond to the washout

condition of acidogenic and methanogenic bacterias occurs
after a fold bifurcation.
Parameter
C, Cin
D
k1
k2
k3
k4
k5
qC
S1 , S1in
S2 , S2in
X1
X2

Meaning
Total inorganic carbon concentration (mmol/L)
dilution rate (d1 )
yield for substrate degradation (mmol/g)
yield for VFA production (mmol/g)
yield for VFA consumption (mmol/g)
yield for CO2 production (mmol/g)
yield for CO2 production (mmol/g)
carbon dioxide flow rate (mmmol/Lperday)
organic substrate concentration (g/L)
volatile fatty acids concentration (mmol/L)
concentration of acidogenic bacteria (g/L)
concentration of methanogenic bacteria (g/L)

References
[1] W. J. F. Govaerts, "Numerical Methods for the Bifurcation of Dynamical Equilibrium", SIAM, 2000.

18
Unstable
Stable
16

0.5

14
0.4

S1 (g/L)

X1 (g/L)

12
0.3

10

0.2
8
0.1
6
0

0.1
0.8

0.9

1.1

1.2

1.3

1.4

1.5

1.6

2
0.8

1.7

Unstable
Stable
0.9

1.1

D (day1)

1.3

1.4

1.5

1.6

1.7

D (day1)

Unstable
Stable

200

1.2
Unstable
Stable

[3] L. G. Matallana, Curso: "Modelado, simulacin y

optimizacin en GAMS", Universidad Nacional de
Colombia, 30 de Enero al 3 de Febrero de 2012.

180
160

0.6

140
S2 (mmol/L)

0.8

0.4
X2 (g/L)

1.2

0.2
0

[2] E. Balsa-Canto, J. R. Banga, A. A. Alonso and V. S.

Vassiliadis, "Dynamic optimization of chemical and
biochemical processes using restricted second order
information", Computers and Chemical Engineering,
Vol. 25, pp. 539-546, 2001.

120
100
80

0.2
60
0.4
40
0.6
20
0.8
0.8

0.9

1.1

1.2

1.3

1.4

D (day1)

1.5

1.6

1.7

0.8

0.9

1.1

1.2

1.3

1.4

1.5

1.6

1.7

D (day1)

Figure 2 Bifurcation diagram obtained varying D

4. CONCLUSION
We presented a dynamic analysis of the anaerobic model
proposed by [4], solved as optimization problem. The optimization tools are useful for nonlinear models, have the ability to obtain global solutions.
The bifurcation set obtained illustrates the complexity of
dynamical behavior. The bifurcation diagram presents bifurcations curves not previously reported in the literature.
The dynamic analysis of the anaerobic digestion mathematical model through the proposed algorithm allows obtained
global solutions that with other methods such as Newtons
method cannot be found.
The dynamic analysis showed that the trivial solution corresponds to the washout and it takes place in two stages.
The first stage corresponds to the washout condition of
methanogenic bacterias but not of the acidogenic bacterias
and occurs after a combination of fold and transcritical bifurcations and the washout of the reactor occurs after a trans-

[4] O. Bernard, Z. Hadj-Sadok, D. Dochain, A. Genovesi

and J. Steyer, "Dynamical model development and
Parameter identification for an anaerobic wastewater
treatment process", Biotechnology and bioengineering, Vol. 75, No. 4: pp. 143-438, November 2001.
[5] S. Ghosh and F.G. Pohland, "Kinetics of substrate assimilation and product formation in anaerobic digestion", Journal Water Pollution Control Federation, Vol.
46, No. 4, pp. 748-759, Abril 1974.
[6] C. D. Maranas and C. F. Floudas, "Finding All Solutions of Nonlinearly Constrained", Journal of Global
Optimization, Vol. 7: pp. 143-182, May 1995.
[7] J. Hess and O. Bernard, Advanced dynamical risk
analysis for monitoring anaerobic digestion process,
AIChE, Vol. 25, No. 3, pp. 643-653, 2009.
[8] A. Rincon, F. Angulo and G. Olivar, "Control of an
anaerobic digester through normal form of fold bifurcation", Journal of Process Control, Vol. 19, pp. 13551367, 2009.