2026-09-23T19:28:27Z https://www.ideals.illinois.edu/oai-pmh

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/129775 2026-02-10 col_2142_5131 col_2142_14770 com_2142_5130 com_2142_3518 com_2142_234

application/pdf en text Submission published under a 24 month embargo labeled 'Closed Access', the embargo will last until 2027-05-01 The student, Junhyung Park, accepted the attached license on 2025-05-03 at 02:51. The student, Junhyung Park, submitted this Thesis for approval on 2025-05-03 at 03:30. This Thesis was approved for publication on 2025-05-09 at 11:29. DSpace SAF Submission Ingestion Package generated from Vireo submission #22186 on 2025-10-19 at 19:55:42 Integrated anaerobic digestion and electrodialysis process model for enhanced volatile fatty acids recovery from thin stillage Park, Junhyung 2025-05-09 Cusick, Roland Electrodialysis Anaerobic Digestion Volatile Fatty Acids Techno-economic Analysis Resource Recovery eng Anaerobic digestion (AD) is widely applied for renewable energy recovery via biogas production. However, due to the abundant availability and low price of natural gas, biogas as a renewable energy source faces economic limitations. To enhance the sustainability and economic viability of AD, recent efforts have focused on uncoupling methanogenesis to produce valuable carboxylates, especially volatile fatty acids (VFAs). Efficient separation and recovery of these VFAs represent significant technological and economic challenges. This study focuses on modeling and optimizing integrated AD and electrodialysis (ED) processes for enhanced VFA production and separation. The Anaerobic Digestion Model No. 1 (ADM1) was modified within the QSDsan platform to accurately represent fermentation pathways, including lactate and ethanol formation. Experimental data obtained from continuous operation of hybrid bioreactors inoculated with cow manure, using glucose and thin stillage as substrates, were used to calibrate the model. Simulation results demonstrated the critical influence of operational pH on the metabolic pathways, promoting either biogas or VFA production. An ED process model developed in BioSTEAM allowed for the evaluation and optimization of key operational parameters such as membrane area, current density, and hydraulic retention time under steady-state and continuous conditions. Techno-economic analysis (TEA) revealed membrane area and current density as critical cost determinants, with optimized conditions significantly reducing energy consumption and operating costs. Overall, this integrated modeling approach provides valuable insights into the scalability and economic feasibility of sustainable carboxylate recovery processes, offering a competitive alternative to traditional separation methods such as multi-effect evaporation. 2025-05 Text https://hdl.handle.net/2142/129775 Copyright 2025 Junhyung Park Civil & Environmental Eng Civil Engineering University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign M.S. Thesis