Case-specific modelling and experimental validation of a two-stage anaerobic digestion system for food waste using a modified ADM1 framework

Authors

  • Jasim Abdullah Ali Al Shehhi Faculty of Engineering, Sohar University, Sohar 311, Oman
  • Nitin Raut Faculty of Engineering, Sohar University, Sohar 311, Oman
  • Madan Jagtap Symbiosis Institute of Operations Management, Nashik Campus, Constituent of Symbiosis International (Deemed University), Pune 412115, Maharashtra, India https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6428-1241
Article ID: 737
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DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18686/cest737

Keywords:

two-stage anaerobic digestion; ADM1; food waste; methane production; dynamic modelling; process optimization

Abstract

This study presents a case-specific adaptation and experimental validation of a modified Anaerobic Digestion Model No. 1 (ADM1) for a laboratory-scale two-stage anaerobic digestion system treating food waste. The system separates acidogenic and methanogenic phases to improve process understanding under controlled conditions. Comprehensive substrate characterization, including total solids (TS), volatile solids (VS), chemical oxygen demand (COD), and biochemical composition, was incorporated into the model framework to ensure realistic simulation inputs. A dynamically coupled ADM1 model was developed in MATLAB/Simulink and calibrated using experimental data obtained from a custom-designed two-stage reactor. Model performance was evaluated using Root Mean Square Error (RMSE), R2, and Normalized Mean Bias Error (NMBE), demonstrating good agreement within the calibration domain (R2 ≈ 0.97). The effects of key operational parameters, organic loading rate (OLR), hydraulic retention time (HRT), temperature, and reactor volume ratio were analysed. Results indicate that stable operation occurs within a moderate OLR range, while excessive loading leads to volatile fatty acid accumulation and reduced methane productivity. The optimal conditions identified (OLR ≈ 4–4.5 kg VS/m3·day, HRT ≈ 15–20 days) are specific to the studied system and should not be generalized without further validation. The study highlights limitations related to model simplifications and short validation periods. The findings contribute to improved understanding of two-stage digestion behaviour and provide a basis for future model refinement, extended validation, and scale-up studies.

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Published

2026-06-23

How to Cite

Ali Al Shehhi, J. A., Raut, N., & Jagtap, M. (2026). Case-specific modelling and experimental validation of a two-stage anaerobic digestion system for food waste using a modified ADM1 framework. Clean Energy Science and Technology, 4(3). https://doi.org/10.18686/cest737

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Vol. 4 No. 3 (2026): In progress

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Article

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Copyright (c) 2026 Jasim Abdullah Ali Al Shehhi, Nitin Raut, Madan Jagtap

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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