Enhancing Sustainable Biogas Generation Through a Real-Time Digital Twin of a Modular Bioreactor

Abstract

This article presents the design and research of a modular horizontal tubular bioreactor for efficient biogas production based on anaerobic digestion technology. The study combines a digital twin implemented in the MATLAB/Simulink environment with a physical bioreactor equipped with a sensor and control system. The developed mathematical model describes the biochemical processes of acidogenesis and methanogenesis, the thermal regime and the sensitivity of the system to key parameters. Numerical modeling and visualization methods were used for the analysis. The experiments were carried out for 30 days at a mesophilic temperature of 37 ° C, repeated three times to increase reliability. The raw material used was a mixture of cattle manure and food waste in a 3:1 ratio, with a total volume of 60 liters. Readings from temperature, pH, and methane sensors were taken every 10 minutes. Experimental data confirmed the high efficiency of the design: removal of up to 70.5% of volatile substances and methane yield of up to 80.5%. Predictive analysis has shown that the digital twin is able to predict the behavior of the system and apply corrective actions in real time. The novelty of the work lies in the integration of a digital twin with a physical bioreactor in real time through industrial communication protocols.