Exploiting Olive Mill Wastewater via Thermal Conversion of the Organic Matter into Gaseous Biofuel—A Case Study

Olive oil is one excellence of the Italian food industry: around 300 kt yr−1 are produced, creating roughly same amount olive mill wastewater (OMW) to be disposed of. The present work describes a process exploit OMW by converting its organic compounds valuable gaseous biofuel. A sample was characterized (COD, TOC, solids, and polyphenols) submitted membrane filtration tests concentrate compounds. Based on results experiments, treatment outlined: retentate streams from microfiltration ultrafiltration steps were fed cracking steam reforming reactor, respectively; obtained syngas then mixed sent methanation reactor. simulated with Aspen Plus (AspenTech©) software, assessing operating conditions compositions: final biofuel 81 mol.% methane, 4 hydrogen, 11 carbon dioxide. permeate stream cannot directly of, but both polluting charge greatly reduced. heat needed process, mainly due endothermic reactions, can burning an pomaces, corresponding one-third left treatments giving rise processed feed.