Valorization of cheese-making residues in biorefineries using different combinations of dark fermentation, hydrothermal carbonization and anaerobic digestion

Dark fermentation (DF), hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) and anaerobic digestion (AD) are applied, in different combinations, to cheese whey (CW), which is the liquid effluent from the precipitation and removal of milk casein during the cheese-making process. The aim and novelty of this research is to investigate the production of various biofuels (H₂-rich gas, hydrochar and biogas) in cascade, according to the waste biorefinery concept. The simplest case is the direct AD of CW. The second investigated possibility is the preliminary HTC of CW, producing hydrochar, followed by the AD of the process water from which hydrochar is separated by filtration. The third possibility is based on DF of CW, followed by the AD of the fermentate (F) from DF. The final possibility is based on DF of CW, followed by HTC of the F, and then AD of the process water. Accordingly, the physical and chemical properties of CW, F, resulting hydrochar and process water (PW), and biomethane potentials of CW, F, and process waters are studied to determine the energy and carbon balances of all variants. In brief, the first variant, direct AD of CW, is believed to be the most energy efficient method.