The invention relates to an apparatus for the conversion into biogas of
fermentation stillage arising as a waste product of ethanol production.
This apparatus comprises a separation unit for the separation of the
fermentation stillage into a thin fraction and a thick fraction, at least
one biogas reactor for fermenting the thin fraction and/or the thick
fraction, and a storage tank. According to a first aspect of the present
invention, two biogas reactors are provided, to separate the thin
fraction and the thick fraction independently of one another. According
to a second aspect of the present invention, a nitrogen sink is provided
downstream of the storage tank to provide, from the reactor effluent,
process water with low or no nitrogen content which may then be fed to
the reactor and/or the bioethanol plant. According to a third aspect the
invention is characterised by a combination of a single-stage separation
unit and a heavy-duty biogas reactor with a pore-free flow path.