Kinetic data for the acid phase anaerobic digestion were presented in this study and the constants were determined with acid production rate and gas production rate. Process models based on continuous culture theory were used to describe the characteristics of the acid forming microorganisms and to enable further development toward utilization of the process in a more rational manner. Acid phase digestion can be separated with appropriate manipulation of hydraulic retention time in anaerobic digestion. Kinetic analysis of data from the various hydraulic retention times using a phase specific model obtained from the acid phase indicated maximum specific growth rate of 0.40/h, saturation constant of 2,000㎎COD/ℓ, yield coefficient of 0.35 ㎎VSS/㎎COD utilized and decay constant of 0.04/h for the acid production rate. Similar analysis of data for the gas production rate indicated maximum specific growth rate of 0.003/h, saturation constant of 2,200㎎COD/ℓ, yield coefficient of 0.0035 ㎎VSS/㎎COD utilized and decay constant of 0.06/h.

Methane production from grain dust was studied using a 3 L laboratory-scale anaerobic plug flow digester. The digester was operated at; temperature of 35, 45, and 55℃ hydraulic retention time(HRT) of 6 and 12 days; and influent concentration(S_0) of 7.8 and 9.0 % total solids(%TS). With ten different operation conditions, this study showed the significant effects of temperature, hydraulic retention time, and influent concentration on methane production, The highest methane-production rate achieved was 1.903 (L methane) /(L digester)(day) at 55℃, 6 days HRT, and S_0 of 7.8 %TS. A total of 3.767 L of biogas per day with a methane content of 50.57% was obtained from this condition. The ultimate methane yield(B_0 was found to be a function of temperature and influent concentration, and was described as : B_0= 0.02907T-0.1263-0.00297(T-10)(%TS), where TS is the total solids in the liquid effluent, and T is temperature(℃). Our results showed that thermophilic condition is better than mesophilic for grain dust stabilization in an anaerobic plug flow digester.