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Anaerobic digestion (AD) is an important step in waste recovery. In Colombia, the production of citrus food significantly contributes to environmental impact via waste generation. In 2021, the waste produced, specifically citrus rind, amounted to 725,035 tons/year. During degradation, wastes generate leachate and greenhouse gases (GHGs), which negatively impact water sources (leachate), soil, and human and animal health. This article describes the design of a two-phase biodigestion system for the degradation of organic matter and biogas production. The system uses citrus waste to produce biogas with neutral emissions. The biodigestion process begins with the stabilization of the methanogenesis reactor (UASB), which takes approximately 19 days. During this period, the biogas produced contains approximately 60% methane by volume. Subsequently, the packed bed reactor operates for 7 days, where hydrolytic and acetogenic bacteria decompose the citrus waste, leading to the production and accumulation of volatile fatty acids. The final step involves combining the two phases for 5 days, resulting in a daily biogas production ranging from 700 to 1100 mL. Of this biogas, 54.90% is methane ( C H 4 ) with a yield of 0.51   L C H 4 g S V − 1 . This study assesses the methane production capacity of citrus waste, with the process benefiting from the pH value of the leachate, enhancing its degradability. Consequently, this approach leads to a notable 27.30% reduction in solids within the digestion system. The two-phase anaerobic biodigestion system described in this article demonstrates a promising method to mitigate the environmental impact of citrus waste while concurrently producing a renewable source of energy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Concentrating solar thermal (CST) energy applications are growing worldwide, especially in combined cooling, heat, and power processes. Building upon the analysis of a building's thermal comfort, and software simulations for CST, the current study evaluates a solar conditioning system integrated with absorption systems. The cooling system is equipped with single-, double- and triple-effect configurations cycle, production parameters, and thermal storage. The required fraction of auxiliary energy for the system operation is estimated. The results indicate that the double effect system is the best configuration for the adopted location in Brazil. The system's annual auxiliary energy demand is, approximately, 20%. Triple-effect systems require less energy at higher temperatures due to local direct radiation, which then leads to an intermittent operation and greater auxiliary energy demands. The methodology applied in this work could be adopted in different locations, with an emphasis on the possibility of testing smaller scale systems in small buildings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]