01 / Test panel
Feedstock characterisation
Understand the material the plant will actually receive. A representative sample helps separate useful organic input from moisture, ash and contamination.
- Total solids, volatile solids, moisture and ash
- pH, C:N ratio, COD and nutrient assessment as required
- Contaminants and inhibition concerns
- Comparison of proposed feedstocks and received batches
02 / Test panel
Methane-potential assessment
Use a biochemical methane potential test to assess a sample under controlled conditions. The result supports a design discussion and must be distinguished from a plant output guarantee.
- BMP with the gas and solids reporting basis stated
- Cumulative methane production and degradation behaviour
- Method, blanks and control information
- Interpretation alongside feed preparation and the proposed process
03 / Test panel
Digester process health
Review biological trends against the plant's established operating baseline. Testing is most useful when the sample can be connected with feed changes, loading and process history.
- pH, alkalinity and volatile fatty acid relationships
- Ammonia and relevant inhibition indicators
- Solids and organic loading trends
- Temperature, retention time and feed-recipe correlation
04 / Test panel
Gas and performance review
Connect composition and operating records to the question being investigated. Raw-gas quality, upgrading performance and saleable output require different measurement boundaries.
- CH₄, CO₂, H₂S and oxygen data review
- Gas yield against feed and volatile solids input
- Raw and upgraded gas trend comparison
- Prioritised investigation and corrective-action guidance
What the result can and cannot establish
A BMP result describes methane potential under its test conditions. It does not on its own establish a full-scale retention time, stable loading rate or continuous output. Likewise, a single pH reading does not establish that a digester is healthy. The interpretation should state the evidence, its limitations and any additional checks needed.
For a running plant, combine laboratory trends with measured feed and gas data. Keep the sample date aligned with operating events and record intervening changes. A result received after the plant has changed its recipe needs to be interpreted against the conditions at the time of sampling.
Read the BMP worked example ↗