Qualitative Analysis of a Three-Stage Anaerobic Digestion Model with Microbial Decay

Abstract

We extend a three-stage anaerobic digestion model by incorporating microbial mortality into the hydrolysis of particulate organic matter. The model describes hydrolysis, acidogenesis, and methanogenesis, each with distinct dilution and decay rates, and accounts for non-monotonic growth in order to capture substrate inhibition. Two hydrolysis mechanisms are considered: a first-order formulation and a biomass-dependent one. The latter distinguishes hydraulic washout from intrinsic mortality and leads to different persistence conditions. For both models, we establish well-posedness and prove the positivity and boundedness of solutions. We then characterize all equilibria and analyze their local stability with respect to key operating parameters. The inclusion of microbial mortality provides a more general and biologically relevant framework, thereby enriching the qualitative dynamics compared to the classical AM2 model.