Experimental biogas research by anaerobic digestion of waste of animal origin and biodegradable garden waste

Abstract

Currently, one of the most efficient and prospective methods of biodegradable waste management is  anaerobic digestion in a bio-reactor. The use of this method for managing biodegradable waste generating in agriculture and elsewhere would result in the recovery of biogas that could be used as an alternative to natural gas. The article presents the results of the experimental tests of biogas production through  biological degradation of waste in a bio-reactor by using a mixture of pig manure (PM) and garden waste (GW) in a ratio of 90:10%, a mixture of hen manure (HM) and GW in a ratio of 90:10%. A higher  concentration of methane was recorded during the treatment of a pig manure and garden waste mixture in a ratio of 90:10%. The maximum concentration of methane reached 68.0%. Since the methane  concentration in this mixture was from 1.5 times higher than in the other mixture. The mixture of pig  manure and garden waste was better suitable for biogas and methane production. The biggest amount of bio-gas was registered in 22 days which amounted to 0.650 m³/m³d. The methane concentration in  biogas was largest (65%) and this mixture of organic wastes was the best for energy production. Anaerobic digestion of other mixtures showed the following biogas amounts and methane concentrations: 0.311 m3/m3d and 52% (in the case of a PM and GW mixture), respectively; and 0.39 m3/m3d and 26.7%  (a mixture of HM and GW), respectively.

Key words: Bio-reactor, biogas, methane, anaerobic digestion, garden waste.