Evaluation of Biogas Production from the Digestion and Co-Digestion of Animal Waste, Food Waste and Fruit Waste (Published)
The increased use of fossil fuels for energy consumption has causes environmental problems both locally and globally. The study investigates the anaerobic digestion in the production of biogas a renewable energy from the digestion and co-digestion of three different types of biodegradable wastes (cow dung, fruit waste and food waste) as an alternative for fossil fuels for energy consumption. This was carried out using a 25 Litres capacity plastic keg prototype biogas plant, constructed to investigate the anaerobic digestion in generating biogas. The experiment was batch operated and daily gas yield from the plant was monitored for 30 days. The slurry temperature and pH were also monitored and presented. The digester was charged with these wastes in the ratio of 1:1, of waste to water respectively. The mesophilic temperatures range attained within the testing period were 25 – 28.4 and a slurry temperature range of 24.4 -28.4. The result obtained from the biogas production showed that the co-digestion of cow dung and food waste produced the highest biogas of 164.8%, followed by the co-digestion of the three waste (cow dung, fruit waste and food waste) which has a percentage of 91.0%, co-digestion of cow dung and fruit waste (83.9%), cow dung of 79.8%, food waste of 77.4% and fruit waste of 76.4% within this retention period. During the digestion period, the volume of biogas production and the changes in pH indicate that the pH decreases as the retention period increases. These results showed that co-digestion wastes produce more biogas than when the wastes are ordinarily used for biogas production. The study recommends that biogas is not just a renewable energy source but also an appropriate way of managing waste, having potential to replace fossil fuel.
Keywords: Anaerobic Digestion, Biodegradable Wastes, Biogas, Fossil Fuel, Renewable Energy
Evaluation of Biogas Production from the Digestion and Co-Digestion of Animal Waste, Food Waste and Fruit Waste (Published)
The increased use of fossil fuels for energy consumption has causes environmental problems both locally and globally. The study investigates the anaerobic digestion in the production of biogas a renewable energy from the digestion and co-digestion of three different types of biodegradable wastes (cow dung, fruit waste and food waste) as an alternative for fossil fuels for energy consumption. This was carried out using a 25 Litres capacity plastic keg prototype biogas plant, constructed to investigate the anaerobic digestion in generating biogas. The experiment was batch operated and daily gas yield from the plant was monitored for 30 days. The slurry temperature and pH were also monitored and presented. The digester was charged with these wastes in the ratio of 1:1, of waste to water respectively. The mesophilic temperatures range attained within the testing period were 25 – 28.4 and a slurry temperature range of 24.4 -28.4 . The result obtained from the biogas production showed that the co-digestion of cow dung and food waste produced the highest biogas of 164.8%, followed by the co-digestion of the three waste (cow dung, fruit waste and food waste) which has a percentage of 91.0%, co-digestion of cow dung and fruit waste (83.9%), cow dung of 79.8%, food waste of 77.4% and fruit waste of 76.4% within this retention period. During the digestion period, the volume of biogas production and the changes in pH indicate that the pH decreases as the retention period increases. These results showed that co-digestion wastes produce more biogas than when the wastes are ordinarily used for biogas production. The study recommends that biogas is not just a renewable energy source but also an appropriate way of managing waste, having potential to replace fossil fuel.
Keywords: Anaerobic Digestion, Biodegradable Wastes, Biogas, Fossil Fuel, Renewable Energy