8-12 July 2013
Africa/Johannesburg timezone
<a href="http://events.saip.org.za/internalPage.py?pageId=13&confId=32"><font color=#ff0000>SAIP2013 PROCEEDINGS AVAILABLE</font></a>

Performance monitoring of a Field-Batch Biogas Digester fed with agricultural wastes at different mixing ratios

10 Jul 2013, 17:40
1h
Poster Presentation Track F - Applied Physics Poster2

Speaker

Mr Patrick Mukumba (university io Fort Hare Physics Department)

Abstract content <br> &nbsp; (Max 300 words)

Biogas technology converts organic wastes into biogas, which consists of about 80% methane. The digester effluent after digestion can be used as manure. The co-digestion of cow dung, donkey dung, goat dung and horse dung at different mixing ratios was investigated. The investigation was carried out using a 1 m3 field batch biogas digester. The co-digestion of 25% cow dung and 25% donkey dung with 25% horse dung and 25% donkey dung produced the highest total biogas yield of 6.96 m3. However, the co-digestion of 37.5% cow dung and 37.5% donkey dung with 12.5% horse dung and 12.5% goat dung produced a total biogas yield of 6.3 m3. In addition, the co-digestion of 12.5% cow dung and 12.5% donkey dung with 37.5% horse dung and 37.5% goat dung produced the least total biogas yield of 5.82 m3. The substrates were analyzed for total solids, volatile solids, total alkalinity and calorific value before they were co-digested at different mixing ratios. The ammonia-nitrogen for all the mixtures was within the expected range (150 to 1000 mg/L) for optimum methane production while the pH values ranged from 6.8-8.1 for all co-digestion trials. The mixture of 25% cow dung and 25% donkey dung co-digested with 25% goat dung and 25% horse dung produced the biogas yield with the highest methane yield of 70% than the other mixing ratios.

Apply to be<br> considered for a student <br> &nbsp; award (Yes / No)?

Yes

Would you like to <br> submit a short paper <br> for the Conference <br> Proceedings (Yes / No)?

Yes

Level for award<br>&nbsp;(Hons, MSc, <br> &nbsp; PhD)?

PhD

Main supervisor (name and email)<br>and his / her institution

Dr G Makaka GMakaka@ufh.ac.za University of Fort Hare

Primary author

Mr Patrick Mukumba (university io Fort Hare Physics Department)

Co-authors

Dr Golden Makaka (University of Fort Hare) Dr Sampson Mampheli (University of Fort Hare)

Presentation Materials

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