Performance Evaluation of Anaerobic Co- Digestion of Cow Dung and Bagasse for Biogas Production

Abstract

Energy plays very important roles on the national security of any country; it has become a basic need for modern society to strive. In recent times, the cost of energy has increased significantly, due to a growing global demand for energy and the decreasing availability of fossil fuel sources. Many countries are adopting environmental policies promoting the production and consumption of alternative, sustainable and renewable energy sources. This thesis analyzed the biogas production from anaerobic co-digestion of Cow Dung and Sugarcane Bagasse; the experiment was conducted under a batch process at thirty (30) days retention time. Eight (8) number of 10 litres digesters are fed with Cow dung, Bagasse and inoculum of Rumen fluid at various mixtures for Digester 1: 0%SG:100% CD+ Inoculum. For Digester 2: 30%SG: 70%CD +Inoculum. For Digester 3: 70%SG:30%CD + Inoculum and Digester 4 100%SG:0% CD. Digester 5:0%CD:100% SG, Digester 6: 30%CD: 70%SG, Digester 7:70%CD:30%SG and Digester 8:0%SG:100% CD. The digestion process took place at room temperature for thirty (30) days under mesophilic (28 and 45oC) conditions. The proximate composition of the substrates before anaerobic digestion revealed D 1 had the highest Moisture content and Ash content (83.83), (12.83), D4 had highest Total Solid (51.22), D5 had highest Volatile Solid, Carbon content, and BOD of (10.83), (4.32), (2.40) respectively, D7 had the highest Nitrogen (2.93). After the anaerobic digestion D7 had the highest moisture content (89.42), D4 had the highest Total solid (31.8), D2 had the highest Volatile solid and Ash content of (9.63), (11.63) respectively. D5 had the highest Carbon content, Nitrogen, and BOD of (4.21), (3.11) and (200).  From the analysis of the result after fermentation, anaerobic co- digestion of the Reactor 2 or Digester with the combination of 30%SG: 70%CD +Inoculum produces more volume of biogas. These values were either reduced or increased as a result of the breakdown of molecules during fermentation the substrate where subjected to ignition and where volatilized as when compared to before the broken down by microorganisms because the digestion is a microbial enhanced process.