Green Energy & Expo

Biography

Biography: José Marín-Batista

Abstract

Anaerobic digestion is mature technology to convert organic waste in biogas, a mixture between CH4 and CO2. Chicken manure (CM) is an attractive substrate for anaerobic digestion due to high available organic matter mainly composed by proteins. When proteins degrade anaerobically, they produce ammonia, that in excess decrees yield of the process. Process inhibition is mitigated by co digestion of CM with carbon-rich organic waste. Anaerobic co digestion (AcoD) improves nutrient balance represented in better C/N ratio. Thus, it is important to choose a blend ration with synergisms effect since improvements in methane production is mainly a result of increasing in organic loading rate [2]. This study evaluated the feasibility of sugarcane molasses (SCM) as a co-substrate for anaerobic digestion (AD) of chicken manure (CM). Different CM to SCM ratios (1:0, 3:1, 1:1, 1:3 and 0:1 on volatile solid basis) were evaluated through biomethane potential assays (BMP) (39°C). 95% confidence regions (biodegradability vs. hydrolysis kinetic) were determined for a statistical comparison between BMPs. Total reducing sugar, total volatile fatty acids, total ammonia nitrogen, pH and alkalinity were also analyzed as response variables of process performance. Interactions between substrates were evaluated by increment on degradation extent and rate of the both substrates. According to results, all mixtures showed a synergistic effect. The highest methane yield of 0.54 m3 CH4/kg VS was observed with CM to SCM ratio of 1:3. It is concluded SCM is a promising co-substrate to foster CM anaerobic digestion.