Methane Production from Cattle Waste in Laboratory Reactors at 40° and 60°C After Solid-Liquid Separation

Open Access
Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Whole dairy waste and liquid effluent separated from the same waste with a solid-liquid separator were fermented at mesophilic and thermophilic temperatures. Chemical analyses of the 2 materials were similar. Methane production was superior in thermophilic reactors. With substrates adjusted to 4.1% volatile solids, average methane production at 60.degree. C (166 ml/g volatile solids fed to reactors at 3- and 6-day retention time) was as efficient as at 40.degree. C (162 ml/g at 5- and 10-day retention times). Thermophilic reactors produced 1.67 l methane/l reactor per day as compared to 0.93 l for mesophilic reactors. Efficiency of methanogenesis was no greater for whole waste than for separated effluent. Production of methane for the 2 substrates averaged over retention times and temperatures was 156 ml/g volatile solids fed to reactor for whole waste and 173 ml/g for separated effluent.

This publication has 4 references indexed in Scilit: