Title: Sedge for biogas production and improving the process by pretreating sedge prior to co-digestion

Authors: Nusara Sinbuathong; Netechanok Sombat; Wannapa Kratay

Addresses: Scientific Equipment and Research Division, Kasetsart University Research and Development Institute (KURDI), Kasetsart University, Bangkok 10900, Thailand ' Department of Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Kasetsart University, Bangkok 10900, Thailand ' Wetchakarunrasm Hospital, Medical Service Department, Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA), Nongchok, Bangkok 10530, Thailand

Abstract: Sedge is an indigenous weed and produces a large amount of biomass. Co-digestion of the feedstock of sedge:cow dung:water at the ratio of 10:10:80 was investigated. The mixture of the untreated sedge and that of the pretreated sedge (with 1% sodium hydroxide for 24 hr) with cow dung were the feedstock in this study. The two reactors were supplied with feedstock of untreated and pretreated sedge with cow dung separately in a semi-continuous-flow mode with a hydraulic retention time of 40 days. The methane yield of co-digestion of the pretreated sedge reached 344 L at STP/kg chemical oxygen demand degraded and was 10.97% greater than that of the untreated sedge or 169 L at STP/kg total solids added and was 26.12% greater than that of the untreated sedge. The alkali pretreatment of sedge prior to co-digestion with cow dung improved the process of biogas production notably.

Keywords: anaerobic digestion; biogas; co-digestion; global warming; lignocellulosic biomass; methane; pretreatment; renewable energy; sedge.

DOI: 10.1504/IJGW.2020.104614

International Journal of Global Warming, 2020 Vol.20 No.1, pp.12 - 24

Received: 22 Jan 2019
Accepted: 16 Jul 2019
Published online: 24 Jan 2020 *

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