Title: Biogas production from food waste codigested with sewage treatment plant sludge using biochemical methane potential method

Authors: S. Padmavathi; K. Latha; D. Nilavunesan; P. Baskaralingam; S. Sivanesan

Addresses: Department of Chemical Engineering, A.C. Tech, Anna University, Chennai 600025, Tamil Nadu, India ' Department of Applied Science and Technology, A.C. Tech, Anna University, Chennai 600025, Tamil Nadu, India ' Department of Applied Science and Technology, A.C. Tech, Anna University, Chennai 600025, Tamil Nadu, India ' Department of Chemistry, Institute of Energy Studies, CEG Campus, Anna University, Chennai 600025, Tamil Nadu, India ' Department of Applied Science and Technology, A.C. Tech, Anna University, Chennai 600025, Tamil Nadu, India

Abstract: Food waste and treatment plant sludge obtained in large amount serves as an excellent source for the biogas production. Studies were carried out for the codigestion of food waste and treatment plant sludge along with the seed sludge that was used as inoculum. Objective of this work was to assess ability of biomass to produce biogas by biochemical methane potential (BMP) test. The BMP assay was carried out for different ratios of substrates to obtain optimum C:N ratio for complete conversion into biogas. In this study, different ratios of food waste, treatment plant sludge and seed sludge were taken. The ratios used for the work were 1:2:1, 2:1:1, 3:1:1 and 1:3:1. The optimisation of different ratios and its impact was noted by the gas measurement data and laboratory analyses. The studies carried out for total solids, volatile solids, chemical oxygen demand, alkalinity, ammonia and volatile fatty acids were calculated and evaluated. The optimum ratio obtained was 1:2:1 from the biogas production using BMP.

Keywords: biochemical methane potential; biogas production; food waste; seed sludge; treatment plant sludge; biomass; total solids; volatile solids; chemical oxygen demand; COD; alkalinity; ammonia; volatile fatty acids.

DOI: 10.1504/IJESD.2016.077403

International Journal of Environment and Sustainable Development, 2016 Vol.15 No.3, pp.300 - 312

Received: 31 Mar 2015
Accepted: 17 Aug 2015

Published online: 29 Jun 2016 *

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