Anaerobic digestion of grass: the effect of temperature applied during the storage of substrate on the methane production

Abstract

ABSTRACTWithin this research, biogas production, representation of methane in biogas and volatile solids (VSs) removal efficiency were compared using batch tests performed with the samples of intensively and extensively planted grasses originating from public areas. Before the batch tests, the samples were stored at different temperatures achievable on biogas plants applying trigeneration strategy (−18°C, +3°C, +18°C and +35°C). Specific methane production from intensively planted grasses was relatively high (0.33–0.41 m3/kg VS) compared to extensively planted grasses (0.20–0.33 m3/kg VS). VSs removal efficiency reached 59.8–68.8% for intensively planted grasses and 34.6–56.5% for extensively planted grasses. Freezing the intensively planted grasses at −18°C proved to be an effective thermal pretreatment leading to high biogas production (0.61 m3/kg total solid (TS)), high representation of methane (64.0%) in biogas and good VSs removal efficiency (68.8%). The results of this research suggest that public areas or sport parks seem to be available, cheap and at the same time very effective feedstock for biogas production.