Bio gas production from blends of canna generalis plant chaff with cow dung and poultry waste

Abstract

Abstract Canna x generalis plant is proved as a wetland species identified for the treatment of partially treated domestic wastewater. Mycrophyte chaff harvested from wetland system is commonly discharged into the environment, posing a hazard to the friendliness of the environment. There are examples of plant chaff being used as a renewable energy source, particularly in the production of bio gas. Therefore a study on the biogas production from blends of canna x generalis plant chaff with cow dung and Poultry waste is carried out. The wastes are blended as Canna chaff and Cow dung (CC: CD), Canna chaff and Poultry dropping (CC: PD), all in different ratios, while the CC alone served as control. The CC waste is ground, blended with cow dung and Poultry waste and charged to the digesters in the prescribed ratio. The moisture content of the wastes are determined as the water to waste ratio. The anaerobic digestion is operated under a mesophilic temperature range of 23°C - 37°C during the digestion period. Findings revealed that the cumulative biogas yield from cow dung and canna chaff in 1:3 and 1:4 ratios is 40 % higher than the cumulative biogas yield from canna chaff alone. The cumulative biogas produced by combining Poultry droppings and canna chaff in a 1:3 ratio is 32 percent more than the cumulative biogas yield with substrate canna chaff alone. All the blends commenced flammable gas production within 24 hr of charging the digesters, however, the gas flammability was not sustained and gas production decreased considerably after 4th day. Overall results show that blending the canna plant chaff with cow dung and Poultry droppings in proportion 1:3 yielded maximum cumulative biogas over the entire digestion period.