Increased production of biogas from cowdung by adding other agricultural waste materials

Increased production of biogas from cowdung by adding other agricultural waste materials
R. D. Laura, M. A. Idnani
Division of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, India


Abstract
It was found that the addition of nitrogenous materials, such as casein, urea or urine, increased the extem of decomposition of cowdung, resulting in higher gas production. The effect appears to be due to the maintenance of pH > 7 during fermentation. With the addition of urea or CaCO3, materials such as. dry leaves and cane sugar have yielded high proportions of methane in the gas mixtures and these additions also increased the rate of gas production by promoting anaerobic conditions in the medium. Addition of cellulose also increased the rate but the gas mixture obtained had a lower methane content.



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