SHORT-TERM EFFECTS OF TEMPERATURE CHANGES IN A PILOT PLANT FOR THE PRODUCTION OF BIOGAS FROM POULTRY LITTER

Abstract

The optimal temperature for anaerobic thermophilic digestion varies from 55 to 65 oC, and in com-mercial applications it ranges from 50 to 55 oC. The present study took place in a 40 m3 pilot plant, to determine the effect of temperature on methane production, using poultry litter as substrate. The chemical composition of the substrate, the effluent and the biogas were monitored throughout the experiments. The Arrhenius model indicates a strong correlation between the temperature and the specific methanogenic activity (SMA) in the range of 52.2 to 56.7 oC. The activation energy was 146.1 kJ mol-1. No significant differences were observed in the SMA when operationstook place in the range of 56.7 to 60 oC.

Keywords

• Anaerobic digestion
• Arrhenius model
• specific methanogenic activity