Effect of feed slurry dilution and total solids on specific biogas production by anaerobic digestion in batch and semi-batch reactors

Abstract Biomass from various sources such as cow dung is a significant source of renewable energy (as biogas) in many regions globally, especially India, Africa, Brazil, and China. However, biogas production biomass cattle slow, inefficient biochemical process, the specific produced per kg relatively small. The improvement efficiency using dilution ratios (and, hence, total solids [TS]) investigated this work. A wide range feed (FD) dung: water (CD: W) was tested batch digesters with ranging 1% to 12.5% FD ratio 2:1 1:20. To further verify results above experiments, semi-batch experiments representative field-scale biodigesters were conducted. Semi-batch reactors have steady-state unlike reactors, which an unsteady state process. Our suggested that (mL/g VS) increased continuously when decreased (or increased). also indicate commonly used 1:1 (TS ~ 10% for dung) does not produce maximum production. possible reason could be anaerobic digestion at higher rate limited due substrate inhibition, mass transfer limitations, viscous mixing problems arise concentration. Hence, between 1:2 1:4 4 6.7%) recommended more efficient utilization cowdung. Empirical relationships developed variation yield content slurry. Graphic abstract