Title: Enrichment of biogas production from mixture of rubber seed cake and cow dung using TiO₂ catalyst and temperature

Authors: Z. Robert Kennedy; Pandeeswaran Munisamy; S.R. Murali

Addresses: James College of Engineering and Technology, Nagercoil, Tamil Nadu, 629852, India ' Department of Chemistry, GTN Arts College, Dindigul, Tamil Nadu, 624 005, India ' Department of Biomedical Engineering, RVS School of Engineering and Technology, Dindigul, Tamil Nadu, 624 005, India

Abstract: Biomethanisation process of rubber seed cake and cow dung were influenced by the effect of catalyst, temperature and acetic acid. TiO₂ catalyst was used for the study. The maximum biogas yield was obtained from the substrate mixed with 2% TiO₂ at 40°C with constant stirring but the yield obtained was very insignificant in the absence of catalyst at all the temperatures. The optimum temperature for biomethanisation was 40°C. Further the high biogas yield increase with methane composition of 32% for mixture at 18°C by the addition of small amount of acetic acid and volatile fatty acid at cold condition. The obtained gas was analysed using gas chromatography (GC). The first order kinetic model was applied to the substrate that produced the maximum yield and the theoretical values were obtained from the equation fitted with experimental values.

Keywords: biogas production; rubber seed cake; cow dung; TiO2; titanium dioxide; temperature; biomethanisation; acetic acid; volatile fatty acid; kinetic modelling.

DOI: 10.1504/IJRET.2015.067513

International Journal of Renewable Energy Technology, 2015 Vol.6 No.1, pp.1 - 17

Accepted: 05 Nov 2013
Published online: 18 Mar 2015 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article