Determination of Methane Yield and Suitable Microbial Activity at Different Operating Temperature and Hydraulic Retention Time

Biomass is one of the oldest forms of energy used by humans. The bioconversion of organic materials to biogas is a complicated anaerobic digestion process including microbes like methane-producing bacteria. Objective of this paper is to determine the production of methane yield from biogas plant at different locations with different temperature and Hydraulic Retention time (HRT). Biogas plant helps in processing animal waste with anaerobic digestion technology can help dairy farms minimize the environmental pollution (SDG 13). It also provides an inexpensive and easily available clean source of energy (SDG 7). In this paper, different locations having different temperature profile are considered and selection of suitable bacteria on those temperatures for maximum yield is identified. Later, using Empirical equation methane yield over the span of possible operation is calculated for the entire range of operating temperatures with various HRT. The result proves that the methane yield increase as temperature and HRT increases. In this paper, a maximum methane production is produced at a mesophilic temperature between 28 to 35oC over a hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 30 to 40 days. It also demonstrates that methane yield is lowest at psychrophilic temperatures below 20°C.