Production of Biogas from Fruit and Vegetable Wastes Mixed with Different Wastes

Abstract

The present work explores the production of biogas from fruit and vegetable wastes mixed with cow manure in an anaerobic digester. The total solid, volatile solids, moisture content and ash content of the wastes were examined. The materials used as feed were avocado, papaya, mango, tomato, banana peel, and cow manure. Varying volumes of digesters were employed for biogas generation. The combustibility of the gas so generated was tested. The anaerobic digestion of fruit and vegetable wastes mixed with different waste took 55 days to produce biogas (for complete digestion). Anaerobic digestion is very sensitive to change in pH and it is important to maintain pH of 6.7-7.4 for healthy system. The temperature of the digester and the environment also affects the anaerobic digestion process. Upon adjustment of the factors affecting anaerobic digestion, it is felt that co-digestion between FVW and CM produces biogas without need of nutrient or chemical addition to the system. The search for alternative source of energy such as biogas should be intensified so that ecological disasters like environmental pollution, deforestation, desertification and erosion can be arrested