The usefulness of sugar beets for biogas production in relations of the storage time and sugar content

Abstract

The aim of the study was to evaluate the usefulness of sugar beet for biogas production, taking into account the duration time of storage and sugar content in the roots. The research has included analysis of methane and biogas yield of sugar beet. The relations between the sugar content in the roots and the length of storage period and the course of the methane fermentation process were determined. Sugar beets with sugar content of 17.6% and 19.6% were used for this experiment. In order to analyse the fermentation process, the fresh beets and the beets stored in flexible, hermetic tanks in the period of 43 and 89 days were used. Based on the analysis of the obtained results, it was found that the sugar content and the storage time of sugar beet roots can differentiate the production of biomethane and that it influences the methane fermentation process and the quality of the produced biogas.