Biogenic Methane Production from Various Coal Rank and Its Controlling Factors Using Ruminant Waste as a Microorganism-Consortium Source

Abstract

The rumen contents of ruminant livestock waste, such as beef cattle, as a consortium source of microorganisms, were jointly used with three different coal ranks (lignite, sub-bituminous and bituminous) in an experiment of biogenic methane production from various coal ranks. Maceral composition, coal rank and volatile fatty acid were the parameters measured. The methane production rates proved to be higher in the lignite than in the sub-bituminous and bituminous coal ranks. Therefore, the maceral composition, coal rank and volatile fatty acid (especially acetate acid) were controlled in the final methane production stage.