Evaluation of Biogas Production from the Digestion and Co-Digestion of Animal Waste, Food Waste and Fruit-Waste

<div>The increased use of fossil fuels for energy consumption has causes</div><div>environmental problems both locally and globally. The study investigates the anaerobic</div><div>digestion in the production of biogas a renewable energy from the digestion and co-digestion</div><div>of three different types of biodegradable wastes (cow dung, fruit waste and food waste) as an</div><div>alternative for fossil fuels for energy consumption. This was carried out using a 25 Litres</div><div>capacity plastic keg prototype biogas plant, constructed to investigate the anaerobic</div><div>digestion in generating biogas. The experiment was batch operated and daily gas yield from</div><div>the plant was monitored for 30 days. The slurry temperature and pH were also monitored</div><div>and presented. The digester was charged with these wastes in the ratio of 1:1, of waste to</div><div>water respectively. The mesophilic temperatures range attained within the testing period</div><div>were 25 - 28.4 and a slurry temperature range of 24.4 -28.4 . The result obtained</div><div>from the biogas production showed that the co-digestion of cow dung and food waste</div><div>produced the highest biogas of 164.8%, followed by the co-digestion of the three waste (cow</div><div>dung, fruit waste and food waste) which has a percentage of 91.0%, co-digestion of cow dung</div><div>and fruit waste (83.9%), cow dung of 79.8%, food waste of 77.4% and fruit waste of 76.4%</div><div>within this retention period. During the digestion period, the volume of biogas production</div><div>and the changes in pH indicate that the pH decreases as the retention period increases. These</div><div>results showed that co-digestion wastes produce more biogas than when the wastes are</div><div>ordinarily used for biogas production. The study recommends that biogas is not just a</div><div>renewable energy source but also an appropriate way of managing waste, having potential to</div><div>replace fossil fuel.