Vol. 11, Special Issue 10 (2022)

Author(s):
Shradha Shetty, John Abraham, Balusami C and Sabin George

Abstract:
In high altitude areas, great variation in the ambient temperature throughout the year affects biogas production. During cold seasons there is either reduction or complete cessation of biogas production. In order to maintain optimum biogas production throughout the year, it is necessary to protect the digesters from cold shock. Thus, the study was carried out to determine the effects of digester temperature on biogas production during summer and winter season. While during monsoon season, the digesters were heated by circulating hot water produced by solar water heater through water jacket which improved the digester temperature to 37.76±0.36 ºC in single stage (D₁) and 36.25±0.31 ºC in two stage digester (D₂), when the mean ambient temperature was 22.18±0.164 ºC. This effect increased the biogas production to 2.51±0.04 and 2.95±0.09 m³/d. With the increased digester temperature, the composition of biogas improved. Methane concentration increased by 10.22% than in the winter and 6.45% than in the summer season in D₁. While in D₂, the increase was 13.24% greater than in winter and 8.93% greater than in summer season. Thus, heating of digesters prevented heat loss and improved the quality and quantity of biogas.