Study on Biogas Energy Production from Cactus Opuntia Ficus-indica (L.) Mill
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Date
2016-08
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
Energy plays a driving role in socio-economic development arena; poverty reduction and improvement of the quality of life. Conversion of animal waste to biogas energy to replace traditional fuel and use of the slurry as a fertilizer is the current focus of the national biogas program of Ethiopia (NBP 2013). This paper presents the experimental results of the anaerobic digestion of cactus (Opuntia ficus-indica) (L.) Mill. The total solid (TS), volatile solid (VS), fixed solid (FS) and the C:N ratio of the feed stock (cactus) had been determined before the anaerobic digestion process began and then estimation of biogas production and methane content of each of the treatments, T1 (<1 year cactus at 27oC), T2 (<1 year cactus at 37oC), T3 (1 year cactus at 27oC), T4 (1 year cactus at 37oC), T5 (2 year cactus at 27oC), T6 (2year cactus at 37oC), T7 (3 year cactus at 27oC) and T8 (3year cactus at 37oC) were performed. From 500g of cactus it was found that the amount of biogas production and quality was highest in T2 (3500ml of biogas and 49% CH4) and T4 was the second highest in the amount of production and quality (3400ml of biogas and 45% CH4). T7 produced the minimum biogas production and quality (2500ml of biogas and 33% CH4). Moreover, compare to other source of energy, cactus produced a good volume of biogas but low in quality due to its C: N ratio. Thus, Cactus can be digested alone or it can be one of the feed stock for co-digestion process. This could give better quality biogas.
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Production, Opuntia ficus