Production of Methane from Anaerobic Digestion of Molasses

Abstract

Molasses has been identified as one of the most potent sources of fermentable sugar among agri-based industrial waste. Therefore, in the wake of the current energy crisis in the country it was decided to produce methane from a diluted feed based on molasses. The two-stage process consisted of two reactors, the first-stage hydrogenic reactor (MFR) operated at pH 5.5 and 35°C and the second-stage methanogenic reactor (UASB) functioned at pH 7.0 and 55°C. Condition specific flora of methanogenic and hydrogen-producing bacteria was utilized. The first reactor had a HRT of 13 hours during which it generates H2 that is routed to the second reactor be used as substrate. In the second stage of the process, methane would also be produced from the effluent of the first reactor with a production rate of 3.5 t/d at the optimum HRT of 33 hours. The combined sucrose conversion efficiency of the two process was found to be 73.4%.