AccelerationofBiogasProductioninCattle

DungDigestionthroughJatrophaCurcasOil
CakeasanAdditive
SanjayL.Pal1,AtulP.Vanerkar2,ShantaSatyanarayan3
AssistantProfessor,DepartmentofEnvironmentalScience,SevadalMahilMahavidyalaya,Nagpur(M.S.)India.

ScientificAssistant,NationalInstituteofMinersHealth,Nagpur(M.S.)India

Retired.Scientist,NationalEnvironmentalEngineeringResearchInstitute,Nagpur(M.S.)India.

Drsanjaypal24@gmail.com;atvan123@gmail.com;dr_shantasa@rediffmail.com

Abstract
Worldisfacingacuteenergycrisis.Attentionisbeingdirectedtowardsotherunconventionalsourcesofenergy.Recentlymore
attemptsarebeingmadetoproducebiodieselasanalternativesourceofecofriendlyenergyusingbiomassofplantorigin.One
suchbiomassisJatrophacurcas.Butduringbiodieselproductionfrom100kgsofJatrophaseedonly30%ofoilisextractedwhile
70%ofdeoiledcakeisgeneratedasabyproduct.BasedonthisfactworkonenhancementofbiogasbyJatrophaamendment
was studies in detail and studies showed that 20% amendment of Jatropha oil cake seems optimum with respect to gas
productionandvolatilesolidsreduction.Itispreferabletorunthedigesterwithoptimaladditionbecauseadditionofhigher
volumeofJatrophamayposeaproblemandmayberatelimitingfactor.
Keywords
AnaerobicDigestion;Biodiesel;JatrophaCurcas;JatrophaOilCake;MethanePercent;VolatileSolidsReduction

Introduction
Recent years more attention is being directed towards other unconventional sources of energy namely biogas,
briquetting, wind energy etc. One hundred years ago anaerobic fermentation was envisaged for not only as a
simple waste disposal technique but also for harvesting of energy/fuel in the form of methane. But as fossil fuel
was available easily and at cheaper rate, nobody worried about the energy requirement. But as the population
growthandindustrialgrowthcompetingwitheachother,gradualdecreaseinthefuelavailabilitywasfelt.Atthis
juncture, biogas and briquetting as an alternative fuel source were thought of. Based on this problem biogas
technology was initiated in many developing countries. India is such a country where biogas technology got a
boost and biogas plants were advocated at rural levels due to easy availability of cattle dung as the biomass
substrate.MoreoverinIndiamorethan70%ofthetotalpopulationinhabitsruralareasandhastheworldslargest
populationoflivestock.
Alongwithbiogasproduction,manymodificationsinconfigurationofbiogasplantswerealsotriedbutrecently
attemptsarebeingmadetoincreasethetotalgasproductionandalsoincreasethemethanecontentwithunusual
wastebiomassasamendments.
Feweasilyavailablebiomasseslikemustardoilcakeandwastesoyasludgeasanamendmentinbiogashavebeen
reported[1&2].Studieswerealsomadeonfreshwaterhyacinthanddrywaterhyacinthpowderasanadditive
withcattledung[3].Enhancementofbiogasproductionbyadditionofpoultrydroppingshasindicatedsufficient
increase in the gas production without ammonia toxicity which is encountered in case of only poultry dropping
basedbiogasplants[4].Partheniumweedisalsoagoodsourceofbiomasswithpotentialtoenergyproductionbut
duetoitsallergycausingpotentialandhealthhazarditdidnotreceivemuchpublicfavour[5].Powderedleavesof
someplantsandlegumeshavebeenfoundtoenhancebiogasproductionbetween18%and40%[6&7].
Recentlymoreattemptsarebeingmadetoproducebiodieselasanalternativesourceofecofriendlyenergyusing
InternationalJournalofEnergyScience,Vol.5No.1September201517
2218602615/0101706,2015DEStechPublications,Inc.
doi:10.12783/ijes.2015.0501.03

18SANJAYL.PAL,ATULP.VANERKAR,SHANTASATYANARAYAN

biomassofplantorigin.
OnesuchbiomassisJatrophacurcas.Butduringbiodieselproductionfrom100kgsofJatrophaseedonly30kgsof
oilisextractedwhile70kgsofdeoiledcakeisgeneratedasabyproduct[8].Thiscakehasbeentriedasafertilizer
and the results were quite encouraging [9]. Some workers have quoted this cake used as a substrate for biogas
production [10] and wherein it is reported that Jatropha cake were admixed with buffalo dung gave more gas
productionwithmethanecontentof71.74%.Jatrophadefattedoilcakeasanalternativesubstratefeedforbiogas
plant was reported [11] but what amount of Jatropha amended with cattle dung and what was volatile solid
destructionsetc.havenotbeenreportedanywhere.
Laboratorystudieson1litrecapacitydigesterswithJatrophaoilcakebyanaerobicfermentationhasbeencarried
out.Butalongresidencetimeof60dayshavebeenneededtoconvertthedigestiblefractioncompletely[12].Itis
reportedinliteraturethat1:4ratioofwaterandjatrophacakeissuitableasabestcombinationtoobtainabiogas
productionof220250litres/kgofoilcake[13&14].
Experiments were carried out using contact process, UASB and anaerobic filter for the biogas production using
jatrophapresscakeasthesubstrate.ReportfurthersaysthatUASBandcontactprocessesarenotsuitableforusing
thesesubstrates[15].
Jatrophaoilcakehasbeenidentifiedasanamendmentwithcattledungtoenhancebiogasproduction.Thisidea
was envisaged to take advantage of the high volatile solids content of jatropha cake. Jatropha cake is produced
everyyearanditneedsfruitfuldisposal.Onesuchoptionistouseitasasubstrateinthecattledungbasedbiogas
plants and also harvest energy in the form of methane. Considering the above studies, amendment in the cattle
dungfeedwithJatrophacurcasoilcakeafteroilextractionhasbeenstudiedindetailandreportedinthepresent
study.
SelectionofAmendment
Jatrophaoilcakehasbeentriedforlandapplicationandalsoforbiogasproductionalongwithcattledungtoseeits
feasibilityfor enhancing biogas production. So it was envisaged to take theadvantage of the high volatile solids
contentofjatrophacake.Thiscakeistoxicinnatureasitcontainsfewtoxicmaterialslikecurcin,toxalbuminand
phorebolicacidswhichmakesitunsuitableasananimalfeed[16],butitcanbeappliedonlandasamanure.A
physicochemicalcharacteristicofjatrophaoilcakeispresentedintable1.Thiscakehasitsownlimitationsascattle
feed.
TABLE1PHYSICOCHEMICALCHARACTERISTICSOFJATROPHAOILMEAL

Sr.No.

Parameter

Values

pH

5.646.0

Conductivity(sm/cm2)

2560

AcidityasCaCO3(mg/l)

2300

TotalHardnessasCaCO3(mg/l)

1040

CalciumHardnessasCaCO3(mg/l)

600

MagnesiumHardnessasCaCO3(mg/l)

440

ChlorideasCl(mg/l)

265286

Totalsolid(%)

91.09

Volatilesolid(%)

75.97

10

Volatilesolidoftotalsolid(%)

83.40

11

Moisture(%)

8.9

12

Ash(%)

13.215.17

13

TotalNitrogen(%)

3.855.60

14

TotalPhosphate(%)

1.42.09

15

Potassium(%)

1.21.66

16

Sodium(%)

1.01.4

17

Protein(%)

35

AccelerationofBiogasProductioninCattleDungDigestionthroughJatrophaCurcasOilCakeasanAdditive19

Materials and Methods

A total of 510 liters capacity digesters were fabricated using 10 liters capacity aspirator bottles for use in the
experiments. One digester was used as control with only cattle dung while other four digesters were used for
amendmentof jatropha curcas studies. Working volumes ofdigesters were maintainedat6 liters.Arrangements
were provided to feed and withdrawal of the slurry and for the collection of daily gas production. Experiments
werecarriedoutatambienttemperature(35C)withadetentiontimeof30days.Organicloadingwasmaintained
between2.11and2.3KgVs/m3d.
Cattledungandjatrophadeoiledcakemealneededfortheexperimentswereprocuredfromlocalcattleshedand
fromavillagecottageindustryrunbyaNGOrespectively.Jatrophacurcasslurrywasprepareddailyforfeeding.
While cattle dung was collected once in a week and prepared slurry was stored in a cold room having a
temperatureof4C.Cattledungwasdilutedwithwaterin1:1ratiotoobtainsolidconcentrationintherangeof8.6
to 8.8% approximately. Oven dried jatropha oil cake was weighed as per requirement and mixed with water to
haveasolidconcentrationof8.6%slurry.
Characteristics of a raw feed cattle dung and jatropha slurry is depicted in table 2. During the start of the
experimentallthedigesterswerefilledwithwelldigestedseedslurryfromaworkingbiogasplantforenergizing
thedigesters.Thecharacteristicoftheseedslurryisshownintable3.
TABLE2CHARACTERISTICSOFRAWFEEDCATTLEDUNGANDJATROPHACAKE

Sr.No.

Parameters

Cattledung

Jatrophacake

pH

6.906.7

5.64

Alkalinity/Acidity(mg/l)asCaCO3

62006320

21202230

Volatileacid(mg/l)asCH3COOH

514860

490626

TotalAmmonianitrogenasNH3N(mg/l)

115220

226244

Totalsolid(%)

8.58.8

8.68.8

Totalvolatilesolid(%)

6.326.82

7.147.36

Volatilesolidsoftotalsolid(%)

74.3577.50

83.0283.63

Totalnitrogen(%)

1.301.54

3.964.3

Totalphosphate(%)

0.220.28

1.622.06

TABLE3CHARACTERISTICSOFSEEDSLURRY

Sr.No.

Parameter

Values

pH

6.8

AlkalinityasCaCO3(mg/l)

1280

VolatileacidasCH3COOH(mg/l)

410

Totalammonianitrogen(mg/l)

84

Totalsolid(%)

5.265.8

Regularcattledungslurryfeedingwasinitiated,andoncethedigesterswerewellstabilizedaswasobservedfrom
constantgasproduction,regularfeedingofjatrophacakemealwasstarted.Experimentaldigesters(fournumbers)
werefedwith10%,15%,20%and25%jatrophaamendmentalongwithcattledungslurryandonedigesterwasfed
withonlycattledungslurryasacontrol.
After two turnovers regular sample collection was carried out. Every five days sample was composited and
subjected to routine physicochemical parameters of importance in anaerobic fermentation. Parameters viz. pH,
alkalinity,volatilesolids,totalammonianitrogen,totalsolids,totalvolatilesolids,totalnitrogen,totalphosphates
were analyzed as per the standard method [17]. Percent volatile solids destruction was calculated as per the
literature [18]. The physicochemical characteristics of digested slurry/effluent are presented in table 4. Capillary
suctiontime(CST)wasestimatedusingCSTapparatus.

20SANJAYL.PAL,ATULP.VANERKAR,SHANTASATYANARAYAN

TABLE4PHYSICOCHEMICALCHARACTERISTICSOFEFFLUENTFROMCONTROLANDEXPERIMENTALDIGESTERSRECEIVINGCOWDUNG
ANDJATROPHACAKE(DEOILED)

Jatrophadeoiledcake

Sr.
No.

Parameters

Cattledung
control

10%

15%

20%

25%

pH

7.07.7

7.327.46

7.337.48

7.357.50

7.417.52

Alkalinity/AcidityasCaCO3(mg/l)

42404670

21602238

23202410

24602500

25322584

VolatileacidasCH3COOH(mg/l)

526548

394412

502540

562574

634652

TotalAmmoniaasnitrogenasNH3N(mg/l)

130192

176184

264286

280298

310336

TotalSolids(%)

6.727.0

6.97.0

6.927.0

6.887.10

6.907.20

Volatilesolids(%)

4.724.86

4.64.63

4.604.62

4.524.61

4.404.60

TotalNitrogen(%)

1.31.46

2.092.12

2.152.28

2.573.01

3.463.82

TotalPhosphate(%)

0.240.36

0.850.92

0.971.02

1.101.18

1.151.32

CST(CapillarySuctionTime)inseconds

326338

330342

348350

360370

376380

10

Vsreduction(%)

20.7223.75

26.2228.62

30.4032.28

34.435.2

35.836.4

11

Gasproduction(ml/day)

27802860

30003300

34003660

37003820

39504280

12

m gas/kgVsadded

0.2180.226

0.2290.238

0.2420.257

0.2640.288

0.2990.340

13

Averagegasvolume(ml/day)

2817

3230

3530

3800

4160

Result and Discussions:

JatrophacakeorJatrophamealasitiscommonlyknownisacidicinnaturewithapHintherangeof5.505.64with
anacidityof2300mg/l.Itdrastically,didnotaffectthecattledungdigesteronitsadditionevenatthemaximum
addition of 25% with cattle dung as shown in table4. From table 2it can beseen that the total solids content in
cattledungandJatrophamealslurryweremaintainedinthesameranges.NitrogencontentintheJatrophamealis
muchhigherthanthecattledung.WhenadditionofJatrophamealincreased,gradualincreaseinvolatileacidsand
totalammonianitrogenconcentrationinthetreatedeffluent,alsowasnotedbutwaswellwithinthesafelimit.At
noinstancethevolatileacidtoalkalinityratioshowedanyincreasebeyond0.3,indicatinggoodbuffering.pHof
thedigestedslurrywasintherangeof7.0and7.52.Thisindicatesgoodbufferingandbalanceofthereactor.pHof
thereactorseemedverycongenialforthemethanebacteriatocarryouttheiractivityofmethaneproduction(table
4).
Astheamendmentadditionincreasedfrom10%tomaximumof25%,thealkalinityshowed,gradualincreasebutit
waswellwithinsafelimit.Thisgradualincreaseshowedthattheperformanceofthedigesterwaswellbalanced
andefficient.
TotalnitrogenandphosphatecontentalsoshowedasteadyincreaseastheJatrophaoilmealadditionincreased.
Nitrogen and phosphate content of control digester were in the range of 1.31.46% and 0.240.36% respectively.
Thisrangemarginallyincreasedwhen10%amendmentwascarriedout.ButastheJatrophaadditionincreasedto
15%,20%and25%,therewassignificantincreaseinthenitrogenandphosphatecontentresultingingoodmanurial
qualityofthedigestedslurry.
Nitrogenandphosphatecontentvariedintherangebetween2.092.12%and0.850.92%at10%amendment,2.15
2.28% and 0.971.02% at 15%, 2.8%3.01% and 1.1001.186% at 20% and 3.463.82% and 1.151.32% at 25%
respectively(table4).Percentvolatilesolidsdestructionimprovedtremendouslywith12.6515.08%increasein25%
Jatropha addition with cattle dung. From the results it is very clear that the total nitrogen, total phosphate and
volatilesolidsdestructionareincreasingwithincreaseinadditionofJatrophamealtocattledung.Dewaterability
of the digested slurry showed marginal increase in the capillary suction time indicating that the Jatropha meal
additiondidnotdeterioratethesludgequalityintermsofcapillarysuctiontime.
CST varied between 326 seconds and 380 seconds indicating good and balanced digestion without any adverse
effectduetoJatrophamealaddition.DailygasproductionshowedanincreasedtrendwithJatrophabutit,didnot
commensuratewiththeorganicmatteraddition.Ingeneralthegasproductionwasobservedtobeintherangeof
0.2180.226, 0.2290.238, 0.2420.257, 0.2640.288 and 0.2990.340 m3/kgVs added with respect to only cattle dung,

AccelerationofBiogasProductioninCattleDungDigestionthroughJatrophaCurcasOilCakeasanAdditive21

10%,15%,20%and25%Jatropharespectively.IngeneraltheincreaseingasproducedwasobservedasJatropha
amendment was added at 10%, 15%, 20% and 25% respectively (table 5). It is clear from the studies that as the
quantity of Jatropha cake meal increased, gas production also increased but it did not commensurate with the
correspondingorganicmatteraddition.
TABLE5COMPARATIVEGASPRODUCTIONINDIFFERENTDIGESTERSRECEIVINGDIFFERENTJATROPHACAKEAMENDMENT(GASPRODUCTIONINML/DAY)

Sr.No.

Cowdung

AmountofJatrophaoilcake(JC)

Control

10%

15%

20%

25%

2780

3220

3550

3740

3960

2790

3060

3580

3860

3960

2800

3060

3560

3820

4000

2890

3200

3500

3700

4120

2820

3180

3540

3790

4280

2880

3260

3560

3800

4200

2740

3240

3590

3820

3990

2890

3300

3500

3790

4240

2880

3290

3520

3780

4260

10

2800

3280

3540

3790

4280

11

2750

3300

3480

3800

4190

12

2800

3270

3460

3800

4180

13

2820

3290

3500

3810

4180

14

2750

3280

3480

3820

4260

15

2800

3300

3540

3790

4280

16

2740*

3060*

3460*

3700*

3960*

17

2890**

3300**

3590**

3860**

4280**

18

2815***

3230***

3530***

3800***

4160***

Allthereadingsareaverageofsixdays.(Min*,Max**,andAvg***values)

Weeklygasanalysiswasalsocarriedoutandtheresultisshownintable6.PercentMethaneshowedasignificant
increaseastheamendmentquantityincreased.
TABLE6COMPOSITIONOFGASWITHVARIOUSCOMBINATIONSOFJATROPHAOILCAKEANDCATTLEDUNGFEED

Sr.No.

Digester

CO2

CH4

Cattledung(Control)

44.4%

55.6%

Cattledung+10%JC

40.8%

59.2%

Cattledung+15%JC

37.0%

63.0%

Cattledung+20%JC

34.4%

65.6%

Cattledung+25%JC

32.2%

67.8%

Conclusion
Studiesindicatedthatitispossibletoenhancebiogasproductionincattledungbaseddigestersusingfeedstock
amendmentofJatrophaoilmeal.Jatrophahasbeenfoundtobeoneofthemostsuitablesubstratesthatenhance
gasproduction,manytimesincattledungbaseddigestersbutavailabilityofJatrophaallaroundtheyearmustbe
ensured.
Moreover, Jatropha oil cake contains high percent volatile solids of 83.06% to 85.0%, making it very useful for
biogas production. It is proved that efficiency of nitrogen content in cattle dung can overcome comfortably with
nitrogenrichJatrophaoilcakemealaddition.
Studies showed that 20% amendment of Jatropha oil cake seems optimum with respect to gas production and
volatilesolidsreduction.

22SANJAYL.PAL,ATULP.VANERKAR,SHANTASATYANARAYAN

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