Biogas potential from freshwater algae
2015
Dubrovskis, V., Latvia Univ. of Agriculture, Jelgava (Latvia) | Plume, I., Latvia Univ. of Agriculture, Jelgava (Latvia)
54 biogas plants are working today in Latvia. Maize is the dominating crop for biogas production in Latvia, however, fertile or best arable land areas are used for maize cultivation traditionally. There is a need to investigate the alternative biomass for energy production. The aim of the investigation is evaluation the biogas and methane production from freshwater algae Chlorella vulgaris, cultivated using complex fertilizer Varicon (Study 1) or grown in wastewater (Study 2). The digestion process of algae was investigated in sixteen 0.75 l digesters, operated in batch mode at temperature 38 ± 1.0 ºC. The average specific methane yield per dry organic matter (DOM) from Chlorella vulgaris was 0.297 l·gDOM E-1 or 0.451 l·gDOM E-1 fertilised with Varicon or cultivated in wastewater respectively. The specific methane yield from maize Celido silage was 0.331 l·gDOM E-1 and from Tango silage it was 0.312 l·gDOM E-1. The specific methane yield from rye grass silage or mixed perennial grasses silage was 0.316 l·gDOM E-1 or 0.322 l·gDOM E-1 respectively. Algae Chlorella vulgaris biomass can replace maize silage or other silages for biogas production and can be successfully cultivated under the climatic conditions in Latvia.
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