Journal of Fundamentals of Renewable Energy and Applications
Open Access

Abstract

Comparative Analysis of Co-Digestion of Cow Dung and Jatropha Cake at Ambient Temperature

Oyetola Ogunkunle, Kehinde O Olatunji and Amos JO

Co-digestion of cow dung and Jatropha cake at different mix-ratio in anaerobic digestion was studied at ambient temperature. Cow dung and Jatropha cake were digested at 100%; 75% and 25%; 50% and 50%; 25% and 75%; and 100% using the percentage volatile solid of each substrate. The experiment was carried out in batch digester. The digester was fed with cow dung and Jatropha cake mixtures calculated for the selected percentage based on the volatile solid concentration of the substrates. Co-digestion of cow dung and Jatropha cake at 75% cow dung and 25% Jatropha cake at ambient temperature released the highest biogas and methane yields in organic dry matter form, while the highest fresh mass biogas and methane were found in the mix-ratio that has 100% Jatropha cake. 100% Jatropha cake released the highest gas while co-digestion at 50% cow dung and 50% Jatropha cake came second. Therefore, for optimal co-digestion of cow dung and Jatropha cake at ambient temperature 50% cow dung and 50% Jatropha cake is recommended.