title: Dry anaerobic digestion of cow dung for methane production: effect of mixing.
abstract: The performance characteristics of a dry batch reactor with a blender treating cow dung has been evaluated for 35 days in a single-stage batch reactor of 3 L effective volume at 35 +/- 1 degree C to investigate the effect of continuous-mixing on biogas production and organic materials removal. The results showed that the performance of unmixed and mixed digesters was quite different and the dry digester with mixing system produced methane of 0.358 LCH4/gVS(r) which was 7.50% higher than that for unmixed digester. Moreover, the organic material removal efficiency was increased by 9.73% in term of VS. The wide diversity of prominent bacteria and methanogenic archaea affiliated with all steps along the anaerobic degradation pathway made the process stable. But the dry digester with mixing system during start up was not beneficial, as it resulted in relatively higher volatile fatty acids, higher volatile fatty acid to alkalinity ratio, lower pH and consequently prolonged start up time.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Municipal and Environmental Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, Peoples Republic China.
authors.forename: Ajay Kumar
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Jha
authors.forename: Jianzheng
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Qiaoying
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Ban
authors.forename: Liguo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Bowei
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Zhao
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001105:Archaea / Q000145:classification / Q000378:metabolism*; D001421:Bacteria, Anaerobic / Q000145:classification / Q000378:metabolism*; D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D019149:Bioreactors; D002417:Cattle; D005232:Fatty Acids, Volatile / Q000378:metabolism; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology*; D005740:Gases; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D008372:Manure / Q000382:microbiology*; D008697:Methane / Q000378:metabolism*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D005232:Fatty Acids, Volatile; D005740:Gases; D008372:Manure; D008697:Methane