BIOMETHANATION OF WATER HYACINTH USING ADDITIVES UNDER FORCED MIXING IN A BIO REACTOR

This paper presents a pilot project that investigates the possibility of producing biogas from a mixture of water hyacinth and cow dung and mixture of water hyacinth and wood charcoal. Large quantities of water hyacinth are manually harvested in aquatic environments. Flammable biogas was produced by the water hyacinth and wood charcoal mixture from the 6th day of the digestion period whereas the water hyacinth and cow dung commenced flammable gas production from the 4thday. Gas analysis from water hyacinth and cow dung mixture shows the presence of methane 64.0% and CO 35.94%. Gas analysis from water hyacinth and wood charcoal mixture shows the presence of methane 60.0% and CO 39.94%. The gas comprises majorly of methane, CO and traces of other gases which includes CO, H S, and NH . Result shows that water hyacinth is a very good biogas producer and the methane yield can be improved by drying and combining it with Cow dung. The effect of temperature on biogas production was studied in this paper. The quantitative analysis of the flammable biogas was carried out to determine the composition of the gases