Publication

Abstract : Present study aims to use natural fibres as biofilm support systems (BSS) inside anaerobic digester with an objective of preventing microbial flush out from digesters and thus to increases the efficiency. Drum stick fruit fibres (DSFF) which is generally discarded as waste material was used in this study as BSS in a lab scale continuously stirred tank reactor (CSTR), the performance of these reactors were compared with CSTR having nylon mesh as BSS (synthetic BSS) on the performance of CSTR. The results of the study revealed that, provision of BSS inside the CSTR increases the biogas production. Accordingly, the reactor with DSFF, and nylon mesh BSS have produced 44.61% and 18.57% biogas respectively than the control CSTR without BSS. About 76.58% COD removal efficiency was showed by the CSTR with DSFF fibres as BSS. Hence it is evident that the provision of BSS inside the CSTR increases the efficiency of the reactor in terms of biogas yield and COD removal.