COMPUTER-MODEL FOR PERFORMANCE PREDICTION AND OPTIMIZATION OF UNHEATED BIOGAS PLANT

A mathematical model of an unheated biogas plant described in this pap er can be used to predict biogas generation at any given;geographical location by using laboratory experimental data of methane gas generati on at different values of temperature and retention time. So, this mod el obviates the need for repeating field experiments at different geog raphical locations. The introduction of new concepts of equivalent tem perature and biogas coefficient help to convert laboratory data into f ield data and minimize the necessity of conducting field experiments. Further, retention time and size of the biogas plant for a given daily requirement of biogas are optimized through life cycle economic analy sis. The model has been elaborated by calculating results for biogas g eneration with cattle dung in a fixed dome type biogas plant located a t Ludhiana. Results are presented for various values of daily biogas r equirement and cost of feedstock. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.