COMPARATIVE PERFORMANCES OF INDIAN SMALL SOLID-STATE AND CONVENTIONALANAEROBIC DIGESTERS

Biogas production from a solid-state digester (SSD) and conventional K VIC plants was compared. The biogas production from the SSD was 84% of that from conventional plants when the maximum and minimum ambient te mperatures were 40.2 and 24.9-degrees-C. The relative performance drop ped to 60% with a further rise in temperature. Similarly, there was a drastic decrease in gas production as the temperature fell below 15-de grees-C. There was no gas production in the winter months. The solid-s tate digester could perform well even in winter if the direct effect o f temperature on the digester could be avoided by modifying the design by developing an underground anaerobic digestion system equipped with a feeding device for solid waste.