Bioenergy conversion studies of the organic fraction of MSW: assessment ofultimate bioenergy production potential of municipal garbage

Batch digestion of municipal garbage was carried out under room temperature conditions (26 +/- 4 degrees C) for 240 days. The ultimate biogas producti on potential of municipal garbage was found to be 0.661 m(3)/kg volatile so lids. The experimental and ultimate gas yields obtained from municipal garb age compared well with the yields obtained from other types of solid wastes . A mathematical model was developed to predict both ultimate biodegradable substrate concentration as well as ultimate biogas production. The ultimat e bioenergy yield, ultimate anaerobic biodegradability of the substrate and the overall bioprocess conversion efficiency were evaluated from observati ons to be 18,145 kJ/kg volatile solids, 89.79 and 95.44%, respectively. The total biogas yield from municipal garbage per kg dry matter was observed t o be 0.5 m(3) and the average methane content of the biogas was observed to be 70 %vol. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.