Abstract
Fossil energy sources and the pollution they cause is an environmental problem that urgently requires alternative solutions, one of which is biogas. Thus, the present research was carried out with the objective of evaluating the quality of biogas obtained from bovine, percine and ovine rumen content in a municipal slaughterhouse in the district of Huallanca - Ancash, Peru. A tubular biodigester with dimensions of 6 m long x 0.40 m in diameter was designed for the process. An iron chip filter treated with 5% HCL and 5% NaOH was also installed to reduce H2S (the cause of unpleasant odors), and consequently improve the quality of the biogas. The ratio of organic load and water in the biodigester reactor was 1:2, resulting in a total load volume of 1.5625 m3, and the hydraulic retention time was 85 days. It was observed that the temperature in the process ranged between 14.3 and 25.3 °C and the pH was maintained between 5.5 and 7.6. The biogas characterization showed 16.6 % CH4, 37 % CO2, 11.8 % O2, 550 ppm H2S and 19 ppm CO. From the results obtained, the viable alternative of using biomass composed of organic waste from slaughterhouses to generate biogas as a source of clean energy is clear.
