Page 10 - KVIS Book

ENS01I

Mesophilic Gas Production from Durian Shell and Sheep
Dung

Guntitat Sawadwuthikul, Theerach Temiyasathit
Kamnoetvidya Science Academy, Thailand
Supervisor: Suranan Anantachaisilp
Email: guntitat_s@kvis.ac.th

This research focused on examining the efficiency of mesophilic biogas production
through Anaerobic Digestion and determining the optimal ratio of sheep dung and
durian shell, the main feedstock, which are local waste. Durian shell and sheep dung
were collected from Suanlamai orchard, Rayong, before being finely cut down by
electrical blender. Then, they were mixed in seven different ratios by mass. Each
mixture was left in a 150mL Erlenmeyer flask equipped with a magnetic stirrer and a
gas pressure sensor for 20 days. Gas was released to relieve pressure from the flask.
The results show that the mixture with higher proportion of durian shell tends to yield
higher amount of overall cumulative gas production, however, with substantially lower
or even no content of methane comparing to that of sheep dung as a sole substrate.
Instead, carbon dioxide was a major product and hydrogen sulfide along with hydrogen
were found in some batches containing durian. Results of one ratio varied between
each replication. pH after 20 days of all mixtures containing durian was lower than 5
while that of sheep dung only was above 6, implicating either the alkalinity of sheep
dung which contributed to the occurrence of methanogenesis, or durian as a plausible
cause of methanogenesis inhibition by its acidity after being digested. Further
development on finding the exact amount of each gas component, including hydrogen,
which can be utilized for energy production and storage, is needed.

Keywords: Durian Shell, Sheep sung, Anaerobic Digestion, Acidity, Methane, Hydrogen
sulfide, Hydrogen