Husein Al Zubi*⁽¹⁾ Fawaz Al Azma⁽²⁾ Rahim AboAlJadayel⁽²⁾ Nour AlAsaad⁽³⁾ Nabila Ali Basha⁽³⁾ and Mowafaq AbdAlRahim⁽⁴⁾   

(1). General Commission for Scientific Agricultural Research (GCSAR), Damascus, Syria.

(2). General Organization of Biotechnology, Damascus, Syria.

(3). Biotechnology Department, GCSAR, Damascus, Syria.

(4). Animal Wealth Research Administration, GCSAR, Damascus, Syria.

(*Corresponding author: Dr. Husein Al Zubi. E-Mail: halzubi2015@gmail.com).

Received: 18/12/2018                                Accepted: 10/04/2019

Abstract

This research was carried out at the General Commission for Scientific Agricultural Research and the National Commission for Biotechnology to optimize of methane gas production conditions by co-fermentation of sugar sorghum residues and animal (cow manure), using 10 kg mixture of fresh manure and 4 different percentages of sweet sorghum residue (i.e. 0%, 25%, 50%, and 75%) of the total volume of the mixture at 32-35 °C and pH between 6.5 and 7.2. It was possible to locally design an experimental reactor for the production of methane gas, consisting of 30-liters container made of stainless steel tightly sealed, designed to suit the anaerobic digestion. Each one is connected to a 42-liter tank containing a free metal shaft. When the gas is produced from the ferment, it moves to the tank where it floats on the surface of the water, leading to a height of the bell in proportion to the size of the released gas. The design showed high efficiency. The increase in gas production since the first week until the sixth or the seventh week was repeated, a decline after the eighth week until stability due to the depletion of energy in the mixture used was noticed. The quantity of biogas produced increased with the increase in the percentage of sugar sorghum residues. The highest quantity of biogas was 3520.1 m³ when applying the mixture containing 50% of sugar sorghum residues and 50% of the cow manure at a temperature ranging between 32 to 35 ^هC and pH 7.2. A good organic fertilizer rich in its content of large and small fertilizers and in the appropriate quantities of the plant as well as containing a plant hormones, vitamins and growth regulators, free of pathogens, larvae, weed seeds and safe for both, the environment and for fertilizing use in all crops.  This research is one of the first researches conducted in Syria to benefit from the residues of sugar sorghum in the production of biogas.

Key words: Biogas production, Sugar sorghum residues, Locally experimental reactor.

Full Paper in Arabic: PDF