Browsing by Author "Ikhu-Omoregbe, Daniel I. O"

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Biogas Production from Saw dust using Acti-zyme as Digestion Catalyst and its Upgrading to Bio methane using Chemical Absorption
(World Energy Council Congress, 2016-01-01) Manyuchi, Musaida Mercy; Bobo, Arthur. E.; Ikhu-Omoregbe, Daniel I. O; Oyekola, Oluwaseun O.
Zimbabwe has one of the largest deposits of timber in Southern Africa (about 500 000 tons per annum) such that most entrepreneurs venture into timber processing. The venture results in generation of a lot of sawdust dumps that are of no economic use if they are left lying around. There is 10000 metric tons that go to waste each year which when bio-converted can result in biogas. This paper therefore presents the potential for biogas production from saw dust bio-catalysed by Acti-zyme a biocatalyst to enhance the digestion hence biogas yield. This paper presents the bio-catalysed digestion of 4000 metric tons of saw dust per year to produce biogas using Acti-zyme. The generated biogas is then upgraded using chemical absorption for removal of carbon dioxide so as to increase the bio methane energy efficiency. Biogas produced was approximately 24 m 3 per day and was upgraded to 97% from 72% bio-methane composition per day using chemical scrubbing technique in an absorption column. The absorption column design considerations are also presented as well as its process control and the hazard analysis. These are essential in the optimal upgrading of the biogas. Purified bio methane has a higher calorific value of 99 % relative to the 77 % of raw biogas. An economic analysis showed that a 2 year payback period with a return on investment of 48% and break even sales at $331 580.00 with the upgraded bio methane being sold at $2.50/kg. The conversion and upgrading of biogas produced by anaerobic digestion using Acti-zyme is technologically, economically and environmentally feasible.
Treatment of Piggery Wastewater using an Acti-zyme (Biocatalyst) and Paper mill Biochar Compound Co-capturing Biogas
(5 th Anniversary of ANSOLE (2011-2016): International Conference on Renewable Energy (INCORE2016), 2016-02-03) Manyuchi, Musaida Mercy; Guvavaa, Grace N.; Ikhu-Omoregbe, Daniel I. O; Oyekola, Oluwaseun O.
The world is facing formidable challenges in meeting rising demands of clean water as the available supplies are depleting due to extended droughts, population growth, more stringent health based regulations and competing demands from a variety of users. At the same time, wastewater treatment plants are using energy from the national grid rather than generating their own energy. Piggery farms and paper mills make use of a lot of water and thus contribute towards water shortage. The piggery farms produce a significant amount of wastewater which water can be effectively treated via anaerobic routes to harness biogas. On the other hand, paper mills are generate excessive amounts of sludge during paper making process. Secondary treatment of wastewater can therefore be used to make sludge based activated biochar which can be used in wastewater treatment. This work assessed the feasibility of using a compound from activated carbon from paper mill sludge (PMS) and Acti-zyme (a digestion bio-catalyst) to treat piggery wastewater anaerobically and co-capturing the biogas produced for energy usage. A piggery wastewater treatment plant generating 6000 m3 /day of wastewater was considered and the change in the wastewater physicochemical properties was determined using standard methods. The amount of biogas produced was determined using a water displacement method for retention periods of 30 days at 37 °C. The use of Acti-zyme and PMS biochar compound at 50 g/m3 reduced the piggery wastewater contaminants properties such as total solids, colour, pH and BOD5 by >70%. The treated effluent met the set standards for effluent water disposal. Biogas was produced at a rate of 2.3 m3 /m3 .day with a bio-methane composition of about 78%