Identificación de la cantidad y calidad de metano generado por la materia orgánica de los bares de la Universidad Católica de Cuenca.

Abstract

This research studies and develops efficient methods for obtaining methane from organic matter. It addresses the importance of methane as an energy resource and its relevance in mitigating greenhouse gas emissions. The updated scientific literature on approaches and technologies used for methane production was reviewed, highlighting the latest advances in the issue. The investigation focuses on selecting and characterizing organic matter from the four food bars at the Catholic University of Cuenca, main campus, using 55-gallon anaerobic reactors in two different situations. The first reactor is a manual biodigester that processes fresh organic waste. The second reactor is an electronic biodigester that uses cow rumen in a 1:4 ratio with organic matter. The latter has sensors to monitor variables within the system in real-time. The study evaluates variables such as pH, dissolved oxygen, BOD, and COD of the leachate. Measurements were taken at 75 days in the first biodigester and 25 days in the second. Storage tubes and the "Biogas 5000" equipment were employed for the first biodigester to determine biogas composition, while sensors were utilized for monitoring in the second biodigester. Both biodigesters produced biogas with low methane content, which was higher in the second reactor (0.55%) than the first one (0.3%), attributed to retention time and organic matter composition.