Biomethanization Potential of Waste Agricultural Biomass in Pakistan: A Case Study

Rasool Bux Mahar; Abdul Razaque Sahito; Muhammad Aslam Uqaili

Authors

Rasool Bux Mahar Institute of Environmental Engineering & Management, Mehran University of Engineering & Technology Jamshoro, Sindh, Pakistan Author
Abdul Razaque Sahito Department of Mechanical Engineering, Mehran University of Engineering & Technology Jamshoro, Sindh, Pakistan Author
Muhammad Aslam Uqaili Department of Electrical Engineering, Mehran University of Engineering & Technology Jamshoro, Sindh, Pakistan Author

Keywords:

Waste Agricultural Biomass, Methane Potential, Thermo Gravimetric Analysis, Anaerobic Digestion

Abstract

Waste agricultural biomass (WAB) can be used as source of energy for domestic and industrial applications. In the light of this vision nine WAB samples were collected from district Sanghar and processed as per standard methods and analyzed for moisture content, total solids, volatile solids by thermo-gravimetric analysis (TGA). In addition to this ultimate analysis was also carried out. The theoretical methane potential of WAB in district Sanghar was estimated as 535976 km3/y. The experimental methane potential was estimated as 197284 km3/y, which is about 37 % of the theoretical methane potential. The results indicate that WAB has significant energy potential in terms of methane, which can be utilized for cooking, heating and power generation purposes.