Experimental investigation of. a farm scale biogas reactor aided ground source heat pump system

Biogas, a clean and renewable form of energy could very well substitute for conventional energy sources which are causing ecological and environmental problems. Biogas is produced putrefactive bacteria, which break down organic material under the anaerobic digestions. The present study was undertaken with the objective of evaluating ground source heat pump (GSHP) system as an alternative heating method for biogas reactor on a par with conventional heating method. The field study was carried out for one year in a chicken farm which raises 16000 chickens and 100 cows incorporating GSHP system to study its influence on biogas production. Consequently, the objective of this study was to develop a novel model with ground source heat pump system in order to get heating requirement of the biogas reactor. Unheated biogas system could produce 1200 m(3) biogas in two months, with a volumetric gas production rate 0.071 m(3)/ m(3) day and gas yield rate amounted to 0.035 m(3)/ m(3) kg TS. Based on field measurement, 280 m3 biogas reactors with aided GSHP system could produce 65622.6 m(3) biogas in 10 months, with a volumetric gas production rate 1.78 m(3)/ m(3) day and gas yield rate amounted to 0.89 m(3)/ m(3) kg TS.