USING SOLAR ENERGY TO PRODUCE BIOGAS FROM ANIMAL WASTES

This research work was carried out in the biogas laboratory of the Agricultural Engineering Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Tanta University at Jan. 2015. The main objectives of this research work were to study the possibility of using the stored energy from a solar panel with a heat exchanger to heat the cattle dung solution for a biogas production. Also to investigate the effect of booth the temperature and the hydraulic retention time on the efficiency of anaerobic fermentation. The obtained results show that the highest biogas production was observed in horizontal digester type 12.95 L/day at mixing time of 15 minutes each four hours. and heating at 40 degrees C. Meanwhile the lowest was 2.39 L/day in vertical digester type in case mixing time 5min./hr. and heating at 30 degrees C. the total biogas productivity was increased by 0.416 from 1.126 (m(3) gas/m(3) manure) in case mixing time of 15 min./4hr. The biogas productivity was changed by digester type from vertical and horizontal digester. the total biogas energy was increased by 201.2% by increasing temperature from 30 degrees C. to 40 degrees C. in case mixing time of 15 min./4hr. at horizontal digester.