BIUSTRE

Investigating the potential of biogas production from BIUST wastewater treatment sludge by co-digestion with slaughterhouse waste

Show simple item record

dc.contributor.author Othusitse, Nhlanhla
dc.contributor.author Dlamini, Gcinumuzi
dc.contributor.author Jonas, Mbako
dc.contributor.author Mamvura, Tirivaviri
dc.contributor.author Agachi, Paul S.
dc.date.accessioned 2026-07-08T10:41:35Z
dc.date.available 2026-07-08T10:41:35Z
dc.date.issued 2024-07-22
dc.identifier.citation Othusitse, N., Dlamini, G., Jonas, M., Mamvura, T., & Agachi, P. S. (2024). Investigating the potential of biogas production from BIUST wastewater treatment sludge by co-digestion with slaughterhouse waste. In Proceedings of the US-Botswana Workshop on Research Technologies in Water and Energy Needs for Remote, Austere Locations 2024 (WORTHWEEDS 2024), (WORTHWEEDS 2024), 22 - 25 July 2024, Maun, Botswana International University of Science and Technology, 123-126. en_US
dc.identifier.issn 2521-2294
dc.identifier.uri https://repository.biust.ac.bw/handle/123456789/749
dc.description.abstract Wastewater treatment is a necessity in any community and civilization particularly where water is a scarce natural resource. The Botswana International University of Science and Technology is habitat to a community of just under 5000 people and has its own dedicated wastewater treatment plant. Currently this plant is managed by the university and boasts of 7 ponds. The plant follows a conventional four stage process; starting off with screening and grit removal, then removal of suspended solids through sedimentation, breakdown of organic matter through biological processes, then lastly filtration, disinfection, and use of chemical treatment to ensure compliance with quality standards before final discharge. This research aims at the third stage of biological processing to explore potential for biogas production potential from BIUST wastewater treatment sludge (WTS). Presently the anaerobic digestion ponds are open to the atmosphere and therefore release methane to the atmosphere adding to greenhouse gas emissions. To investigate, four different ratios of sludge (SL) to slaughterhouse waste (SHW) (1:1, 1:3, 3:1, 2:3) were co-digested, and the two substrates mono digested. The experiment was conducted over a retention time of 32 days in 2L reactor vessels. The results for bio-methane potential revealed that sludge: slaughterhouse waste 1:3 accumulated the highest volume of biogas (10,446.4 NmL CH4/gVS), sludge on its own accumulated the lowest volume of biogas (3,134.9 NmL CH4/gVS). The ratio of 2:3 exhibited the most optimal physiochemical properties for biogas production, promising a high turnover of gas produced. The premeditated assumption was later discovered to be false, as the volume accumulated was relatively low (3435.8 NmL CH4/ gVS) only increasing by 9.6% compared to the lone digestion of sludge. Ratio of 3:1 yielded a biogas of 5,686.1 NmL CH4/gVS, showing an 81% increase in biogas yield compared to mono-digestion of sludge. Therefore, co-digestion of sludge with slaughterhouse waste at a 3:1 ratio shows great potential for biogas production from BIUST waste treatment sludge. en_US
dc.language.iso en en_US
dc.publisher Botswana International University of Science and Technology en_US
dc.subject Biogas en_US
dc.subject Biomethane Potential en_US
dc.subject Chemical Oxygen Demand en_US
dc.subject Carbon Nitrogen Ratio en_US
dc.subject Greenhouse gas en_US
dc.subject Wastewater treatment en_US
dc.title Investigating the potential of biogas production from BIUST wastewater treatment sludge by co-digestion with slaughterhouse waste en_US
dc.description.level phd en_US
dc.description.accessibility unrestricted en_US
dc.description.department cme en_US


Files in this item

This item appears in the following Collection(s)

  • Faculty of Engineering
    This collection is made up of papers, posters and presentation slides presented by both FET students and staff at national, regional and international conferences, workshops and seminars.

Show simple item record

Search BIUSTRE


Browse

My Account