Cow dung and water is mixed, and this slurry is fed into the biogas plant for digestion by microbes. The person performing the process shares that there is no need to provide inoculum for it, why? What is the role of microbes at the source? Under which condition will they be most active and effective?
1. Biogas is a natural and pollution free source of fuel which is most common in rural areas.
2. Biogas is a mixture of gases which contains mainly methane. It is naturally produced in biogas plants by the activity of microbes mainly anaerobic ones. During their growing stages microbes produce various gases as the end products.
3. The bacteria used in biogas production are anaerobic bacteria who loves cellulose. Hence they mainly grow on cellulosic materials. During their growth period they produce gases like methane, carbon dioxide and hydrogen. These bacteria come under a category called methanogens.
4. A common bacteria belonging to methanogens are Methanobacterium. These bacteria are found in huge quantities in the excretory product of cattle or the cattle dung. As mentioned earlier that these anaerobic bacteria love cellulosic material, this Methanobacterium is found in the rumen of the cattle.
5. As the biogas production requires cow dung and water initially which already contains Methanobacterium in huge quantities, there is no need to add inoculum.
6. The microbes i.e.Methanobacterium requires an anaerobic condition for the production of methane and other gases. These bacteria digest or ferment the biodegradable material inside a closed system which is also called biodigester. The microbes breakdown organic material which is the cowdung in anaerobic condition.
