Thermophilic, anaerobic fermentation of beef cattle residue

Technical Report · Sat Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1977

OSTI ID:6371904

Hashimoto, A G; Chen, Y R; Prior, R L

The research being conducted at the U.S. Meat Animal Research Center to convert livestock manure into methane and a high protein feed ingredient by thermophilic anaerobic fermentation is summarized. The pilot-scale fermentor is 5.7 m/sup 3/ with a working volume of 5.1 or 5.4 m/sup 3/ depending on the retention time. The fermentor was operated at 55/sup 0/C; and 20, 12, 6, and 4 days' retention times at loading rates of 3.4, 5.2, 11.4, and 15 kg VS/m/sup 3//day, respectively. The results showed that the total solids, volatile solids and COD reduction decreased as the retention time decreased; the fixed solids and total nitrogen were not lost during fermentation; and the total gas and methane production rate increased as the retention time decreased. High protein biomass from the fermentation was recovered through centrifugation and by direct incorporation into the ration. Feeding trials using dried centrifuge cake showed that the digestibility of dry matter, organic matter, and nitrogen tended to decrease slightly as the amount of centrifuge cake in the ration increased. An economic assessment was performed on a hypothetical, thermophilic, anaerobic fermentation system for a 10,000-head beef feedlot. The assessment showed that the capitalized investment costs ranged from $85 to $131/head, and the annual costs ranged from $29 to $39/head/yr, depending on the type of biomass recovery system used.

• Research Organization: Science and Education Administration, Clay Center, NE (USA). Meat Animal Research Center
• OSTI ID: 6371904
• Report Number(s): TID-29414
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

09 BIOMASS FUELS
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140504* -- Solar Energy Conversion-- Biomass Production & Conversion-- (-1989)
AGRICULTURAL WASTES
ALKANES
AMINO ACIDS
ANAEROBIC CONDITIONS
ANAEROBIC DIGESTION
ANIMAL FEEDS
ANIMALS
BIOCONVERSION
BIOSYNTHESIS
CARBOXYLIC ACIDS
CATTLE
CENTRIFUGATION
COST
CRYOGENIC FLUIDS
DIGESTION
DOMESTIC ANIMALS
ECONOMICS
ELEMENTS
FERMENTATION
FLUIDS
FOOD
HYDROCARBONS
MAMMALS
MANAGEMENT
MANURES
METHANE
NITROGEN
NONMETALS
NUTRIENTS
ORGANIC ACIDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PROCESSING
PRODUCTION
PROTEINS
RECOVERY
RUMINANTS
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SHEEP
SOLID WASTES
SYNTHESIS
THERMOPHILIC CONDITIONS
VERTEBRATES
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTE PROCESSING
WASTES