Abstract:
An experimental inquiry into the production of biogas from fallen leaves gathered on Islamic
University of Technology (IUT) campus is presented in this paper. Five distinct leaf species were
chosen as biogas production substrates: Artocarpus heterophyllus (jackfruit), Swietenia macrophylla
(mahogany), Mangifera indica (mango), Syzygium cumini (java plum) and Tectona grandis (teak).
The leaves were chopped and combined with water to form a slurry in an anaerobic digester, which
started the anaerobic digestion process. Gas composition analysis was used to validate the production
of methane. The study compared the amount of methane produced by freshly fallen leaves to that of
dried leaves. It also looked into how cow dung affected the ratio of carbon to nitrogen (C/N), how
calcium carbonate (CaCO3) affected the amount of methane produced, and how much CO2 and H2S
was present in the biogas. The results were consistent and the possibility of employing fallen leaves
as a biogas substrate, underscores the complexity of the process and areas that require additional
improvement. Jackfruit leaves have been shown to produce significant amounts of methane; samples
have been shown to produce up to 29.67% methane. This is explained by the leaves' high cellulose
and carbohydrate content, ideal C/N ratio, and readily degradable structure. A 60-day reanalysis of
the samples revealed a rise to 35% in methane output. There was also little H2S formation (<0.1ppm)
and a drop in the CO2 proportion as methane production rose. However, methane was not created by
green leaves. The study highlights the advantages of using fallen leaves to produce biogas, including
how it can lower greenhouse gas emissions, offer a sustainable energy source, and improve waste
management on the IUT campus. However, it also notes some of the difficulties that may arise.
Important areas for additional investigation were differences in leaf content, possible anaerobic
digestion process inhibitors, and the need for a better comprehension of the variables impacting
biogas production
Description:
Supervised by
Prof. Dr. Md. Hamidur Rahman,
Department of Production and Mechanical Engineering(MPE),
Islamic University of Technology (IUT)
Board Bazar, Gazipur-1704, Bangladesh
This thesis is submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the degree of Bachelor of Science in Industrial and Production Engineering, 2024
