Improved Biogas Production from Human Excreta Using Chicken Feather Powder: A Sustainable Option to Eradicating Poverty

Abstract

It has been proposed that providing energy for cooking and lighting would solve over 65% of energy needs in rural communities. The use of biomass resources has been found not sustainable as other bioproducts such as biodiesel and bioethanol depend on it. More so that there is a depletion of bioresources in some parts of the world. The shift into animal waste such as poultry droppings and cattle dung has huge prospects, but it is not sustainable in the long term as rural farmers depend on it. The use of human excreta is the most available and sustainable due to the human population. This research aims to provide a workable blueprint of biogas production to meet energy needs. The research considers a laboratory‐scale experiment whose result is used to project the medium‐scale biodigester. Microbial culturing from human waste is used to initiate the codigestion of human excreta and powdered chicken feathers. It is observed that this procedure drastically reduces the high nitrogen content in the biogas and improves its methane and carbon dioxide content. It is observed that the scaled‐up biodigester in a worst case scenario can function at 67%. Design parameters are documented for the onward adoption of the technique.

Parametric Evaluation of Biogas Production from Sawdust and Treated Human Faeces: Optimal Custom Design Approach

“…Mineral element analysis was determined according to the official method of the Association of Official Analytical Chemists [12]. One gram (1.0 gm) of each sample was added to 20 ml HNO3 in a 100 ml beaker.…”

“…"Biogas regarded as the methane-rich gas with its left-over regarded as bio-fertilizer are produced via an anaerobic digestion that breaks down the organic material in the absence of air" [11]. "Anaerobic digesters help to convert the energy stored in organic materials present in manure into biogas via the various processes like hydrolyzes, acidogenesis, acetogenesis and methanogenesis" [2,12], "with methanogenesis bacterial being the chief converter to CH4 and CO2 under anaerobic fermentation" [12]. "However, this gas are used as a fuel for cooking, lighting, and generating electricity" [11,13].…”

Sustainable Energy Cyclic System: Massive Operation and Integrated System for Optimizing Renewable Energy Sources

“…It revolves around humans as energy consumers and their various activities. As living beings, humans undergo metabolic processes that produce side products (feces) that can be converted into energy (biogas) (Emetere, Chikwendu, and Afolalu 2022). The biogas is then utilized as an energy source that supports human activities.…”

Biogas compression chamber from septic tank: Design and testing

“…Likewise, the humidity increased and the temperature reduced. This change is due to the nature of the effect of chicken feather on the quality of the biogas (Emetere et al, 2022).…”

“…Initially, the issues affecting biogas were the sustainability of its feedstock, i.e., cow dung, poultry droppings, etc. With the recent campaign on the use of human waste, the issue of sustainability has been solved because the generation of its feedstock is directly proportional to the human population (Emetere et al, 2022). For the adaptation of biogas, there is a need to activate its commercial value.…”