The Effect of Electromagnetic Microwave Radiation on Methane Fermentation of Selected Energy Crop Species

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to determine how thermal stimulation via electromagnetic microwave radiation impacts the yields of biogas and methane produced by methane fermentation of five selected energy crop species in anaerobic reactors. The resultant performance was compared with that of reactors with conventional temperature control. The highest biogas production capacity was achieved for maize silage and Virginia mallow silage (i.e., 680 ± 28 dm3N/kgVS and 506 ± 16 dm3N/kgVS, respectively). Microwave radiation as a method of heating anaerobic reactors provided a statistically-significantly boost in methane production from maize silage (18% increase). Biomethane production from maize silage rose from 361 ± 12 dm3N/kgVS to 426 ± 14 dm3N/kgVS. In the other experimental variants, the differences between methane concentrations in the biogas were non-significant.