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Monitoring the Biogas Production Process

Using pH Level as an Indicator in the Biogas Production Process
The pH measurements reveal the acidity or alkalinity of the digester liquid. This is easy to measure; simply insert strips of litmus paper — which are readily available at most pet and aquarium stores or drug stores — into the liquid inside the digester, then compare the color that develops against a pH color chart. You are aiming for a neutral pH of 7.0, or as close to that as possible. If a pH level of less than 6.0 is recorded, it indicates that all is not well within the digester.Using Gas Production as an Indicator in the Biogas Production Process

Causes of a Digester Upset During the Biogas Production Process
There are a number of factors that can cause a digester upset. The primary causes include: • A high concentration of toxic compounds within the waste • The feed rate is too high • The temperature within the digester is too cold If the temperature within the digester is too low, it could be due to a malfunction of the heating system. When large amounts of waste are added at once, it is recommended that the waste be preheated to a temperature of 95 degrees Fahrenheit to prevent the methane bacteria from succumbing to thermal shock. To prevent this, and to improve performance, continuous loading is recommended over batch-loading.Featured Image By US Department of Agriculture, [CC BY 2.0] via Flickr