Methane production from maize through anaerobic digestion: influence of variety and time of harvesting
Abstract
Maize is increasingly used for energy production in agricultural biogas plants. Economic efficiency is strongly dependent on maximum possible methane production from crops and on methane production per hectare of maize cultuvation. The research project aimed at finding maize varieties that are suitable for anaerobic digestion and at developing recommendations on optimum harvesting time and conservation. The research project quantified methane production from maize through anaerobic digestion. 5 varieties (PR 39G12, Sandrina, Clarica, Monalisa, Ribera) were included in the investigations. Each variety was harvested at an early, medium and late state of ripeness. Thus, the influence of variety and time of harvesting on methane yield and course of biogas production could be analysed. Investigations were carried out in the lab with the eudiometer technology according to the German DIN standard No. 38414. Parameters of the anaerobic digestion process such as temperature or hydraulic residence time can exactly be controlled with this technology and were kept constant throughout all experiments. Inoculum was taken from commercial biogas plants that digest animal wastes and energy crops. CO2 and CH4 concentrations in the biogas were analysed by gaschromatography. Substrate composition (N, NH4, C, cellulose, hemicellulose, crude fibre, protein, fat, dry matter, ash) was analysed before and after the digestion process. Substrate pH was monitored throughout the digestion process. Effectiveness of biogas production was assessed by the following criteria: biogas yield, methane yield, biogas quality, and decomposition of organic substance. Experiments comprised anaerobic digestion of maize silage from all varieties and from three different stages of vegetation per variety. Fresh maize of the variety Ribera was digested, as well. The lowest specific methane yield was achieved from the variety PR 39G12 (292 N l Methan per kg VS). Sandrina gave the highest specific methane yield (375 N l Methan per kg VS). Specific methane yield did not depend on the maturity group , but on the nutrient composition that varied between varieties. E.g. fat content of Sandrina was higher than of PR 39G12. Time of harvesting significantly influenced the specific methane yield especially with the varieties Sandrina, Monalisa and PR 39G12. Plants of the variety Sandrina harvested at dead ripeness delivered 23 % less methane than when harvested at wax-ripeness. When the variety Monalisa was harvested at dead ripeness, it produced 9.2 % less methane. Late harvesting of the variety PR 39G12 resulted in 15.1 % reduction in methane yield. When harvested at dead ripeness, plants of all varieties (except Clarica) yielded less biomass per hectare and/or less specific methane yield than wax-ripe plants. Maize should optimally be harvested at maximum biomass yield per hectare, which is normally the case at end of wax-ripeness. At this stage of vegetation, maximum specific methane yield can be achieved through anaerobic digestion. Deviations from the optimum harvesting time can result in considerable reductions in methane yield. Thus, the optimum harvesting time is an important determinant of economic efficiency of anaerobic digestion of maize. Maize silage gave a 21 % higher specific methane yield than fresh maize. Lactic acid formation during silaging delivers precursors that are important for methane formation during anaerobic digestion. 95% of maximum possible methane yield was achieved after 40 - 45 days of anaerobic digestion with all experiments.
keywords biogas energy crops greenhouse gas emissions
Publikationen
Endbericht "Methanbildungsvermögen von Mais, Einfluss der Sorte, der Konservierung und des Erntezeitpunktes"
Autoren: Amon, Th.; Kryvoruchko, V.; Amon, B.; Moitzi, G.; Buga, S.; Zollitsch, W. Jahr: 2002
Forschungsbericht (extern. Auftraggeber)
Das Grünland und den Acker für die Biogasproduktion nutzen
Autoren: Amon, Th., Forschungsinitiative Biogas Jahr: 2003
Newspaper / Magazine article
Nutzung der Grünlandbiomasse sowie anderer Feldkulturen für die Biogasproduktion
Autoren: Amon, Th., Amon, B., Kryvoruchko, V., Hopfner-Sixt K., Buga, S., Pötsch, E., Zollitsch, W., Plank, J., Mayer, K. Jahr: 2003
Conference & Workshop proceedings, paper, abstract
Potentiale für kostendeckende Brennstoffpreise aus landwirtschaftlichen Biogasanlagen
Autoren: Amon, Th., Amon, B., Hopfner-Sixt, K., Hackl, E., Jeremic, D., Boxberger J. Jahr: 2001
Conference & Workshop proceedings, paper, abstract
Neue Entwicklungen der landwirtschaftlichen Biogaserzeugung in Österreich
Autoren: Amon, Th., Hackl, E., Hopfner-Sixt. K., Amon, B., Jeremic, D., Boxberger J. Jahr: 2001
Conference & Workshop proceedings, paper, abstract
Biogas production from animal wastes, energy plants and organic wastes
Autoren: Amon Th., Hackl, E., Jeremic, D., Amon, B., Boxberger, J. Jahr: 2001
Conference & Workshop proceedings, paper, abstract
Österreich: Ökostromgesetz könnte Bauboom auslösen
Autoren: Amon, Th. Jahr: 2002
Chapter in collected volumes
Biogas production from energy crops - A new system (MEVS) to calculate the methane energy value from biomass
Autoren: Amon, Th., Kryvoruchko, V., Amon, B. Jahr: 2002
Conference & Workshop proceedings, paper, abstract
Entwicklung eines "Methanenergiewertsystem (MEWS)" zur Bewertung des Methanbildungsvermögens von Biomasse
Autoren: Amon, T., Kryvoruchko, V., Amon, B., Pötsch, E., Zollitsch, W. Jahr: 2003
Conference & Workshop proceedings, paper, abstract
Development of the ¿Methane Energy Value System (MEVS)¿ to estimate methane productivity from biomass
Autoren: Amon, T., Kryvoruchko, V., Amon, B., Buga, S., Mayer, K., Zollitsch, W., Pötsch, E. Jahr: 2003
Conference & Workshop proceedings, paper, abstract
Praxisrelevante Neuigkeiten aus der Forschung
Autoren: Amon, T. Jahr: 2003
Conference & Workshop proceedings, paper, abstract
Ökostrom aus Biogas: Voraussetzungen für einen wirtschaftlichen Betrieb
Autoren: Hopfner-Sixt, K., Amon, T., Amon, B. Jahr: 2003
Newspaper / Magazine article
Biogaserträge aus landwirtschaftlichen Gärgütern.
Autoren: Amon, T., Kryvoruchko, V., Amon, B., Buga, S., Amid, A., Zollitsch, W., Mayer, K., Pötsch, E. Jahr: 2004
Conference & Workshop proceedings, paper, abstract
Biogaserträge von Energiepflanzen und Wirtschaftsdüngern – Laborversuchsergebnisse
Autoren: Amon, T., Kryvoruchko, V., Amon, B., Reinhold, G., Oechsner, H., Schwab, M., Weiland, P., Linke, B. Jahr: 2004
Conference & Workshop proceedings, paper, abstract
Anaerobic digestion of maize, clover grass and animal manures: influence of nutrient composition on methane production.
Autoren: Amon, T., Kryvoruchko, V., Amon, B., Gruber, L. Jahr: 2004
Conference & Workshop proceedings, paper, abstract
Biogaserzeugung aus Mais – Einfluss der Inhaltsstoffe auf das spezifische Methanbildungsvermögen von früh- bis spätreifen Maissorten.
Autoren: Amon, T., Kryvoruchko, V., Amon, B., Zollitsch, W., Mayer, K., Buga, S., Amid, A. Jahr: 2004
Conference & Workshop proceedings, paper, abstract
Methane production from maize, grassland and animal manures through anaerobic digestion.
Autoren: Amon, T., Kryvoruchko, V., Amon, B. Jahr: 2004
Conference & Workshop proceedings, paper, abstract
Biogas production from maize and clover grass estimated with the methane energy value system.
Autoren: Amon, T., Kryvoruchko, V., Amon, B., Zollitsch, W., Pötsch, E. Jahr: 2004
Conference & Workshop proceedings, paper, abstract
Biogaserzeugung ausagrarischen Rohstoffen
Autoren: Hopfner-Sixt, K; Amon, T; Bodiroza, V; Kryvoruchko, V; Milovanovic, D; Zollitsch, W; Boxberger, J Jahr: 2006
Journal articles
Biogas production from agricultural resources: characteristic values for material and energetic evaluation
Autoren: Hopfner-Sixt, K; Amon, T; Bodiroza, V; Kryvoruchko, V; Milovanovic, D; Zollitsch, W; Boxberger, J Jahr: 2006
Journal articles
Energiepflanzen: Erntezeitpunkt bestimmt Gasausbeute
Autoren: Amon T., Hopfner-Sixt K., Kryvoruchko V., Amon B., Bodiroza V., Ramusch M., Hrbek R, Friedel J., Zollitsch W., Mayr K. Jahr: 2006
Chapter in collected volumes
Das Methanbildungsvermögen und die Biogasqualität bei der Vergärung von Energiepflanzen
Autoren: Amon, T., Kryvoruchko, V., Bodiroza, V., Amon, B. Jahr: 2006
Newspaper / Magazine article
European Biogas Initiative to improve the yield of agricultural biogas plants (EU-Agro Biogas).
Autoren: Amon, T., Amon, B., Machmüller, A., Hopfner-Sixt K., Kryvoruchko V., Bodiroza, V. Jahr: 2006
Conference & Workshop proceedings, paper, abstract
Strategien zur nachhaltigen Erzeugung, Bereitstellung und Nutzung agrarischer Biomasse für die Biogaserzeugung
Autoren: Amon, T. Jahr: 2006
Conference & Workshop proceedings, paper, abstract
Project staff
Barbara Amon
Priv.-Doz. Dr. Barbara Amon
barbara.amon@boku.ac.at
Project Staff
01.05.2001 - 31.08.2002
Gerhard Moitzi
Dipl.-Ing. Dr.nat.techn. Gerhard Moitzi
gerhard.moitzi@boku.ac.at
Project Staff
01.05.2001 - 31.08.2002
Helmut Wagentristl
Ass.Prof. Dipl.-Ing. Dr.nat.techn. Helmut Wagentristl
helmut.wagentristl@boku.ac.at
Tel: +43 1 47654-95501, 95511
Project Staff
01.05.2001 - 31.08.2002
Werner Zollitsch
Univ.Prof. Dipl.-Ing. Dr. Werner Zollitsch
werner.zollitsch@boku.ac.at
Tel: +43 1 47654-93211, 99101, 99111
Project Staff
01.05.2001 - 31.08.2002
BOKU partners
External partners
Fa. Pioneer
none
partner