Theoretical and Conceptual Framework

This study highlights the viability of food scraps to produce methane rich gas by

undergoing anaerobic digestion.

The production of biogas was carried out in a FOUR step procedure: (1)

preparation of the food scraps and inoculum that were collected, (2) loading of the

prepared scraps in the bio digester with the inoculum, (3) allowing the samples undergo

anaerobic digestion in the reactors for two weeks, (4) determination of the presence of

methane through flame test and KOH apparatus.

The expected yield of this research is to produce methane from generally two inputs, community

food scraps and horse manure from Baguio city. Anaerobic digestion, which occurs in an oxygen-free or

low oxygen environment, is the process deemed suitable for the production. Anaerobic digestion is a

process driven by microorganisms such as methanogens, which produces methane as a metabolic

byproduct. Anaerobic methane recovery occurs in bio-digesters, where organic matter is digested, and

produces fuel called biogas.

Researchers had designed black painted bio-reactors to maintain a mesophilic temperature of

around 35C. Temperature is one of the most important factor considered in an anaerobic process. It

greatly influences performance of anaerobic digestion with respect to conversion, kinetics, stability,

effluent quality and consequently the methane yield (Sung and Santha, 2003). Degradation of substrate

started almost immediately and proceeded smoothly in the reactors maintained at 35, 45 and 55C. It is

apparent that the start-up time and time of anaerobic digestion at higher temperatures was shorter than at

other temperatures. Generally, the higher temperature, the quicker biogas production rate was. Conditions

under mesophilic temperatures (30-37 C) had shown direct relationship between the temperature and

biochemical velocity. Therefore, the optimum temperature adapting to methanogenic bacteria was around

35 C, while biogas production and biochemical velocity taking on direct correlativity (Zhang 2006).
 In addition to Zhangs study, the researchers sought to maintain the temperature at 35 Csince

anaerobic digestion was sensitive to temperature, which gave rise to the instability of digestion system

and broke the balance of concerted action of several groups of microorganism, and even resulted in

stopping the anaerobic gradation resulted in decreasing biogas production.

Input of horse manure as an inoculum targets to decrease the hydraulic residence time, which

normally varies between 20 and 50 days, depending on the substrate and manure used. In the study of

Silva and Abud, comparison between various animal waste as inoculum was assessed. Swine manure,

cattle manure, goat and sheep manure reduced the hydraulic residence time to 15-36 days, 20-40 days and

45 days, respectively. In all these studies, based on animal waste as inoculum, prevails the characteristics

of the effluent, which is what will be decomposed and will result in biogas.

Researchers established 5% and 10% of inoculum for the two bio-digesters. Only small amount

of inoculum was utilized since there is no increase in efficiency of the process in using a larger volume of

manure, although the use of inoculum anticipates the biogas production peak and increases the effective

biomass potential (Silva and Abud, 2016).

Research Paradigm
 INPUT
Raw Materials: Food Scraps, Water

Inoculum: Horse manure

- Apparatus: Digital Balance, DIY

Biodigester, KOH apparatus

PROCESS
Designing of Bio-digester
Preparation of food scraps
Collection of food scraps
Separation of coarse food scraps
Weighing
Collection of horse manure
Input of raw materials and solvent to Bio-
digester
Anaerobic Digestion
Quantitative analysis of Methane produced
Qualitative analysis of Methane produced
Testing of biogas
Viability to adjunct to cooking gas

OUTPUT
Biogas produced from food scraps as an
adjunct to cooking gas

Figure 1.1 Paradigm of the Study Viability of Food scraps as adjunct to cooking gas
 INDEPENDENT DEPENDENT OUTCOMES
VARIABLES VARIABLES - ESTABLISHMENT OF
-RATIO OF WATER TO - AMOUNT OF FOOD THE BEST
FOOD SCRAP SCRAPS FED COMBINATION OF
-CONCENTRATION OF - METHANE GAS THE AMOUNT OF
INOCULUM PRODUCTION INOCULUM,
RESIDENCE TIME AND
- RESIDENCE TIME OF - TEMPERATURE WATER TO FOOD
THE SAMPLES IN THE SCRAP RATIO
REACTORS
-ENHANCEMENT OF
METHANE RICH GAS
PRODUCTION

Figure 1.2 The figure shows the list that were included in the independent variables,

dependent variables, and outcome.