Study of Reaction Rate in Mesophilic Methane Fermentation

Abstract

Decomposition rate of organic matter in mesophilic methane fermentation was studied at temperatures of 2538°C as functions of the concentration of active digested sludge [E^*] and that of raw waste sludge [S^*]. The feces and urine of a domestic animal (pig) was used as raw waste sludge.
It was found that the decomposition rate in methane fermentation was analogous to the Michaelis-Menten equation. Furthermore, the relationship between the reaction rate V, [E^*] and [S^*] obtained was
V=K [E^*] ^0.5 [S^*] ^0.5
where K is reaction rate constant. This constant K is expressed as a function of temperature in the same form as the Arrhenius equation. Apparent activation energy obtained was 12.2 kcal/ mol at temperatures of 2538°C.