Introduction:

In Colombia, bovine ruminal content (BRC) is generally poured into water courses and open fields and, given its high organic load, its final disposal represents an environmental, economic, and social threat. To date, the implementation of technologies that reduce the impact is limited. This is due, on the one hand, to the scarce characterization of the BRC, which is required for the construction of mathematical models of anaerobic digestion that explain the reduction of this bio-solid; and on the other hand, to the restricted application of control and supervision systems focused on the generation of by-products with potential use.

Aim:

To document the methods used in the development of control and monitoring system ot temperature and pressure, for a discontinuous bio-digester at laboratory scale with biomass BRC.

Methods:

The implementation of a distributed signal acquisition system and a web server interface were carried out; additionally, a dynamic model corresponding to the behavior of the anaerobic digestion system for this BRC biomass was identified.

Results:

Using gravimetry and calorimetry, it was possible to characterize variables associated with the anaerobic digestion system with BRC. As for the control, the on-off controller kept the gas pressure in the desired range and the PI controller guaranteed the desired temperature of the process.

Conclusion:

It was possible to generate biogas from biomass BRC from basic schemes of characterization, supervision, and control of the process.