What is Press mud?

About Press mud

• It is often known as filter cake or press cake,
• It is the agricultural waste obtained when cane juice is repeatedly filtered before being sent for extraction of sugar.
• The filters are cleaned periodically, and the waste is deposited into the yard of the mill.
• Nearly 3 to 4 percent of press mud is obtained when per tonne of cane is crushed.
• At present, mills recycle this agriculture waste as manure by composting the same and supply it to the farmers in the area.
• Benefits
  • It can be utilisied as a feedstock for biogas production through anaerobic digestion and subsequent purification to create compressed biogas (CBG). 
  • It is very useful for agricultural crops and horticulture because of its richness in various micronutrients.
  • It has been acknowledged as a valuable resource for green energy production.
• Issue with press mud: Storing pressmud proves challenging as it undergoes gradual decomposition, resulting in the breakdown of organic compounds. 

What is compressed biogas (CBG)?

• It is produced naturally through a process of anaerobic decomposition from waste / bio-mass sources like agriculture residue, cattle dung, sugarcane press mud, municipal solid waste, sewage treatment plant waste, etc.
• After purification, it is compressed and called CBG, which has pure methane content of over 95%.
• It is exactly similar to the commercially available natural gas in its composition and energy potential. With calorific value (~52,000 KJ/kg) and other properties similar to CNG.

Q1) What is Compressed Natural Gas?

Compressed Natural Gas (CNG), is natural gas under pressure which remains clear, odourless, and non-corrosive. It is also a cheaper, greener, and more efficient alternative to the traditional petrol and diesel fuels for vehicles.

Source: Sugarcane byproduct pressmud can be a sweet spot for India’s compressed biogas sector