bioenergy production from sweet sorghum irrigated with wastewater in laboratory and pilot scales

sweet sorghum that is adapted to the country hot and dry climatic condition, was selected as a raw material for biofuel and biogas production. bioethanol is produced from sweet sorghum stalks and grains and biogas is produced from its byproducts. the purpose of this study was to plant sweet sorghum irrigated with different qualities of water in order to produce biofuels. this experiment was conducted at the east wastewater treatment plant of isfahan water and waste water company in 1992. the results showed maximum biomass (87 t/ha) was produced in treatments irrigated with raw and waste water and minimum biomass (66 t/ha) was produced with agricultural water. although total coliform in raw and waster was 1.2×10^8 and 1.9×10^4, respectively but it was less than 1×10^2 in sweet sorghum leaves, stems and grains. 6372 l of bioethanol was produced from 1 ha of sweet sorghum. from its byproducts, 15435 cubic meter of cng was produced which can be used in gas vehicles. in addition 43218 kwh electricity, 36994 mega calorie heat, and 16t of organic fertilizer were produced. electricity could be sold to national grid electricity and heat could be used in bioethanol plants and the organic fertilizer could be used in agriculture.