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Methane Hydrate | Methane Digesters For Fuel Gas and Fertilizer
 

Methane Digesters

Quick Facts...

• Anaerobic fermentation or digestion is the most promising process for converting organic materials to methane and other gases.
• A simple apparatus can be constructed to produce bio-gas.
• Bio-gas usually contains about 60 to 70 percent methane, 30 to 40 percent carbon dioxide, and other gases.
• The heat value of raw bio-gas is approximately half that of natural gas under typical Colorado conditions.
• Take precautions when processing and handling the gas. It is highly explosive and difficult to detect.

http://www.colostate.edu/Depts/CoopExt/PUBS/FARMMGT/05002.html

Methane Digesters For Fuel Gas and Fertilizer, With Complete Instructions For Two Working Models -- by L. John Fry, Santa Barbara, Calif. 93103, © 1973, Eighth Printing (out of print). Excellent manual on making and using methane -- biogas. Fry developed his techniques while running a pig farm in South Africa, designing the first full scale displacement methane plant. Good information on integrating biogas production with gardening and farming, and with pond-culture food production. Designs for a Sump Digester using 55-gal oil drums and an Inner Tube Digester. With thanks to Kirk McLoren.
 

Farming for energy: Cow Power - http://www.auri.org/news/ainjul01/05page.htm

Kinetic Studies of Biogas Evolved from Water hyacinth

ABSTRACT

 Water Hyacinth - a native of South America is abundantly found in India, Bangladesh, South East Asia and in the Philippines Islands. Under favorable conditions a growth rate as high as 17.5 metric tons of wet Water hyacinth per hectare per day has been reported. Due to vegetative reproduction it spreads rapidly clogging drainage, ditches, shedding out other vegetations and interfering with shipping and recreation.

The concept of using aquatic plants for conversion to energy (methane) is gaining attention in tropical and sub tropical regions of the world where warm climate is conductive to the plant growth through out the year. Anaerobic digestion of organic matter is the oldest method for disposing the waste. The anaerobic digestion of animal, agricultural and industrial wastes has been widely studied. However, very little work has been done using aquatic plants particularly Water Hyacinth.

The present paper deals with the kinetics of gas produced from Water Hyacinth. The study was done in a batch fed digester. Attempts have been made to reach at an optimum condition for the production of maximum amount of gas by the addition of lower volatile fatty acids, Cow dung and inoculums etc. The important and useful results that was drawn from the study is that we can run the biogas plants even in the cold winter nights by using certain additives. After digestion of Water Hyacinth inoculums can be used as good manure for soil fertility, which is free from harmful chemicals, which is a boon for sustainable agriculture practices.

 

INTRODUCTION TO METHANE GAS PRODUCTION - AL RUTAN

In 1973 when the Arab oil embargo hit the US, there was intense interest in developing renewable sources of energy. Then the political climate changed and the thought of being energy independent as a nation was dropped. This nation is now paying the price for such a foolish political decision.

The momentum of the social revolution of the 60's spilled over into the decade of the 70's. The thrust of the thinking of many was still, "Let's do it our way." Those dedicated to developing renewable energy received approval from many, even if financial backing for developing concepts was less than needed. The focus on the possibilities of harnessing solar radiation, wind power, alcohol fuel production and methane gas fuel was driving the imaginations of many. But none of the efforts to develop renewable sources of energy went without challenges. The entrenched
energy companies felt threatened.

Signs appeared on gasoline pumps everywhere, "Our Gas Contains No Alcohol." These statements were meant to deliberately mislead public thinking. They were led to believe that if gasoline contains alcohol, it must be bad! Actually, the opposite is true. The burning characteristics of gasoline are significantly improved when mixed with ethanol. Old Timers will remember the days when the highest grade of gasoline was labeled "Ethyl." (sometimes this refers to Tetra Ethyl Lead, but don't forget alcoline, agrol, and other brands of Gasohol sold in the 30's and 40's). Gasoline retailers no longer propagate the lie that their gasoline contains no alcohol, because gasoline mixed with ethanol is required in many States for reduced air pollution during the winter driving months, as a replacement for MTBE, a known ground water pollutant.

The fallout from the confrontation with big business was that the efforts of many to establish a foothold with projects of renewable energy came to naught. This is particularly true of the on-farm alcohol fuel movement and to a lesser extent with on-farm methane gas production from animal manure. In the late 70's and early 80's there were hundreds upon hundreds of on-farm alcohol plants throughout the US. Right now companies such as ADM are manufacturing huge amounts of ethanol but none of it is coming from on-farm locations as far as we know.

With methane gas production, the picture is somewhat different. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Golden, Colorado, publishes a booklet titled, "Methane Recovery From Animal Manures - The Current Opportunities Casebook." It is prepared by Philip D Lusk who is with Resource Development Associates in Washington DC. This is an outstanding publication because it covers all aspects of the challenge to harness the process of anaerobic fermentation. And it lists the details of 23 on-farm projects scattered through the nation that are operating successfully. Most are dairy farms.

Methane recovery from organic waste is appealing for several reasons. One is that the "raw" material is just laying around waiting for someone to do something with it. Unlike alcohol which has to be grown first as a starch grain and then processed, animal manure is "coming at you" if you have animals - whether you want it or not. It only makes sense to convert this "difficult resource" into something that is not only "socially acceptable" but also very profitable.

For instance, Fairgrove Farms in Sturgis, Michigan, milks 720 head. The manure from this herd is conveyed to a digester. The biogas produced fuels a caterpillar generator. The generator produces for the power grid in excess of $140.00 worth of electricity every 24 hours. So the farm receives from the local electrical utility a check in excess of $4,000.00 each month. Actually, it is probably more at the present time because this was the figure four years ago when Al Rutan visited the farm.

Producing biogas from animal manure is like making bread, beer or wine. All are examples of the process of fermentation. And it is obvious to anyone who has experience that these skills are an art as well as a science. Anyone can bake bread or make wine. But to be really good at these skills requires common sense and sensitivity to the parameters of nature working to succeed. Working with manure is similar. One cannot
treat it like "shit" and expect the best results. It takes an abundance of common sense and sensitivity to what the methagenic organisms require to achieve the best results.

Submitted by:
Al Rutan Research
<www.methane-gas.com>

---

Methane, Biogas, or Gobar Gas (Gobar is the Nepali term for manure) is made by the anaerobic (in the absence of oxygen) digestion of manure and plant life. The purpose is to convert this manure into methane to use as cooking fuel. One method is to use a circular pit made of concrete, that is sealed and manure is added over time. Pipes lead from this container into the house, where gas is emitted at the cooking location. Residue from the combustion process comes out at a different location in a concentrated form and is used for fertilizer. Human waste may also be used as the bacteria is killed in the combustion process. See the Glossary for terms and definitions.

Methane is a gas made up of one molecule of carbon and four molecules of hydrogen. It is the major component of the "natural" gas used in many homes for cooking and heating. It is odorless, colorless, and yields about 1,000 British Thermal Units (Btu) [252 kilocalories (kcal)] of heat energy per cubic foot (0.028 cubic meters) when burned. Natural gas is a fossil fuel that was created eons ago by the anaerobic decomposition of organic materials. It is often found in association with oil and coal.

The same types of anaerobic bacteria that produced natural gas also produce methane today. Anaerobic bacteria are some of the oldest forms of life on earth. They evolved before the photosynthesis of green plants released large quantities of oxygen into the atmosphere. Anaerobic bacteria break down or "digest" organic material in the absence of oxygen and produce "biogas" as a waste product. (Aerobic decomposition, or composting, requires large amounts of oxygen and produces heat.) Anaerobic decomposition occurs naturally in swamps, water-logged soils and rice fields, deep bodies of water, and in the digestive systems of termites and large animals. Anaerobic processes can be managed in a "digester" (an airtight tank) or a covered lagoon (a pond used to store manure) for waste treatment. The primary benefits of anaerobic digestion are nutrient recycling, waste treatment, and odor control. Except in very large systems, biogas production is a highly useful but secondary benefit.

Biogas produced in anaerobic digesters consists of methane (50%-80%), carbon dioxide (20%-50%), and trace levels of other gases such as hydrogen, carbon monoxide, nitrogen, oxygen, and hydrogen sulfide. The relative percentage of these gases in biogas depends on the feed material and management of the process. When burned, a cubic foot (0.028 cubic meters) of biogas yields about 10 Btu (2.52 kcal) of heat energy per percentage of methane composition. For example, biogas composed of 65% methane yields 650 Btu per cubic foot (5,857 kcal/cubic meter). http://www.eren.doe.gov/consumerinfo/refbriefs/ab5.html

Electricity from cow dung
By G.S. Dhillon

IN a welcome move PEDA, the nodal agency of the Punjab Government for undertaking development of non-conventional sources of power, has embarked on the utilisation of cow dung or the cattle waste originating from the dairy units in the Haebowal complex in Ludhiana, for the production of electricity, in addition to organic manure.

A modern plant is proposed to be put up which with an initial investment of around Rs 10 crore will supply about 1 MW of power, in addition to yielding organic manure.

In the Haebowal complex there are about 200 private dairy units meeting the milk needs of the city’s population. The cattle waste or cow dung resulting from these dairy units are causing pollution problems. Most of the cow dung is “washed down” into the Budha Nullah on whose bank these dairy units are located.

The proposed scheme of PEDA will be putting up a state-of-the-art plant which has not been adopted in the country before. It is proposed to discuss the “improved mode” of anaerobic digestion of cattle waste (cow dung) in this write-up.

Gobar gas plants:

In the presently sponsored models of biogas units, both for “family scale” and the “community scale” units, the mode used is “mesophilic” which works at temperatures around 30°C to 40°C and the consortium bacteria gives better efficiency in the above temperature range. If the temperature drops below, as is the case in winter months, these units stop producing biogas. In this mode the detention period is very lary, so vessel or digestor has to have a large capacity.

In the current models used, as both acidic and methagenoic stages which require alkaline environment takes place in one vessel, the whole process is very sensitive and the acid boiling conditions occur most often. The biogas produced is also stored in the same vessel, so problems result and the conversion efficiency of solids is low and so is the calorific value of the gas produced which requires a special burning unit.

Thermophilic mode:

In this mode the consortium of bacteria deployed for bio-degradation of solids is different from that deployed in the mesophilic mode. This bacteria work at higher temperatures of 50°C to 60°C and operate at a much faster rate and with better efficiency of solid digestion. The control provided in this mode is better than the other mode working at a lower temperature range i.e. mesophilic mode.

The detention period required is also smaller, so the size of reactor is smaller. Usually separate vessels are used to accomplish both acidic and alkaline stages in different vessels and the gas produced from each stage is collected and stored separately. The gas obtained is mainly carbon dioxide and separation of this gas improves the quality and calorific value of the gas.

To improve the quality of produced gas, it is scrubbed to remove hydrogen sulphide gas present which imparts obnoxious odour (rotten eggs). The improved gas has comparable characteristics to that of the LPG fuel and the same burners can be used for the so-improved biogas.

From the collected cow dung, the first operation involved is removal of dirt, sand, stones, bricks, etc. before loading the digestor, which is suitably insulated to preserve the temperature of the process. For this removal a rotary drum sieve is utilised. The slurry comprises carbohydrates, proteins and fats, which are worked upon by the consortium of bacteria to produce biogas comprising carbon dioxide, nitrogen, methane and traces of hydrogen sulphide, etc. The ambient range of pH required to prevail in the mix is between 6.2 to 7.8.

At the first stage, the digestion of solids into fatty acids takes place which are later worked upon by the methagenic bacteria into the methane gas. If the latter process proceeds at a slower rate, then there is a gradual accumulation of the fatty acids and drop of pH value occurs leading to acidic conditions prevailing which, in turn, needing buffering action to restore the alkaline environment.

The effluent from the process contains a large amount of water, in addition to particles which would produce manure. So the effluents need to be dewatered for obtaining manure and this is accomplished in the screw press and solids are recovered from the effluent. Thereafter, the liquid is aerobically stabilised before disposal. The effluent flowing out conforms to the standards set by the pollution control agency. The manure obtained is aerobically stabilised and provides an ideal soil conditioner and organic fertiliser.

Power generation is carried out by using the biogas obtained as fuel in compression ignited internal combustion engines which operate entirely on the biogas. The engines are coupled to the AC generators to produce electricity.

Conclusion:

This mode is regarded as eco-friendly because if the methane resulting from anaeorobic digestion of cow dung while composting is allowed to escape to atmosphere, it would add to the accumulative green house gases but when burnt it produces carbon dioxide which results in the abatement of climatic changes. The unit being set up at Ludhiana, if successful, would lead to setting up many similar units in other towns of Punjab. The experiment being carried out at Ludhiana is thus a trend-setter.

---

History of Biogas Development

The pioneer of biogas in Nepal was father B.R Sauboll, a Belgian teacher at Godavari St. Xavier's school. He built a demonstration plant in 1955. In 1968 Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) built a plant for an exhibition in Kathmandu. The Department of Agriculture installed 250 biogas plants during the fiscal year of 1975/76. The Agriculture Development Bank of Nepal (ADB/N) offered interest free loans for the installation of biagas plants. In 1974, Development and Consulting Service (DCS) built four biogas plants according to KVIC design. Gobar Gas and Agriculture Equipment Development Company Pvt. Ltd. was formed in 1977 with joint investment of the United Mission to Nepal (UMN), ADB/N and Nepal Fuel Corporation (which later on merged into the Timber Corporation of Nepal) based on DCS biogas extension organization. As it was difficult to introduce new technology, biogas in rural areas programme of the company was not encouraging in comparison to national potentialities. However, research on various design of biogas plant such as floating steel drum design, concrete fixed dome design, pre-cased tunnel design, plastic bag biodigester, ferrocement gas holders, brick mortar dome, mud dome were tested and experimented. However, fixed dome design is the only one recognized design and became more popular in Nepal. http://www.panasia.org.sg/nepalnet/technology/biogas.html

Dedicated to Promoting Biomass Energy -
particularly pyrolysis, gasification
and alternate fuels ... http://www.webpan.com/BEF/

 

COMMERCIALISATION OF BIOGAS IN NEPAL 

Biogas technology is becoming one of the reliable alternative energy sources in Nepal. As a result more than 48500 biogas plants have been installed in the country. However, it is only about 3.7% of its technical potentials. Biogas technology has been commercially introduced since the establishment of Gobar Gas Tatha Krishi Yantra Vikash (P) Ltd. in the year 1977. Various research have been carried out in designing and developing a biogas plant, biogas appliances, alternative feedstocks, maximising gas production especially in winter months and end use applications of gas and slurry. Even though these technologies have not came into practice and are limited only in papers, due to which the progress were not attractive as the planners planned. For commercialisation of biogas plants in Nepal, this paper has analysed potentiality of biogas plants in the country, sources and mechanisms of funding, construction capacity of the companies and users buying capacity with cost calculations. It has also highlighted some biogas promotional activities such as development and distribution of extension and promotion materials, marketing and slurry extension programme. It has focused on research and development, training, quality control and monitoring and evaluation of the programme. It has also highlighted the importance of co-ordination between its partners such as Biogas Companies, Nepal Biogas Promotion Group and other active NGOs, Biogas Appliances Manufacturers, Banks, BSP and AEPC with their clear responsibilities for the success of the programme. Ultimately, emphasis has been given for introducing a community trust fund concept, diversified end use applications of gas as well as slurry and integrated approach of biogas system for commercialisation of the technology in the country. In this way conclusions and recommendations are presented.

Internalising Environmental Benefits Of Anaerobic Digestion Of Pig Slurry In Norfolk (UK) - Rachel Boyd 

An Introduction to BIOGAS - Beginners Guide to BIOGAS - Paul Harris, The University of Adelaide

In the interest of maintaining self sufficiency in fuel, EcoGenics has developed and built a methane digester capable of handling 1.5 tons of animal waste and producing varying amounts of "unscrubbed" methane at 540 to 700 BTU per cubic food, within an initial detention time period of 36 to 48 hours.

The digester design is a low cost semi-underground, cylindrical tank-type installation with baffles. Solar heating, heat injection via immersed coils and structural insulation allow for rapid decomposition of the waste product slurry. 

The gas product is captured with a series of "bag"-type storage units as an adjunct to the digester. In keeping with the closed loop design of the facility, the digester supernatants derived from the resulting slurry, are used as nutrients for the algae and ponds located within the Biosphere. Also, the solid fractions of the digester waste stream are suitable for composting or for direct application as a high quality fertilizer \ soil amendment. - http://www.dabney.com/ecogenics/digest.html

 

Good news from the Bisofer Warrior.

The Flemish gorvornment gave a green light for my new project concerning
Anaerobic Digestion.  You can find a summary in the attachment.  The project
will start at the end of the year and will last (in the first instance) for
two years.  Whith the approval of this project, the Belgian government gives
us a signal that they also want to see biogas plants in Belgium.

Let's say we expect that, with this project, new initiatives will come up
within the anaerobic digestion issue. The realisation of biogas plants
within the Belgian Food Processing Industry will be organised by
Studiebureel “flos campi” of Eng. Wouter Platteau.  A co-operative
organisation consisting of financial groups, food processing companies,
waste processing companies, farmer groups, slaughter-houses, etc. will be
set up.  Per region, the waste of different companies and farmers will be
used in the biogas plant.  The situation will be partially comparable to the
one in Denmark, only in specific situations we’ll have to make a
international exportable product.

This co-operative company still finds itself in a embryonic stadium.  You’ll
hear from it in later stadium. But we are sure of a positive evolution in
Belgium.  The government now pushes to implement this technology within the
Belgian companies.  The electricity prices for green energy (from biogas
plants) now reaches 0,15 Euro !!

Please don't hesitate to contact me if you have comments or questions.

Finally I can tell you all that I'm very glad my work is being appreciated
by the Belgian government and I can tell you : the one who doesn't give up,
wins! (it's dogged does it tell's my translator programm)

Be well.
Wouter Platteau
Projectmanager & BISOFER Warrior


****************************
Wouter Platteau
bvba Johan Vanacker
Studiebureel "flos campi"
Kouterweg 45
8800 Roeselare
GSM:    0477 709130
e-mail: wouter.platteau@gmx.net

The most efficient process of capturing energy from manure is through anaerobic digestion. Constructed digesters capture methane which has a similar energy value to natural gas. In addition, the process utilizes little of the nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, which has additional value in a fertilizer market. Currently, utilities will not pay energy-producing farmers the going rate for farm generated electricity. Producers can still benefit from this energy source if their on-farm use exceeds their on-farm energy production. http://www.fb.com/issues/analysis/manure.html

Wisconsin Electric Power Co. said Friday that it will begin purchasing power from a facility being built near Shawano that uses cow manure to help generate electricity as part of its growing renewable-energy program. http://www.jsonline.com/bym/news/may00/manure06050500a.asp

Environomics Designer: Manure Biogas Digestion Systems "Turning Waste into Profits" http://waste2profits.com/
If your property included a 20-acre parcel that had Crude Oil beneath it, of course you'd pump it up and sell it. If you think about it, in many ways treating the manure your livestock generates like a commodity is better for you than a Crude Oil field.  First of all the crude oil field doesn't exist, while there's no question of the manure's existence.  And even if you had the oil field, as long as you keep livestock you'll be up to here in manure. Manure is a natural byproduct of your primary business, and it's not hidden under the ground, nor do you have to extract it from the bodies of your livestock; on the contrary, they eagerly deposit at your feet on a daily basis. Like Crude Oil, from manure you can produce heat and electricity as well as fertilizer and fiber; the profits from which will more than pay for your initial investment.

The purpose of this site is to promote anaerobic digestion as an environmentally friendly method of waste reduction and energy recovery. Anaerobic digestion is a biological process where organic waste is broken down, or digested by bacteria. During the digestion process the bacteria produce mainly methane, which can be easily collected and used as a fuel for cooking and heating. After the organic material is digested, it becomes a high quality fertilizer for use in organic gardening. http://www.anaerobicdigestion.com/

Automotive LPG Fuel (and Methane)

In 1987 I embarked on a project to convert my car to run on LPG (aka propane) instead of gasoline. What little I knew at that time indicated it would be a great motor fuel. I built the car in 1989/1990, and wrote it up as a small booklet, "Do-It-Yourself Automotive LPG Conversion", and amazingly, sold about 1200 copies in two years mostly through the Real Goods Trading Company (Ukiah, CA). Now it's November 1998, I'm still driving the car regularly, with no problems, though the engine valves should be redone, with about 106,000 miles on the engine.

Below is the original booklet, updated in Mar 94, Apr 97, Nov 98, plus additional accumulated technical information. For a fuel that's been around since the 1920's there's shockingly little available information.

My conclusion to the question, is LPG any good as a motor fuel? An unqualified yes. It's nearly non-polluting (mainly carbon dioxide, and less of that per-mile) and cheap. But not profitable for oil companies. Read on if you care. There might even be enough information for you to duplicate my efforts, for the very few people who care. http://www.wps.com/LPG/

LPG (Liqufied Petroleum Gas) is a petroleum derived, colorless gass, typically comprised of primarily either propane, butane, or a combination of the two. LPG has been and continues to be the most widely used alternative motor fuel to gasoline and diesel on a worldwide basis. The acceptance it has enjoyed over the years ensures the place of LPG in clean air scenarios worldwide. Currently, (1992) there are over 500,000 vehicles using propane gas in the United States, most are spark-ignition engines adopted to use either propane or gasoline, and over three million worldwide. http://www.wps.com/LPG/WVU-review.html

Updating biogas technology - By G.S. Dhillon
DURING early 1970s the government decided to give thrust to the generation of gobar gas (renamed after 1982 as biogas) by anaerobic digestion of gobar (cow dung) for meeting fuel needs of rural population. This mode was expected to bring economic uplift and social welfare of the rural sector. Both family size and community size models were launched and appropriately subsidised. The task for the development and propagation of the mode was entrusted to PAU and the Department of Agriculture, Punjab.

DESIRED FUTURE STRUCTURE OF THE BIOGAS SECTOR IN NEPAL  - Privatization can play an important role in the biogas sector in Nepal to tap the potential in a fast, inexpensive and qualitative way. Conditions related to the quality of the biogas plant and the provision of investment subsidy have to be issued by a 'National Biogas Centre. This Centre has to be established at central level. Investment subsidy creates not only the necessary demand for biogas plants, but it is also a very effective means to regulate the privatization.
 

Biomass and alternative fuels in engines

The Energy Group has for over two decades been involved in the development of the major renewable energy sources of wind, hydro, solar pv and biomass. A systems approach has invariably been adopted with emphasis upon component interaction, end-use requirements, and the possibility of application in combination with other sources of energy (e.g. wind/diesel). A list of websites dealing with biomass energy technologies is available. 

There has been a steady research interest over many years into the use of alternative biomass fuels in i.c. engines, including biogas, wood gas, biodiesel and ethanol. Both practical and theoretical work has also been done on other engine cycles, such as Stirling engines and the Atkinson cycle as alternative means of using a range of fuels and also improving efficiency of the combustion of conventional fuels. There is a desire to respond to the increasing opportunity for the use of advanced gasification of wood and other materials for power production.

David Fulford has had a background in overseas development, setting up a family scale anaerobic digestion project in Nepal, which has since proved very successful. He has specialized at Reading in a range of activities in the biomass energy field.

Graham Rice, although now retired from teaching, is able to offer the expertise he has gained over many years of research into alternative fuels in engines and in the design manufacture and testing of Stirling engines. http://www.rdg.ac.uk/energy/prisbiom.htm

background on the gas digesters - Preface to the Series

[this is the letter which prompted the author to write the series -ms]

JB> Please, please be as specific as you can... seems like information
JB> about Methane Digesters is few and far between.  I studied under Rich
JB> Merrill when I was in college and that's how I got turned on to the
JB> idea.  This project is really important to the future of small farms
JB> as it is the only way to heat greenhouses cheaply and efficiently in a
JB> rural enviroment.  And yes I have access to all the raw materials I'll
JB> need.

"Latest Progress in Anaerobic Digestion," by Phil Lusk, in BioCycle
Magazine, July 1999.  See
http://www.environmental-expert.com/magazine/biocycle/july/article3.htm .

Centralised Manure Digestion Plant, CADDET energy technology record, updated
1999.  See http://194.178.172.86/register/datare/ccr01853.htm .

Anaerobic Digestion: Is It Right for Your Farm?, Cornell Cooperative
Extension Service, 1990.  Hard copy can be ordered through
http://www.cce.cornell.edu/publications/dairy.html .

Refurbish Langerwerf Dairy Anaerobic Digester, Western Regional Biomass
Energy Program, November 1998.  See
http://www.westbioenergy.org/refurbish.htm .

An Introduction to BIOGAS

If you are new to biogas/biofuel and anaerobic digestion for waste treatment these pages are intended to assist you. If you only need some simple information the first couple of links will be most useful, while the later pages are to help those considering starting a digester project.There is also a safety page

All information is provided without warranty and should not be used for commercial purposes.
If you do build a digester please remember that you are dealing with bacteria and (hopefully) flamable/explosive gas, so reasonable safety precautions MUST be used. Seek professional advice for any commercial project!

A GLOSSARY is now available to assist you with all the new terms you encounter

Any suggestions/questions are welcome, and may be made by e-mail to Paul Harris.

Paul Harris
Agronomy & Farming Systems
Faculty of Sciences
Adelaide University, Roseworthy Campus, AUSTRALIA 5371
Ph    : +61 8 8303 7880
Fax   : +61 8 8303 7979
mailto:paul.harris@adelaide.edu.au
http://www.roseworthy.adelaide.edu.au/~pharris

Please note that this tour accesses sites authored by a number of people in different locations, I gratefully acknowledge their work but the tour cannot claim credit or responsibility! http://www.roseworthy.adelaide.edu.au/~pharris/biogas/beginners

 

BIOGAS FROM THE SEA - German and Italian scientists are converting excess marine
algae from the Venice Lagoon into biogas, a versatile, clean-
burning fuel. Researchers in Calabria are cultivating
phytoplankton in shallow sea water ponds. In both cases, with the
help of the sun, biomass is created and fermented into biogas. The
potential for generating fuel from algae culture is tremendous.
Worldwide there are more than 18,750 miles of coastal desert areas
suitable for such energy plantations.

Biogas in India: A Sustainable Energy Success Story - 

Biogas means social benefits for women and children. Woman and children are the big winners in India where every year 200,000 families turn away from the traditional fireplace and have a biogas plant installed to provide energy for cooking and lighting.

A smoke-free and ash-free kitchen means women are no longer prone to lung and throat infections and can look forward to a longer life expectancy. In rural areas, where there is generally no electricity supply, the introduction of biogas has given women a sense of self-worth and time to engage in more activities outside the home.

Dung is no longer stored in the home but is fed directly into the biogas plant, along with toilet waste. As a result, standards of hygiene have improved, and the vegetable patch has gained a top quality fertilizer that guarantees a better crop.

More than 2 million biogas plants have been built in India so far. Almost 200,000 permanent jobs have been created for the male bread-winners of indian families. With a potential market for 30 plants attached to households with 3 cattle or more, the social and environmental advantages of biogas are only just beginning to be explored.

Biogas Products - Controls and equipment.

Biogas Resources - Equipment: Biogas flares, Biogas burners, Instrumentation
Capacity: Up to several thousands of cu.m./h of biogas

Biogas Technology - Biogas Production - In biogas plants liquid manure, fixed muck, agricultural wastes and waste products from slaughterhouses, food factories and from "green waste" can be fermented. Operational principle - The organic waste material is given to a septic tank, without air access. The micro organisms which produce the fermentation gas do not tolerate oxygen, and additionally no light has to penetrate into the digester or gas outlet. There the material is transferred into fermentation gas and high-quality fertilizer.

Odour removal at biogas plants - Many biogas plants have severe odour problems, and this may be a barrier for further extension and use of the technology. A Danish biogas plant "Vester Hjermitslev Energiselskab" has good experience in eliminating the odour problems with a BBK-biofilter. The biogas plant produces biogas out of fishsludge (sludge from waste water treatment plants at fish factories) and liquid manure from pigs and cattle. They used to have a traditional bark filter to remove the bad odours, but the results were so poor and the complains from the neighbours so numerous that they had to find a new solution of the problem. Otherwise the plant would have to close down. The solution turned out to be a BBK-biofilter dimensioned to clean 7000 m³ air per hour, which is able to remove all the annoying odours totally.

Yorkshire Electricity Group - Biogas is the term used for the gas made from the natural decomposition of organic (plant or animal) materials. It is produced when the materials are digested by bacteria in a situation where little or no air is present (anaerobic digestion).

DAVE PAXTON'S BIOGAS SERIES - To start it all off I guess I should give a little bit of background on the gas digesters. Prior to and during WW2 there were sporadic attempts at producing and using methane gas in digesters but no organized research. After the war the Chinese and Indian peoples developed the gas to help their energy deficient countries cope with its needs. I have found no written papers on the Chinese developments but I have heard tourists talking about wagons of farm goods being driven around by what appears to be a lawnmower (2 wheels on an axle driven by a small 1 cyl engine, the whole thing having "handlebars" to rotate it in any direction) instead of a horse or water buffalo. These engines are fueled by a big bag of biogas that usually bobbles back and forth on top of the produce. I have no info on the Chinese biogas digesters. However, the Indian government has established the Gobar Gas Research Station at Ajitmal, India. The "guru" of gobar gas is a gentleman by the name of Ram Bux Singh and may possibly even still be doing research at this time. India has 2 sacred cows for every one person. Gobar is their words which if interpreted would come out "cow dung" (to be polite). So if someone refers to you as a gobar slinger you will know what they mean (grin). Ram Bux Singh has written many papers on the subject and the Gobar Gas Research Station has released booklets and papers but I have yet to find any of these available here in the U.S. Many people have picked up the ball and tried to run with it. A fellow in Africa by the name of Fry had one of the worlds biggest pig farms and he had some interesting results in digesting the waste in that it cut down disease, flies and smell of his operation and helped his farm produce better crops to feed his pigs.

EPA's Landfill Methane Outreach Program - Landfill gas emitted from decomposing garbage is a reliable and renewable fuel option that remains largely untapped at most landfills across the United States, despite its many benefits. 

Making Your Own Fuel - Making fuel isn't just for the big oil companies. You CAN make your own! Hydrogen gas, Alcohol and Methane gas can be made at home for fun and profit. Well... its not very much fun and there isn't much profit in it, but it can be done.

Methane (Biogas) from Anaerobic Digesters
Methane is a gas made up of one molecule of carbon and four molecules of
hydrogen. It is the major component of the "natural" gas used in many homes
for cooking and heating. It is odorless, colorless, and yields about 1,000
British Thermal Units (Btu) [252 kilocalories (kcal)] of heat energy per
cubic foot (0.028 cubic meters) when burned. Natural gas is a fossil fuel
that was created eons ago by the anaerobic decomposition of organic
materials. It is often found in association with oil and coal.

http://www.eren.doe.gov/consumerinfo/refbriefs/ab5.html

Basic Research evaluated and initiated development on several promising
designs of biological anaerobic digestion processes that improved the rate
and yield of methane generation from biomass and waste feed stocks. Two
designs were developed for processing high-concentration, as-received
biomass feed stocks; and one design was developed for transforming soluble
organic feed stock into methane. The goal was to achieve methane yields
greater than 6 cubic feet per pound of dry matter at loading rates exceeding
0.5 lb/cu.ft. reactor/day. This goal was exceeded by both the Solids
Concentration (or SOLCON process, Patent No. 4,735,724, April 5, 1988,
developed by IGT and tested at the Walt Disney World Experimental Test Unit)
and the dry fermentation process developed and tested at laboratory pilot
scale by Cornell University using sorghum feed stock varieties (MN 1500 and
623xRio) that were developed by Texas A&M under GRI funding. Fundamental
research that supported this effort was provided by the University of
Florida. This technology was reported in 1986 as a Category E result.

http://www.gri.org/cgi-bin/re?url=http%3A//www.gri.org/pub/oldcontent/tech/r
srch/sum95/95res25.html

Anaerobic lagoons are perhaps the most trouble free, low maintenance systems
available for treatment of animal waste. This is particularly true in the
southern U.S.where winter temperatures are mild, permitting anaerobic
digestion the year around. The effluent from the digester is a valuable
source of nitrogen for plants that can be field applied for improved crop
production. Placing a cover over the lagoon for collecting biogas virtually
eliminates odor from the lagoon. The collected biogas, a byproduct of the
digestion process, is typically 60 to 70 percent methane that can be
utilized as a valuable energy resource. Limited experience indicates that
odor from field application of effluent from two cell covered lagoons is
much reduced from what might be expected when applying untreated or
uncovered lagoon effluent.

http://www.ctic.purdue.edu/core4/nutrient/manuremgmt/Paper31.html

The process by which anaerobic bacteria decompose organic matter into
methane, carbon dioxide, and a nutrient-rich sludge involves a step-wise
series of reactions requiring the cooperative action of several organisms.
In the first stage, a variety of primary producers (acidogens) break down
the raw wastes into simpler fatty acids. In the second stage, a different
group of organisms (methanogens) consume the acids produced by the
acidogens, generating biogas as a metabolic byproduct. On average, acidogens
grow much more quickly than methanogens. They are also much hardier
organisms, able to survive a broader range of temperature and pH conditions.

http://biorealis.com/digester/digestion.html

Methane is a gas made up of one molecule of carbon and four molecules of
hydrogen. It is the major component of the "natural" gas used in many homes
for cooking and heating. It is odorless, colorless, and yields about 1,000
Btu [252 kilocalories (kcal)] of heat energy per cubic foot (.028 cubic
meters) when burned. Natural gas is a fossil fuel that was produced eons ago
by the anaerobic decomposition of organic materials. It is often found in
association with oil and coal.

http://pages.prodigy.net/afmo/meth.htm

At first glance, the idea of generating methane gas has
considerable merit because it appears to offer at least a partial
solution to two pressing problems-the environmental crisis and the
energy shortage. Unfortunately, present-day large-scale methane
generation requires rather high investments in money and management
which considerably reduce the practicality of the idea for the
farmer. This Guide is intended to provide quantitative information
so that the feasibility of methane generation can be evaluated for
a given situation.

http://www.inform.umd.edu/EdRes/Topic/AgrEnv/ndd/watermgt/GENERATING_METHANE
_GAS_FROM_MANURE.html

Wisconsin Electric, Tinedale Farms converting animal waste to power

 

Dairy cows help produce enough electricity to power 150 homes - http://www.corporate-ir.net/ireye/ir_site.zhtml?ticker=wec&script=410&layout=7&item_id=128922 MILWAUKEE - Wisconsin Electric has reached an agreement with Ag Environmental Solutions, LLC to purchase renewable electricity generated from a manure digester facility located at Tinedale Farms, of Wrightstown, Wis. The facility is already under construction and will be owned and operated by Ag Environmental Solutions, LLC. The farm has about 1,800 dairy cows. As the waste from the cows decomposes, it releases methane biogas. The manure digester will capture the gas and use it to fuel a small power plant that will produce 750 kilowatts; enough to power about 150 homes. "I really like the fact that this is green energy," said Carl Theunis of Tinedale Farms. "Farmers know first-hand how important it is to take care of the environment. Many are operating multi-generational farms and want to protect the land and resources for the next generation. Green power revenue will enable agriculture to invest in technology to further enhance environmental stewardship." The facility should be producing electricity by March of 2001 with future expansion possible. Tinedale Farms is located at 2768 Poplar St. in Wrightstown, just outside of Kaukauna. "This plant is a win for everyone," said Kris Krause, Wisconsin Energy Corp. vice president of Environmental. "Methane is twenty times more potent as a greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide. This is also an opportunity to support family farms in our state." This manure digester will be a different technology than the one near Bonduel, Wis. that WE announced in May. The first of its kind in the state, the Bonduel plant has generated widespread praise from environmental groups and government for its ability to turn animal waste into green energy. Wisconsin Electric Power Co., a subsidiary of Wisconsin Energy Corp., provides electric, natural gas and/or steam service to about 2.4 million people in southeastern Wisconsin (including the Milwaukee area), the Appleton area, the Prairie du Chien area, and portions of northeastern Wisconsin and Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Visit the company's Web site at www.wisconsinelectric.com. Editor's Note: Carl Theunis of Tinedale Farms can be reached at 920-532-4804.

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