AnaerobicDigestion

SteveBaertsche MaryWicks

AnaerobicDigestion
Whatisit? Howdoesitwork? Isitrightforyou?

AnaerobicDigestion:

Whatisit?
Ananaerobicdigesterisanairtight,oxygenfree containerthatisfedanorganicmaterial,suchas animalmanureorfoodscraps.Abiological processoccurstothismixturetoproducemethane gas,commonlyknownasbiogas,alongwithan odorreducedeffluent.Microbesbreakdown manureintobiogasandanutrientricheffluent.
(http://www.biogas.psu.edu/basics.html)

Itswhathappensinsideacowsstomachafter dinner.

AnaerobicDigestion:

Whatisit?

Domeddigesterandchannelforpig andhumanwaste.

Uncovereddigesterwithinfluentport onleftandeffluentportonright.

Over37milliondigesters operatinginChinain2009.
Usingbiogasforcooking. Source:http://www.cityfarmer.org/biogasPaul.html

AnaerobicDigestion:

Whatisit?
ORGANIC MATERIAL
manure foodwaste

BACTERIAL DIGESTION BIOGAS

~65%methane ~35%carbondioxide

EFFLUENT
solids liquids

HEAT

ELECTRICITY

PIPELINE GAS

BEDDING

FERTILIZER

AnaerobicDigestion:

Whatisit?
Onfarmdigesters:
Worldwide 20,000 U.S.* 157(>400,000MWh equivalentperyear) Ohio* 4(>16,000MWh equivalentperyear)
*Source:U.S.EPAAgStar

AverageU.S.homeuses 11,232kWh/yr
(DOEEIA2007)

AnaerobicDigestion:

Howdoes itwork?
Bacteriabreakdownorganicmaterialinaseriesofstages.
Carbohydrates Sugars Carbonicacids andalcohols Fats Fattyacids Hydrogen Carbondioxide Proteins Aminoacids Ammonia Hydrogen Aceticacid Carbondioxide Methane Carbondioxide

Thebacterialcommunitychangesthroughouttheprocess.

AnaerobicDigestion:

Howdoes itwork?
Differentfactorsaffecthowquicklythe materialbreaksdownandthevolume ofbiogasproduced: Feedstocks
Typeofdigester Operatingtemperature

AnaerobicDigestion:

Howdoes itwork?
Feedstocks containdifferentamountsofenergy.
Feedstocks
Wastegrease Molasses Foodwaste Potato peelings Swinemanure Dairymanure

Biogas Produced
cubicmeter/ton 600 469 220 68 35 25 Source:MathiasEffenberger,2006

Thinkaboutacupofsugarvs.acupoflettuce.

AnaerobicDigestion:

Howdoes itwork?
Typesofdigesters:
Characteristics Digestion vessel Leveloftechnology Supplemental heat Totalsolids Solidcharacteristics Retentiontime Optimumclimate Covered Lagoon
Deeplagoon Low No 0.5 3% Fine 40 60days Temperate &warm

Plug Flow
Rectangular in ground Low Yes 11 13% Coarse 15+days All

Complete Mix
Round/square above/in ground Medium Yes 3 10% Coarse 15+days All

Fixed Film
Aboveground tank Medium No 3% Fine 23days Temperate &warm

(Source:http://www.epa.gov/agstar/pdf/handbook/chapter1.pdf )

AnaerobicDigestion:

Howdoes itwork?
COVERED LAGOON
Advantages
Lowcost(relative) Lowtech/easytoconstruct Geosyntheticcoversare readilyavailable
Miedema Dairy

Disadvantages
Covermaintenance/lifespan Solids/nutrientaccumulation

Circleville,OH Coveredlagoon 1,000dairycows

AnaerobicDigestion:

Howdoes itwork?
PLUG FLOW
Advantages
Goodtrackrecordfordairy manure Workswellwithscrapesystems

Disadvantages
Requireshighsolidfeedstocks (1114%)

SunnyKnollFarm
Perry,NY Horizontalplugflow 1,800dairycows

AnaerobicDigestion:

Howdoes itwork?
COMPLETE MIX
Advantages
Highlevelofexperience Workswithwiderangeof influenttotalsolids/moisture Fitswellwithmostdairy/swine andfoodwastes

OARDCDigester
Wooster,OH Completemix Feedstocks vary

Disadvantages
Maintenanceofmechanicalmixingequipment Poorbiomassimmobilization

AnaerobicDigestion:

Howdoes itwork?
FIXED FILM
Advantages
Shorterretentiontimeas microbesretainedinsystem Smallerfootprint

Disadvantages
Sensitivetosolidload

Faber
PA Fixedfilm 100dairycows

AnaerobicDigestion:

Howdoes itwork?
Operatingtemperature Thermophillic (120140F)
Shorterprocessingtime Smallertankvolume Less stable Mesophillic (95105F) Longerprocessingtime Largertankvolume

AnaerobicDigestion:

Isitrightforyou?Benefits
Createvalueaddedproducts:
renewableenergy(biogas)
(heat,electricity,CHP,compressedgasforvehicles,pipelinegas)

fertilizer fibers
(bedding,mulch,hydroseeding,pottingsoilamendment)

Reduceenvironmentalimpacts:
odors pathogens greenhousegases

AnaerobicDigestion:

Isitrightforyou?Considerations
Isthereadirectuseforthebiogas? Whatfeedstocks areavailable? Whatisthe biogaspotential? Isthereaneedfornutrients(NPK)inthe surrounding community? Istechnicalsupportavailable andreliable? Isiteconomicallyfeasible?

AnaerobicDigestion:

Isitrightforyou?Resources
U.S.EPAAgStar Program
Voluntaryoutreachandeducationalprogramthat promotestherecoveryanduseofmethanefrom animalmanure. Informationaboutfundingsources,decision making,otherresources,andmore. Availableonlineat: www.epa.gov/agstar

AnaerobicDigestion:

Isitrightforyou?Resources
AgStar IndustryDirectory,June2010
Projectdesignersanddevelopers Energyserviceproviders Equipmentmanufacturers Commodityorganizations

Availableonlineat
www.epa.gov/agstar/documents/agstar_industry_directory.pdf

AnaerobicDigestion:

Isitrightforyou?Incentives
RuralEnergyforAmericaProgram
Grantassistance
25%ofeligiblecosts $250,000maximumforEnergyEfficiencyProjects $500,000maximumforRenewableEnergyProjects

Loanguarantees
85%loanguaranteeforloansunder$600,000 $25,000,000maximumloadamount InOhiocontact:Randy.Monhemius@oh.usda.gov

AnaerobicDigestion:

Isitrightforyou?Incentives
RenewableEnergyCertificates(RECs)
Electricitygeneratedfromrenewableresources earnstradableRECs. 1REC=1,000kWhor1MWh RECsareissuedandcanbesoldtoenergy generatorstohelpmeetrequirementsfor increaseduseofrenewableenergy. Formoreinformation,see
http://www.epa.gov/greenpower/gpmarket/rec.htm

AnaerobicDigestion:

Isitrightforyou?Incentives
CarbonCredits
Creditsgivenforreducinggreenhousegas emissionsfromlivestockmanurestorage. Formoreinformation,see
http://www.chicagoclimateexchange.com/

Otherincentives
DatabaseforStateIncentivesforRenewableand Efficiency
http://www.dsireusa.org/

AnaerobicDigestion:

Isitrightforyou?

Questions?