Biogas Digester Information

Jamil Orfali

Pine /Sawdust
The calorific value and the elementary analysis refer to dry biomass.

Calorific value
gross: 20846 kJ/kg statistics...
net: 19030 kJ/kg

Elementary analysis
C: 52.49 wt.%,dm
H: 6.24 wt.%,dm
N: 0.15 wt.%,dm
S: 0.03 wt.%,dm
Cl: 0.04 wt.%,dm
O: by difference

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Ash analysis
CO2:
SO3: 1.95 wt.%
Cl:
P2O5: 5.24 wt.%
SiO2: 8.35 wt.%
Fe2O3: 1.84 wt.%
Al2O3: 2.00 wt.%
CaO: 41.86 wt.%
MgO: 11.82 wt.%
Na2O: 0.27 wt.%
K2O: 12.24 wt.%
TiO2: 0.12 wt.%
http://www.vt.tuwien.ac.at/Biobib/fuel177.html (for above material)

Digestion Process Information

1. During this process 30-60% of the digestible solids are converted into biogas. This gas
must be burned, and can be used to generate heat or electricity or both
2. Biogas typically contains between 60 and 70 percent methane
3. Organic waste to methane gas by anaerobic digestion can be considered a two-step
process.
a. The first step involves a group of anaerobic bacteria referred to as the acid
formers that produces organic acids as a by-product of the initial organic
degradation
b. The first step involves a group of anaerobic bacteria referred to as the acid
formers that produces organic acids as a by-product of the initial organic
degradation
4. There are two types of AD process
a. Mesophilic digestion: The digester is heated to 30 - 35oC and the feedstock
remains in the digester typically for 15-30 days. Mesophilic digestion tends to be
more robust and tolerant than the thermophilic process, but gas production is less,
larger digestion tanks are required and sanitisation, if required, is a separate
process stage
b. Thermophilic digestion: The digester is heated to 55oC and the residence time is
typically 12-14 days. Thermophilic digestion systems offer higher methane
production, faster throughput, better pathogen and virus kill, but require more
expensive technology, greater energy input and a higher degree of operation and
monitoring
5. More than 90% of nutrients entering anaerobic digesters are conserved through the
digestion process. By conserving nitrogen during digestion, the N:P ratio of the treated
manure is more favourable for plant growth
6. The final products of anaerobic digestion are quite homogenous and are more predictable
as sources of plant nutrients since they are in a more mineral form (50% of carbon is
converted to biogas - methane & CO2).
7. If there is treated manure in excess of land base requirements, this homogenous product
lends itself well to further processing for off-farm "value-added" products (adding
supplemental nutrients can make this a valuable "organic fertilizer"). If the end product is
dried and pelletized, it can be stored, transported and applied with existing fertilizer
application equipment. Recycling of livestock nutrients back to cereal production
sources should be an essential part of any long-term agricultural sustainability plan
8. A person on a Western diet averages about a half-pound of feces per day
a. http://www.answers.com/topic/cat-hole
9. To investigate this possibility we measured the content of moisture and minerals (sodium
[Na], potassium [K], calcium [Ca], magnesium [Mg], phosphorus [P], zinc [Zn], iron
[Fe], copper [Cu] and manganese [Mn]) in feces collected during a 12-d metabolic study

on 11 young Japanese female students. Design: The study was carried out as part of a
human mineral balance study. The same quantity of food was supplied to each of the
subjects throughout the study without consideration of body weight. Fecal specimens
were collected throughout the study and were separated into those originating from the
diet during the balance period based on the appearance of the ingested colored marker in
the feces. Results: The moisture content of the feces ranged between 53 and 92%. Na
content in the feces was low and stable when the moisture content was below 80%,
whereas it increased up to serum levels when the moisture content increased above 80%.
On the other hand, K content increased when compared to dry matter base. However,
when comparing concentration/g moisture, K content increased when moisture was
below 70%, but decreased when this rose above 70%.
http://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/jnsv/52/2/52_121/_article (above material)
Bacteria flourish to such an extent that as much as 50% of the dry weight of the feces may
consist of bacterial cells
http://users.rcn.com/jkimball.ma.ultranet/BiologyPages/G/GITract.html (above)

Indian Model Digester

Sintex Industries, a plastics and textile company located in Gujarat, India, has produced a
new biogas digester unit that can help households manage their waste, whether it be human
feces, livestock manure, or organic scraps from their kitchens. In India, human and livestock
waste is a huge environmental hazard. Also, energy from conventional sources is either
unaffordable or inaccessible for millions of Indians. Although Sintex's new biogas digesters
will cost US $425, a sizable sum for most Indians, the Indian government has agreed to
subsidize one third of the cost of these single-family digesters to help more Indians capitalize
on this opportunity.
The biogas digester unit has a volume of a single cubic meter and can use the waste
from a family of four to provide all the energy necessary to cook its food. The sludge that
results from the anaerobic processes in the digester can also be used as fertilizer.
http://www.ruralcostarica.com/biogas-india-sintex.html

Additional Useful Websites:

1. http://www.adelaide.edu.au/biogas/anaerobic_digestion/

2. http://www.epa.gov/outreach/agstar/index.html
3. http://www.energyfarms.net/biogasdigesters