Biogas Methane Digesters

Grautr · Posted: Wed May 09, 2007 8:15 am Post subject: Biogas Methane Digesters

Hi,
after watching a program on BBC world I couldnt believe how simple the setup was for a home methane digester. I thought I would look into it and see if I could find some European company selling Methane Digesters for home use... no joy.
Does anyone know of a European company selling them or possibly parts to build one yourself?

regards,

Grautr

Gerben · Posted: Wed May 09, 2007 8:52 am Post subject: Re: Biogas Methane Digesters

billg · Posted: Wed May 09, 2007 8:53 am Post subject: Re: Biogas Methane Digesters

Just curious, do you know any good books on homebuilt methane digestors?

canis_lupus · Posted: Wed May 09, 2007 8:59 am Post subject: Re: Biogas Methane Digesters

There's a ton of good information out there on the Web - the first place to look (and certainly not the last) is www.journeytoforever.org. Let your journey start there.

They got me making biodiesel and am looking at this winter's project: converting an old lawnmower to run on alcohol.

BTW, I'm lobbying for a methane digester here but 1.) I live in the suburbs of Chicago and they frown upon trucking in manure and 2.) Mrs. canis_lupus has a bigger problem with piles of poop than the town where I live.

Some chicks are like that.

Grautr · Posted: Wed May 09, 2007 11:43 am Post subject: Re: Biogas Methane Digesters

In the program the biogas was only used for cooking maybe because, as was suggested, the supply is not good enough for a heating boiler.

The home digesters they showed were in India and aparently it wasnt such a new concept. They had been processing cow dung in them but found they were 400% more efficient when kitchen scraps were used because of the higher levels of sugars.

The set up looked very simple. A double chambered tank, one for the fermantation and over it the gas holder. The gas came out of the top of the tank in what looked like a rubber hose (something that must be resistant to any corrosive effects anyway) and went directly to the cooker. The other byproduct was a liquid waste that they spread on their gardens as fertilizer.