Biogas Update

The biogas system that was in the pictures that I previously posted was financed by an NGO here called AMAD. One of my friends from AMAD said that they have been working on the biogas system for ten years. I do not think this is true and I also hope that it’s not because I was able to find a system that had several improvements online in just a couple of hours. One of the most exciting is what one of my friends calls a “cow shit bong.”

My research tells me that biogas is made up of CO2, H2S, and CH4, with the last of those, methane, being the usable part of the gas. One of the problems with the current biogas system is that there is a low concentration of methane. However, I read that you can reduce the CO2 and H2S content by passing the gas :) through water. So with the help of Dia, an AMAD technician, and Brian, another Volunteer, I installed a “scrubber,” or “bong” if you will. The gas enters through one tube that is below the level of the water in the container, bubbles upwards, and leaves through the other which is above the level of the water.

 

Another idea found is to weld a couple of barrels together and put them on their side at an incline with an opening at each end so it is easy to take out a little digested slurry and add some fresh cow manure each day, thus always keeping the unit at maximum production. Links to the documents for both ideas are here: http://www.echotech.org/mambo/index.php?option=com_docman&task=doc_details&gid=60&Itemid=68 and here: http://www.echotech.org/mambo/index.php?option=com_docman&task=doc_details&gid=59&Itemid=68

My ultimate goal is to help create a system that is relatively cheap that can produce enough gas for all of a families cooking needs. This is obviously a very high goal and I am fairly certain it is unreachable at this moment because there are people much more knowledgeable than me working on it and I feel like if it could be done we would know about it. However, I feel like the potential is there, and AMAD is already financing several pilot projects so do not feel like I am wasting resources by making improvements.

Again, if anyone has any more ideas or knows anyone who does I would love help.