Biogas Generation

[Travis Linds]

I found a great book "A Chinese Biogas Manual" which was translated from chinese and is a guide on how to build simple, biogas generators from local material in small communities. It even goes into storage and use of the biogas. I know that the reason most dairies are not generating biogas is due to the the high costs of the stainless steel digesters. This book explains how to make suitable digesters in the ground out of stone, brick, clay and concrete for cheap. Does anyone know of any local examples of DIY biogas generation? It seems like a great way to produce energy and compost from waste products, not only for dairies but for communities as well.

[Nathan Chapman]

Read http://planet.wwu.edu/archives/2006/articles/spring/purifying-new-p... for an answer to your question. To find the dairy mentioned in the article, take the Guide North to the Canada border, turn right into the dairy about 100' before the border.
Watch http://vri.etec.wwu.edu/videos.html?V32_ABC_GMA_lg,400,299 for a video of the car, dairy, digester, and powerplant.
Cows are very efficient at extracting energy from grass, so their manure doesn't have a very large methane production capability. However, the dairy owner earns extra money from tipping fees to have the local ravioli maker dump it's waste ravioli into his digester. The ravioli also produces a lot more methane.
The dairy owner uses the methane to run a diesel engine to generate electricity for his farm, plus feeds it back into the grid. WWU's VRI occasionally fills up one of their cars there, too.
The VRI was working on a scrubber for the digester to process out hydrogen sulfide, which is toxic to animals and also corrosive to the powerplant.

[Heather K]

Imagine a biogas diesel generator that could pump water out of the well or pond for drinking or gardening! I'd like to both help build one and to bring one home in exchange for lifedollars.
Imagine teaching high school, college, or younger folks how to do this so they can teach their parents we don't always have to be connected to the central electrical damned-rivers-hydro-system.

[Travis Linds]

Brian found an excellent source of infomation. I went through some of the material avaiable and found how to make a large scale biogas generator from a plastic bag! http://www.fastonline.org/CD3WD_40/JF/JF_HTM/Plastic_bag_digester/I...

Check out all the info here: It is amazing: http://www.fastonline.org/CD3WD_40/CD3WD/INDEX.HTM

[Travis Linds]

that is cool that you found this online. I am very interested in this type of project. Having one on the farm seems ideal! I am also interested in helping out at you farm in other ways. I have experience with DIY stills and am also working on a bike powered generator. I am an Engineer :)

[Brian Kerkvliet]

I found it online at,
http://www.fastonline.org/CD3WD_40/JF/432/24-572.pdf
lots of other good info on this site too!
Would like to talk to anyone that is interested in this type of project.

[Brian Kerkvliet]

Do you have this book? lets build one here at inspiration Farm!

[David MacLeod]

Interesting!