my methane project

[pepa]

I have the materials, skills and information that I need to put this part of my reusable energy project together.  I have spent a lot of time researching the construction of this system and I believe it will be a large part of my energy needs, but I know that some of you board members have a lot more experience in this field and I would like to have your help, suggestions, or advice to help smooth the road ahead as I build this project. I plan to use a large part or the gas that is produced to generate electrify, as well as heat. I was thanking of using an engine from an old ford ranger that I have and convert it to run on methane gas. That should give me plenty of tork for gearing up a large generator at low fuel use.. By using the Al Rutan design for the digester, I should be getting 200 or more cubic feet per day if I follow the guidelines he set. What do you think? Thanks for looking. pepa

[pyrocasto]

Looks interesting. We have 4 horses as well so I've had the thought of a digester in the back of my mind for awhile, but have other projects just a little higher up on the list.

Best of luck with this one. ;-)

[hiker]

saw a program on a pbs station few years ago--it was over in africa--showed how the natives built these clay domes[about the size of a large dog house]with a tube coming out of the top and going to a gas burner..any way they would load these domes up with animale waste-and end up with cooking gas-it was a real low pressure system...

[georgeodjungle]

when i used a tank digester.

it worked ok, but better with 2 tanks.

then your never with out.

[Gordy]

A farmer I worked with, built a digester (25 + years ago). He started with a concrete slab with tubing in it conected to a gsa hot water heater (set to 95 or 98 degress for winter). Then using old silo blocks and rings he built a 20' round x4' high tank on the slab. In side the tank he built walls coming from each to make a surpintine maze for the slurry to flow through. The gas out plumbing went to the haymound where he had the edges of two swiming pool liners sealed together to make a bladder for gas storage. It was neat to see the bladder full and floating against the rafters.

He ran the barn cleaner to a small pit and an auger to feed the digester. Straw and all went in , pea soup with No smell came out. Talk about fertalizer, best sweet corn around

Gordy

[pepa]

thinks for the comments, georges comment brought back memories of putting in my own septic system at my last farm. i used a 1200gal fiberglass tank that came in two halves and had two round covers on the top. this type of tank would be easier to work with and last a lot longer than the old metal tank that i was so proud to find. the price is for these fiberglass tanks is reasonable and i can add another one if one does not give me the amount of gas that i need. thanks for the comments and keep them coming. pepa

[Bruce S]

Pepa;

 Nice four legged feed stock you have there:--))

I have read about as much as I can about the stuff that Al Rutan did, he seems to be the defacto expert on this, and boy do I wish he was still alive.

There's tons of his stuff on the journey to forever website, including drawings.

How do you plan on pressurizing the fuel for heating, cooking?

From reading about the guy who did the chicken poop car fuel, I think your slurry level may be too high.

I think that with the current tank you can do a whole lot with it, which will be perfect for getting all the tank inlets and outlets just right before going the fiberglass route for long term.

I agree, if you have a large enough feed stock two tanks with a week startup offset would be good to cover the gas peeks from loading the slurry and the need to clean the tanks.

Some of the later ones have/had bottom pipes to empty the waste without the need to open the tanks to the air.

Bruce S

[GaryGary]

Hi,

You may have already seen these, but here are some more methane generator plan sets:

http://www.builditsolar.com/Projects/BioFuel/biofuels.htm#Methane

Gary

[healerenergy]

I like methane the production of it and have for a long time.  One of my favored books on the subject  of homemade energy came from mother earth news.  The name of it is "handbook of homemade power".  It has a lot of good information.  Also another book that helps is on composting "The Rodale Book of Composting".   It has lots of useful info on chemical composition and stuff like that.

[healerenergy]

Something I forgot in my last post is about all the products a digester puts out.  The main one of corse is methane.  Then there is a liquid high in nitrogen content which can be used for fertiliser and the solids.  I would recomend when you set up your system to use those products to your best advantage.  The liquids if dumped into a concrete basin or pond  would grow great pond moss which can be put back into the digester to make more methane.  The solids can be partially dried out and used or sold as potting soil.  Also any of the liquid which won't fit in the pond pour it on your garden or sell it as organic liquid fertiliser.  No waste it all can be used.

On another note consider putting a tapered trough with a large valve in the bottom to collect solids which no longer float and excess fluids.

Also remember that the processes slury goes through is over 60 or more days long.  The solids go through floating, sinking and floating or sinking, floating and sinking I cant remember been to long.  I think the later so a baffle from the bottom up half way in the middle of the tank below top of liquid level then the tapered trough after the baffle. Have fun with your project.

[Kwazai]

hadn't done it yet, but several of the things I've read I'll eventually be trying. Jean Paine kept his at 98F for best methane production.

Another article said to maintain the proper PH (7 to for best methane. And I hit one clostridia bacteria research paper which said every four days to kick the temp up to 140F to kill off all except the methanogen bacteria (primarily clostridia) (they sporeate). curious thing is they actually were getting a good bit of hydrogen production too (after temperature shocking it). You need to be careful with some of the clostridia bacterium, but horse manure shouldn't have any of the lethal ones in it (just humanure...).

anyway fyi

mike