Biogas Digester Turns Manure Into Cooking Gas!

This simple biogas digester at ECHO can create cooking gas from cow manure. A family of four can cook for months on the gas from just one drum of manure sludge. Methane is created by the anaerobic composting of manure by methane-producing bacteria. Harnessing this process replaces the need for firewood. Great appropriate technology for the developing world. The biogas pressure tank is simply an inverted drum in a barrel of water, held in place with an innertube strap that provides pressure as the gas rises. Amazingly simply but highly engineered.

[@dandingo168]

what an amazing place ECHO is, I really like this biogas digester so simple.

[@SkillCult]

Awesome that you can do that on such a small scale and have it be practical. Playing with biogas has been on my to do list for a while, but I think I'll move it up a notch now. From my limited understanding, the nitrogen remains available in the left over slurry, so it is also basically like making liquid fertilizer at the same time. I wonder how various plant materials would compare to manures...

[@william38022]

Could also run a small generator intermittently off from that also,,,maybe to charge a small bank of batteries,,,run a small battery refrigerator prevent food spoilage run lights at night.

[@Hermit_of_the_Holler]

I looked into the math...and cooking seems to be the best use at this small scale. 1-meter³ is about 20MW for methane, after it's been scrubbed from biogas-->biomethane

[@william38022]

Here in America we could power at least half of our electrical grid with a set up that works off of the same basic principles as this does

[@rareherbs776]

awesome idea!

[@TakeTheRide]

I don't know that you're cooking for nothing because it cost to have amimals. Whether it be a land taxes, feed, vet bills etc. Yet this is a great idea for those that have animals or access to animal manure, lots of backbone, a shovel and a truck.

[@BT-kf4kx]

was watching video about Montana's farmer, they were doing the same thing except with much bigger scale since potatoes were being dumped into the ground anyway .

[@jennylync987]

can I ask if how he did that? I'll just make Methane produced using Hogs Manure as my project. Can someone help me?

[@princessorig1]

the blue flame wont turn your pots black. if there is yellow flame coat the pots with some detergent soap and the soot will be easy to wash off after using the pot

[@ramonflauta8309]

Wow very nice technology.. Just asking how can you remove the waste when it no longer producing gas?

[@rondaboy]

Did you still doing the same? Any updates on this biogas invention?

[@pedrolewis8841]

WOW this is AWESOME, I am super interested in making this, how can i find more info

[@davidthegood]

I would call ECHO. www.echonet.org/

[@theyellowgloves]

super cool

[@Joedirt5]

Very good info thanks

[@lm2193]

the best technology is the simplest one. with this gas = cooking, heating, water distillation, electric generation.

[@rickjewell2734]

I wonder how much sulfur is in the methane if it is not purged? I don't know where to get the sulfur eating bacteria to complete tbis step.

[@Hermit_of_the_Holler]

Hydrogen sulfide is corrosive. By simply passes the gas through a chamber or iron filings or steel wool (large surface areas) you can. Effectively *scrub* a large percentage of the hydrogen sulfide. Before scrubbing...usually a dirty yellow flame. After scrubbing, blue.

[@TheSamsonbangui]

Is the white barrel is completely closed floating in water?

[@raviv4293]

Shall we add some amount of Yeast into d digester for quick produce of biogas..?

[@Hermit_of_the_Holler]

No. Yeast is a different bacteria. It will typically yield CO2. You need a specific anaerobic bacteria to produce the methane. And it is already in the cow dung. Hope that helps

[@mustaphadimbala973]

Please how long would it take to produce burnable gas after first installation?

[@fishmut]

Mustapha Dimbala about 6 weeks give or take.

[@trevorchilenga7945]

That's my question too

[@TheSamsonbangui]

Hi David, is the red barrel have water?

[@mokenetgumshoe1064]

Hello, I'm building a biogas digester as well. I'm having trouble finding a fitting that will connect the inner tube to the gas line. can you help to point me in the right direction?

[@davidthegood]

Good question. Try calling the office of ECHO in Ft. Myers, Florida - they should know what fitting was used.

[@davidthegood]

Here's the number: 239.543.3246. They are very nice folks. Sharp and helpful.

[@muasavjohn2840]

Can a dry cowdung be used??

[@trevorchilenga7945]

Can I use chicken manure?

[@rahsomali]

how do you bleed just the oxygen only? can someone explain how you can just bleed the oxygen not the gas it's self? maybe i missed something here? Thank you

[@jibriilahmed7361]

Abshirow ma i maqashaa I am not a scientist but it seems that the oxegyn is in there in the form of urea . The guy is opening a hole so that it evaporates with the offensive smell. I will meet Mr David the Good in Florida soon

[@jamaicaportal]

Great design. My only concern is that the burner is so close to the white storage tank because the potential for a leak is possible and could lead to an explosion. My guess is this is for demonstating the system and a real setup would have the storage and burner much further apart. I love the simplicity of the design though.

[@jamaicaportal]

The oxygen is not bled alone because it's not possible to do that. However, most of the air is released (including oxygen) at the beginning of the process before methane starts to be produced by the microbes breaking down the biomass (cow dung). To displace the air (O2), he placed a bottle of water in the tank. How? Not sure. But one could figure it out. I wish he had shown all that but I have an idea that is too difficult to try and explain here.

[@TheSamsonbangui]

Is the white barrel floating inside the red barrel is completely sealed? Can anybody confirm this?

[@Hermit_of_the_Holler]

Yes and no. The water initially fills the inner chamber. Since you really don't want to store the biogas with oxygen (explosive mix). Then the gas displaces the water and rises. But...if you forget about the unit for a couple days, the excess gas can *burp* out under the lip of the inner barrel...which might be a nice safety precaution.

[@heyerstandards]

So that inner tube and the weight of the white drum (floating in the water) provides the pressure?

[@davidthegood]

You got it.

[@0Krystal0Teque0]

heyerstandards you could compress it too

[@barrymcdickface8901]

krystal Teque just by putting a rock on the white drum. Which means you can transfer it distances.

[@jamaicaportal]

I'm no expert, but the pressure builds because the methane gas is lighter than the surrounding air and so will expander at a faster rate, making the inner tube expand. And filling the container with the white inverted barrel. It doesn't need to be pressurised per say, to be able to flow when the valve is opened.

[@solmantildonde7875]

👍👍

[@davidthegood]

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