[Ferro List] Digester F/c Tanks

[sales at georgiaadobe.com]

  Question: 
   
  Joe
   
  Please explain to some of us who have never thought about the 
production of methane gas, how is it produced commercially ? 
  What are the usual components used for producing methane gas ?
  Lloyd
   
   
  Hello Mr. Turner, 
   
  As this is a Ferrocement board, I will try to be brief . To answer your questions in reverse 
  order , best expounds upon my original reason to ask such a thing of the board . 
  Components are summed up in large part with 2 words : Stress Tanks.
   
  Methane is produced in many ways including separation of other gases , but commercially 
  methane
  gas is produced in 2 major ways world wide, which both stem from common anaerobic 
  digestion of solids into their broken down states. This is a -0- oxygen environment and when 
  kept enclosed the effluents digestion releases gas from the process , thus the resulting 
  harvest of methane.
   
  The 1st major production method is from landfill gas. This harvesting of the release is 
  mandated by EPD guidelines in the states for certain sized facilities based upon their 
  release quantity, into
  the atmosphere. In this instance the earth is the main "tank" and the ground above the 
   
  landfill, is then tapped for its off-gas release. Tanks hold this gas and processing is the 
  same for all facilities depending upon need . More about this is noted below.
   
  The 2nd source of methane production most available in small scale commercial 
   
  facilities, is the old fashion farm waste which is mostly made up of 
   
  manure and animal feed droppings. Hog, Cattle And Chicken operation waste are the 
  greatest producing farms. The capture of this effluent , is sometimes underground in a tank 
  after the daily floor washing. In the case of poultry houses, litter removal is now averaging 
  about every 6 - 18 weeks when litter is removed in a complete clean out. 
   
  Storage into tanks , before entrance into the digester , allows both the dry litter or washed 
  and wet manure to be water regulated in their quantities and temperatures increased as 
  needed prior to use. Holding tanks also allow storage of exiting digestate prior to their use 
  as a compost or held for drying and later use as burning fuel and then the remaining ash is 
   
  used as fertilizer. In the digester, gas rises upward from the top of the sluice and it goes into 
  a single holding reserve or a series of cleaning tanks that allow separation of the UN-desirable sulfur, carbons and water vapor from the gas.
   
  This clean up side is a bit more complex than this discussion allows , but to again be brief , 
  its safe to say that tall tanks are used as settling tanks and also water spray columns are 
  used to filter the gas of sulfur and carbon too. Further, compression of the gas in a tank and 
  then gas chilling takes out remaining impurities and water vapor allowing an upgrade of the 
  first produced methane into its final product , one that is as close to what you buy and sold 
  as liquefied natural gas ( LNG ). This final product can be used in anyway LNG can be 
  used .
  As you can see tanks are a large part of the operation and this is where Fc. can provide the 
  greatest cost savings to permanent facilities. I hope that was a good enough and brief 
  enough answer.
   
  Best Regards,
   
  
  Joe Woodall, Managing Partner
  Georgia Adobe & Renewable Energy
  2395 Bowman Highway NW.
  Dewy Rose, Georgia 30634 USA
  706-283-3938/7693
  sales at georgiaadobe.com 

       
---------------------------------
Looking for last minute shopping deals?  Find them fast with Yahoo! Search.