DIY Methane Generator

You can make biogas energy with a DIY methane generator.

Producing methane from manure using your own small scale waste to energy biogas
digester is feasible for many small farms.
What is Biogas Energy?
Biogas energy is fueled by burning methane produced by
the decomposition of organic wastes.
Small scale biogas generator
Methane is a gas chemically CH4. It is colourless,
odourless and, of course, flammable. Methane is widely
used as the main constituent of mains natural gas.
Whenever organic materials are decomposed by bacteria anaerobically (i.e. in the
absence of oxygen) methane and carbon dioxide are produced.
Small scale manure-to-energy methane generator plans are available here.
Sources of Biogas Energy
Just about any organic waste can be decomposed as a methane generator - plant (soft
material is better than woody material) and animal wastes, and even human waste.
On a municipal level, rubbish tips act as biogas digesters and are prodigious methane
generators. Even in Perth, Australia, companies are actively harvesting this methane to
produce climate friendly biogas electricity.
In fact, because un-burnt methane released into the atmosphere is a powerful
greenhouse gas, 10% of our personal impact on the climate comes from the food refuse
we put in our garbage bins that ends up decomposing under landfill.
In a small scale waste to energy situation it is possible to generate methane from
manure or even sewerage. And biogas energy is constantly being manufactured in
digestive systems like yours and your cows yes, farts are methane too!
Check out this video to see how to make a simple home digester:

Pros and Cons of Methane Generator Systems

Advantages
Makes good use of organic wastes. You can obtain fuel from sewage sludge and
animal slurries first, and prevent runoff and methane emissions at the same time and
you still get fertiliser at the end of the process.
Is a clean, easily controlled source of renewable energy.
Uses up methane, a powerful greenhouse gas.
Reduces pathogen (disease agent) levels in the waste.
Residue provides valuable organic fertilizer.
Simple to build and operate.
Low maintenance requirements.
Can be efficiently used to run cooking, heating, gas lighting, absorption refrigerators
and gas powered engines.
No smell (unless theres a leak, which youd want to know about and fix immediately
anyway!).
Disadvantages
Most practical to be generated and used at the source of the waste. This is because
the energy needed to compress the gas for transport, or convert it into electricity is
excessive, reducing the efficiency of biogas energy production.
For safety, basic precautions (see below) must be adhered to.

Small Scale Waste to Energy Methane Generator Systems

Biogas Energy
Each kilogram of biodegradable material yields around 0.4 m (400l) of gas.
So in practice, in small scale waste to energy systems, if you have some livestock, plus
kitchen and human waste you can meet your cooking and lighting needs easily:
2 gas rings for a couple of hours a day will use between 1-2 m
Gas lights need around 0.1 m3 (100l) per hour.

Driving any kind of engine (eg a generator or a pump) is, however, way beyond the
domestic-scale. (Better to go for algal biodiesel!)
What Size Methane Generator is Needed?
If generating methane from manure, collect dung for several days to determine average
daily dung production. On this basis, the appropriate size biogas digester plant can be
calculated.
For example, where 55 kg of dung a day is available a 8 m3 plant is warranted; where
its only 6 kg of dung a day, a 1 m3 plant will suffice.
For a family of 8 with a few animals (say 8-10 cows), a 10m digester is a commonly
used size in India, with 2 m gas storage.
Ideal Temperatures for Producing Methane from Manure
How long you leave the material in a batch digester depends on temperature (2 weeks
at 50C up to 2 months at 15C). The average is around 1 month so gauge how much
material you will add each day, and multiply it by 30 to calculate the size of the
digester.
While anaerobic digestion occurs between 32 F (0C) and 150 F (65C), the optimum
temperature range for methane generating microbial activity is 85F (29C) to 95 F
(35C).
Little gas production occurs below 60F (16C). In colder climates placing the digester
in a greenhouse, and perhaps using some of the methane to warm the system, are
possible strategies.

Methane Generator Systems

The biogas digester is the system component where the animal, human and other
organic wastes are introduced, usually as a slurry with water, to break down
anaerobically.
A storage container is used to hold the gas produced, from which it is piped for
burning as a fuel. Variable volume storage (i.e. flexible bag or floating drum) is easier,
cheaper and more energy efficient than high pressure cylinders, regulators or
compressors.
When the digester is emptied, the spent effluent is dried for later reuse as a
fertilizer.
Types of Biogas Digesters

The two main digester types of digesters are the continuous and the batch. Continuous
digesters have a constant throughput of material, and batch digesters extract the gas
from a contained batch of material, which is then emptied and a new batch added.
As firewood for cooking has become scarce, millions of small scale continuous digesters
are in use in developing countries, especially India and China. Digesters tend to be
larger-scale in developed countries, taking animal slurries and human sewage.
Methane Generator Design
The Indian cylindrical pit design has become a popular choice around the world due to
its reliability and simplicity. It comprises two basic parts: a slurry tank and a covered
by a gas cap or drum to capture the gas released from the slurry.
Domestic Scale Batch Biogas Digestor
Small experimental biogas digester at Redfield.
Waste material is put into the oil drum, neoprene cover
rises when full of gas, gas is tapped into container
(upside-down plastic drum with water seal) which rises
as more gas enters.
When full, gas can be tapped off and used with the little
gas ring.
Batch digesters based on a container (see photo, above) are feasible on the domestic
scale.
Mini Methane Generator Project
Instructions to make a mini methane generator (suit education project) are in the
"Methane-Biogas Production Guide" which, along with heaps of other free eBooks on
sustainable living, can be accessed free here.

Methane Safety
Like electricity and other energy systems, safety is usually assured so long as the risks
are understood and sensible precautions are followed.
Fire or Explosion Risk
Methane is obviously flammable, and can even be explosive. With this in mind...
The methane generator digester area must be well ventilated to prevent the
accumulation of trapped gases.

 In the vicinity of a digester no naked flames are permitted, electrical equipment must
be of suitable quality, normally "explosion proof", and other sources of sparks are any
iron or steel tools or other items, power tools, normal electrical switches, mobile
phones and static electricity kept a safe distance away.
A flame trap should be incorporated in the supply line, which must be of a minimum of
20 m long. Instructions on building a flame trap can be foundhere.
Asphyxiation Risk
Biogas displaces air, reducing the oxygen level so any digester area needs to be well
ventilated.
Disease
While the spent slurry has lost a lot of its pathogens, theres a lot of microbial activity
at work in producing biogas energy!
So avoid contact with the digester contents and wash up thoroughly after working
around the methane generator (especially before eating or drinking).