A project of Volunteers

in Asia

Fuel Gas from Cowdung

by B.R.

Saubolle

and A. Bachmann

Published by: Szhayogi Press Tripureshwar

Kathmandu NEPAL

Available from:
UNICEF P.O. Box 1187 Kathmandu NEPAL

Reproduced

by

permission.

Reproduction of this microfiche document in any form is subject to the samerestrictions as those of the original document.

B.R. SAUBOLLE . ~A~~~A~N

FUEL GAS FROM CO

THIRD

EOITION

E3.R.SAUBOLLE

AN0

A.BACHMANN

SAHAYOGI PRESS KATHMANOU

Published by: Sahayogi Press Tripureshwar Kathmandu

First

Edition

: April : April

1976 1980 1983.

Second Edition Third Edition

: September

the authors, reserved by Copyright is granted for hereby but permission is or the reproduction of any part w text publication; non-profit drawing, for however, tile whole booklet, or any major without portion should not be reproduced permission. Anyone making use of material herein should acknowledge presented the authors submit to the source and a copy of the excerpt.

Printed in Nepal at Sahayogi Press

THIS

BOOKLET

IS DEDICATED OF VILLAGERS KINGDOM OF NEPAL SOLE REASON IT,

TO THE MILLIONS IN THE HIMALAYAN

WHOSE NEED FOR FUEL HAS BEEN THE AUTHORS FOR WRITING

GRANT

YOU

COWDUNG.

YOU ARE TO BAKE Y3UR BREAD ON THAT,

EZEKIEL

4.15

Rev. Saubolle is the pioneer of biogas in Nepal. His oil drum built plant, in 1960 at St. Xavier's School in Godavari, twenty kilometers south-east of Kathmandu, was used for boiling which tea, "Father" offered to his guests. The biogas plant offered brilliant demonstration of fuel from waste long 'before it became "fashionable". Many of us here in Nepal were inspired by his pioneering work.

Late

Rev.

B.R. Saubolle, 1904 - 1982

S.J.

Rev. B. Saubolle came to Nepal in the fifties, and early loved this country. A versatile man and a thinker great of things small and beautiful.His interests ranged from bee-keeping, roses, solar heating, to orchid cultivation. To many Godava,r..i ) Pn+her villagers of w -i--eWBS a man they were proud to call a friend and one of their own kind. BIOGAS NEWSLETTER

CONTENTS Preface Introduction Gas Production Slurry Pit Volume and Temperature and Pressure Gas before 19 21 24 a Plant 25 25 Mixer 27 29 30 34 37 Dimensions 38 Line a Plant output Output -. 9 10 11 11 12 13 15 16 18

Consumption Nature Points Data of

to be considered constructing Sheet

Gas Drums Constructing - The Pit - Input - Paddle-Wheel - Gas Outlet L Moisture = Gas Drums - Flame Trap - Gas Pipe Using the Gas Release

- Burners -Lamps - Running Engines

40 47 50

Double Stirrer

Chamber

Construction -.__.__-_ Plant Soil

54 62 64 67 70 73 Chinese Indian Design ---

Gas in Bags or No Stirrer? Night Demonstration Biogas Version Troubles Table Gas from A Biogas Chinese A Nepali Possible Temperature

Technology of the vs. Chinese

A Comparison:

94 99 101 102

PREFACE more than a quarter century It was slightly ago biogas plants first appeared as a practical that renewable alternative The source of energy. idea took time to catch on and to be accepted, but these use. In a recent fiveplants are now in world-wide itself the task of installing year plan India set gas plants a year. China claims at 25,000 cowdung the present moment to have some 7,000,000 present scattered all over the country, ranging biogas plants from small family plants to huge government installations for running buses, trucks and diesel-electric besides steadily providing a collosal generators, rich fertilizer and humus for field and amount of garden.

The welcome given to FUEL GAS FROM COWDUNG by readers Since been very heartening. the world has around it first appeared it has several times been reprinted at the special request of UNICEF. We have the pleasure third edition, the public the present in offering more useful to readers which we hope will be still in developing countries.

borrowed rather edition we have this In preparing the appeared in which have from articles freely to do For permission BIOGAS NEWSLETTER of Nepal. also We wish the Editors. grateful to so we are Services Consulting Development and the to thank for kindly allowing us Nepal, of Butwal, (D.C.S.) produced appliances designs of several include to and perfected by them. B.R. Saubolle, S.J. Andreas Bachmann

INTRODUCTION areas of South-East Asia, remote living in People sub-tropical countries, where tropical or other or is hard to not available and fuel electricty is abundant and efficient fuel have a very cheap, get, This from ordinary cowdung. produced the in gas is generated with the (marsh gas or methane) gas a slurry of cowdung by letting greatest ease simply and water ferment in a ;Yell-like pit without exposure LO the surface and collects The gas rises to air. is piped to the kitchen stove. in a drum, whence it A farmer with a couple of bulls or buffaloes for ploughing and one or two cos for milk gets enough sufficient to produce gas for all every dung day family of six. The the cooking needs of a village and hygienic, the pots do not get cooking is clean and the gas is there is no smoke or smell, black, the gas to cook extracting after non-toxic. And and to light his house at night, the farmer his food, well fermented and the left, has all still dung to fertilize his fields. rotted,

11 GAS PRODUCTION TIME

animal dung (from horses, Fresh cowdung, or other pou3try) buffaloes, donkeys, mules, yaks, Pigs, diluted with water and fermented by bacterium methanodelivers exposure to air, 90% of without genes, within a period of four weeks, its potential gas more than half of it within the first eight or ten Six weeks of fermentaticn produces about 98%. days. the fermenting pit, in which daily additions Hence enter at the bottom and gradually raise \,f slurry should be large enough to at the top, to overflow addition for a minimum of four weeks hold each day's or a maximum of six, i.e. from 30 to 40 days. In volume of the pit should be at the other words, or better 40 times, the volume of least 30 times, siurrjr added daily.

SLURRY dilution of fresh dung with water for The optimum one that contains from 7% to slurry is the making readings the peak being 896, Hydrometer 9% solid matter, 1.030 for approximately gravity of show a specific The around 1.100. 8% falls 7% and 1.190 for 9%. automatically by mixing right percentage is obtained a given volume of dung with from one to one-andthat the volume of water. The fact times a-half plants have been thousands of upon thousands gas without the use decades satisfactorily for working that this instrument, useful of an hydrometer proves necessary. A good though it may be, is not strictly slurry is one in which the dung is broken up thoroughly even mixture having the consistency and makes a smooth, If the slurry is too thin, the solid of thin cream. bottom instead the separates and falls to matter thick, too of remaining in suspension; if it is freely to the surface. In either the gas cannot rise case the output of gas is less.

It has been found that the optimum pH for digesting slurry is around 8. When starting a plant, the early fermentation is acid and much carbon dioxide is off; given but the acidity gradually diminishes, the contents of the pit become alcaline, and once methane generation predominates. If the pit is overloaded, or the slurry too thick, acidity increases, carbon dioxide is much formed, and the gas won't burn, users prefer a proportion of 1:l l/4 May (4 parts dung to 5 parts water) and enjoy troublefree operation. The acidity of the effluent is measured with pH paper (narrow-range: 6-9). It should read from 8 - 8.5, which is slightly more alkaline than the effluent of a municipal sewage plant. VOLUME OF PIT the fermenting 40 times the pit slurry should have added daily.

As was said above, a volume from 30 to Thus:

PROPORTION 1:l 1:l 1:l OR 1:l 1:l l/4 l/2 l/4 l/2 2.5 2.5 2.5

DUNG cft cft cft

WATER 2.5 3.1 3.75 cft cft cft

SLURRY (x 30 or 5 cft 5.6 cft 6.25 cft 150 170 187 ltr 1tr ltr

VOLUME OF PIT 40) = 150 168 187 = = = 4500 5100 5610

or
or or

200 cft 224 cft 250 cft

1:l

75 ltr 75 1tr 75 1tr

75 ltr 94 1tr 112 ltr

or or

or 6000 ltr 6800 ltr

7480 ltr

It is the pit

recommended to use 1:l 40 times the daily slurry.

or

1:

l/4

and

lnake

Experience has shown that Indian villagers consume on an average 15 cft (425 ltr) of gas per person per day. So for a family of six about 100 cft (say 3000 litres) of gas would suffice. This output would require a pit of at least double that volume, 200 cft or 6000 litres, say 5 ft (1.5 m) diameter by 11 ft (3.40 m) dep, tkaing 2 l/2 cft or 75 litres of fresh dung every day. 12 litres Allow fresh dung per person per day.

13
BACTERIA For
may

starting be obtained

a new Plant, from one of the

the necessary bacteria following sources:

a) Spent slurry from another gas plant; b) Either sludge or overflow water from a septic tank; c) Horse dung or pig dung, both rich in bacteria; d) Oooze from the bottom of any dirty pool. Without a month added to get bacteria started. fermentation may take about

OUTPUT AND

TEMPERATURE 85 OF ( 30 OC), 1 cft of dung so that if, gas in four weeks; cft are added daily, the daily output about 200 cft. This is not a matheaverage depending on it is an At higher temperatures feed of COWS. greater, being 50 cft or more at 90 at 55O it drops to about 20 cft.
OUTPUT OF GAS (cft/lb.dung) (ltr/kg dung) 1.5 92.7 1.0 61.8 0.8 49.5 0.5 30.8 REMARKS Excellent Good working average Serviceable Hardly worthwhile

At a temperature delivers 40 cft 5 for example, of gas will be constant: matical the health and the output is while degrees F,
MEAN TEMPERATURE DURING MONTH 85oF 1 29W or over 75F 1 24% 65oF 1 18% 55OF , 12oC

of of

In places where for the greater part of the year the mean temperature is 18 OC (65 OF) or more, a gas plant is really worthwhile. In winter the gas diminish unless something is done to warm the will digesting slurry. Several methods are commonly recommended: is a help. 1 - DEPTH - Depth In the tropics and lower temperature latitudes, even in the Himalayas at 5000 ft.; the temperature at 4 m below ground, hardly drops lower than 15 OC. especially if the slurry is added hot, and some gas can be produced.

14 INSULATION Fermenting 2 slurry practically no heat (only about 3 *C>. Pit slightly higher only than the outside is if the little heat generated is prevented pating by conduction, something is gained. material must be kept quite dry. ting instead CEUI chill of keeping warm. In it should also be something that white not eat. generates temperature air. Yet from dissiThe insulaIf damp, it the tropics will ants

3 - HOT SLURRY - This helps a little. The daily in the order of only 2.5% of pit volume, input is so that it cannot make very much difference, but certainly it is more helpful if the slurry is hot (35 OC) rather than chillingly cold. 4 - HEATING COIL - When building a pit, a coiled 2" pipe of diameter can be installed inside. It recommended 1000 cm2 of coil area per is to allow 3 m3 of pit volume (1 sq.ft./lOO cft.). The coil should be heated with water not more than 60 OC (140 OF) or the slurry will cake on the coil surface, A thermostat set at 35 OC (95 OF) should be installed in the slurry. The gas used in heating coil the is repaid three times over by the increase of output. Heating could also be done by solar collectors. 5 around in it. matter COMPOST TROUGH the upper half of The heat generated keeps the pit warm. Some users build a trench the pit and make compost by the composting organic

6 - PLASTIC TENT - If the pit and a couple of metres of ground all around it enclosed in a are clear glass or plastic structure, the hot-house effect keeps the slurry warm. A few years ago it was claimed that this system kept gas plants functioning in Korea in but the midst of snow and ice; on the our own investigation has led us to spot its doubt that efficacy. However, we do believe in milder winters (above plastic freezing), the tent may really be useful. We have not experimented with this ourselves.

15 SURFACE DIGESTER A horizontal digester built above ground on an east-west axis and painted black would heat up in the sun, more so if covered sheeting. with plastic If it gets too hot in the and white wash the digester. summer, remove the plastic 7 Rather than bother with any measures outlined above, it is far simpler to be content with whatever amount of gas forms in the cold months and 'replace the with some other fuel. One will shortage then have cooked on free cowdung gas for nine months of the ye= l which is not at all bad. It is good to remember that cows' urine also ferments and forms If a little of this is gas. used with water for making the slurry, the output of gas is But too thereby increased. much urine is harmful: it increase the ammonia content would more than the bacteria can tolerate. About one-third of the water required can be replaced by urine.

OUTPUT AND

PRESSURE

The output of gas varies with the pressure to which the fermenting slurry is subjected. Taking atmospheric pressure as normal (the drum being perfectlycounterit has been found that under a pressure balanced), of 4" water head the production drops by 596, while under a negative pressure of 4!', production is about 10% above normal. In practice , however, a little gas may be sacrificed the drum not being to convenience, counterbalanced but left floating on the slurry. There is at all, steady pressure at all slight times caused thus a weight of the drum, and the gas is ready by the for use at any moment without one's having to go remove balance outside and weights. However, in colder climates where gas formation is less abundant, wiser to counterbalance the drum and thus it may be facilitate the production of gas. But it should be noted that a negative pressure could be dangerous if there is a slight leak in the gas drum on the delivery pipeline. Air is drawn in and the air-gas mixture may attain explosive proportions (596 - 15%).

16
All it then needs is a careless match or a backfire with no flame arrester in the line. We know of one such drum which shot up in the air like a rocket.

A simple way of measuring gas pressure is to disconnect the gas pipe at a lamp or stove and push into a tumbler of water till the gas ceases to bubble through, the depth then measure of water that just balances the flow of gas. CONSUMPTION A pressure s-afficient
pressure 8

of for
2

10 cm (4") I-S-CL lighting V" b&L

gas rir.g

water and

head has heating280

lif*es --il

been found u'7der this

(10 cf+-)

CcnsuEes

of gas per hour and boils 4.5 ltr (1 imp. gall.) of water in under 20 minutes. Lamps using 40 candlepower mantles take 2.75 cft (78 ltr) per mantle a high pressure, of course, stoves per hour. Under hotter and 'Turn burn lamps brighter. For working combustion internal engines the consumption gas per h.p. is about 15 cft (425 ltr). *Some authors give a slightly higher figure.

NOTE

ON OUTPUT, TEMPERATURE AND

CONSUMPTION

In this book the calculations for pit size and output on a temperature of 27c29 oC of gas are based (800, 85 OF), As the temperature rises, production increased, is greatly being double or more when the slurry in the pit is 35 OC. In our tropical summers, in places where for days no end the ambient temperature is over 38 OC (100 OF), a family size pit calculated to serve 6 persons may very easily produce enough gas to cook for 12 or 15. We say (p. 20 > that we need 15 cft gas per person This is an average when meals are cooked per day. for 6 to 8 persons. 15 cft. (425 ltr) will suffice one burner for 1 - 1 l/2 hours depending on its

* Sathianathan:

Biogas

Achievements

and Challenges,

p.74

17 obviously This amount is far size and efficiency. too little for the cooking needs of one person alone. On the other hand, the greater the number of people lower is the cooked for, the Per gas consumption of 20 persons, it takes When one is cooking person. cook for 25 or 28 additional gas to little very in the same pot. output at the mentioned above, viz., Both points consumption average temperatures, and the higher are well illustrated by the installaof gas per person, Bihar, tion at Holy Family Hospital, Patna, India. The digester there has a volume of 80 m3. Applying for family plants, this pit is ought the guidelines to prodclcz 40 m3 of gas per d=xr 9 wh i c h at 425 1itres -=-v per person would suffice for 94 persons. As a matter already, in summer, four for several years of fact, meals a day have been cooked for 400 persons entirely on cowdung Tn winter, and sometimes even in gas. the number of persons increases, summer whenever heating with bottled gas or with some supplementary coal is necessary. From all
1)
21

this

two facts

stand

out

clearly:

the summer temperature (37 OC - 45 OC) greatly increases the output of gas; when large numbers are cooked for, the average much person is very consumption of gas per lower.

measuring the gas. The hospital has no means of Some is lost because at night gas bubbles out from under the drum (30 m3 capacity) and is lost to the Another the air. very interesting point is that pit is not being used to capacity. The daily input of slurry is a trifle over 1 m3, whereas the pit ought to receive 2 m3. So this particular installation could produce it actually very much more gas than The half the does. input approximately represents daily contribution of the animals and birds on the small hospital farm (cows, buffaloes, pigs, chickens).

18 NATURE O'r GAS

with a clear, Cowdung gas burns pale electric-blue with or without the flame, admixture of air. The flame is invisible in bright daylight. It is hotter gas or oil gas, than coal having a BTU value of approximately 600 per cft (or 5380 cal per litre), authors though no two seem to agree on the exact Probably the gas varies somewhat from plant figure. plant* Analyses of to cowdung show that its gas composition is, with slight variations, 65% methane, 25% carbon dioxide and 10% other gases, in very small quantities. The gas is non toxic and virtually Mixtures odourless. of methane and air are explosive if the methane content is from 5% to 14%.

MANURE Spent slurry dried in the sun constitutes an excellent which manure, appears from tests to be richer in nitrates thsn ordinary farmyard manure, and slightly superior to it. In liquid form too it is good if diluted; but dried slurry is preferable.

CONCLUSION Anyone with a few head of cattle can provide enough for his daily cooking needs and still have manure gas for his garden and fields, better manure than he otherwise would have be merely dung letting the rot aerobically in an open pit. Fermenting and fermented slurry gives off no odour. Insects and small animals falling into it cannot survive. Dried slurry is as clean and fresh as sawdust and be be stowed away in sacks till needed for use or for sale.

POINTS TO BE CONSIDERED BEFORE' CONSTRUCTING A PLANT For what purpose is the plant required?

a)

In GAS FOR COOKING ONLY this case the height of the gas drum is usually one-third the depth of the since pit, has to hold more gas than for it never a couple of hours' use at a time.

bj

ONLY GAS FOR LIGHTING For this the be large enough to drum must hold all generated in the 24 hours to be gas able to deliver it in four or five hours. A pit, at 30 C, generates half its volume in a day. So the drum must hold half the volume of the pit.

cl

GAS TO RUN A GENERATOR EIGHT HOURS A DAY FOR A SMALL INDUSTRY - Here again the drum must have at least half the pit volume.

d;

RICH FERTILIZER FOR A GARDEN OR FARM Gas not needed. Here the drum can be eliminated, and the gas allowed to escape into the atmosphere through a water seal.

BOTTLING OF GAS FOR RUNNING CARS - Find out how many cft of gas, when compressed, can fill the size of bottle you intend to use. drum The should be at least large enough to hold that amount.

20 How large should the plant be?

The average oriental villager uses 15 cft (425 ltr) of gas per day. This amount is generated from 10.6 ltr fresh dung (at 30 oc). Western cuisine would require more, perhaps 500 ltr from 12.5 ltr gas dung per person.

The volume of fresh dung available every day multiplied the volume of the pit most suitable by 80 gives to handle that amount of dung. The pit volume divided b Y 2 glVeS the volume of gas generated daily (at divided by 425 (or 500) gives the 30 w ; and this number of persons served. Whence:

80= P/2

= G/425

(or

500)

Persons

Or beginning with the number the size of pit and the amount work the formula backwards, thus:

of of

persons, to find dung needed daily,

Pers.

x 425 (or

500)

2 =

P/80

This formula is correct if the proportion 1:1. The total regardless of its proportions, the pit volume.

the slurry is made in daily input of slurry, of should be l/40

Having found turn to the most suitable.

the approximate volume Data Sheet and select

of pit you require, the size of plant

21

2 z a3 0 Ln 0 v I I . . . .

tn ln c4: 0 r

22

23
l

In the 40-day slurry is l/40 In the 30-day slurry is l/30 The the l:l,

cycle the pit cycle the pit

the volume volume. the volume volume. for

of of

daily daily

a e

double figures volume obtained and second, from

gas show first, from g slurry of a slurry of 1:l l/2. and above, the volume has been here and rounded

At temperatures of 85OF (3OOC) the gas produced is 40 times daily of dung. This figure used in Lhe calculations. IF die above calculations, there t 1-e figure has been slightly off for the sake of convenience.

It is worth noting from the above mentioned table that the management of a gas plant is somewhat elastic: it leaves the owner a useful latitude. For example, if it is required initially to cook for 10 persons, but it is foreseen that at a future date food will have to be prepared for 18 or 20 a No. 4 plant could be built and run at first on a 40-day cycle with a slurry of I:1 l/2. It will then serve 10 or 12 persons. When the need for gas increases, the pit can be run on a 30-day cycle with a slurry of 1:l. The output will then suffice for 18-20 persons.

The change over from one cycle to another, or from should be done one density of slurry to another, volume the increasing or diminishing gradually, little by its proportions, altering of slurry, or taking a week or ten days for the complete little, A sudden alteration is likely to affect change over. the pH and produce dioxide instead of methane.

24
GAS DRUMS of different sizes

Volumes

recommended

Diameter, cm Area, sq.cm. Depth, cm Volume, litres Burners Hours (280/hr/b) Refill, ltr/hr. Refill, ltr/hr.

40-cycle, 30-cycle,

1:l 1:l

110 9498.5 120 1140 1 4 76.6 103

140 15386 120 1846 2 3.3 125 166

165 21371.6 120 2564 3 3 186.6 250

190 28338.5 120 3400 3 4 250 333

The that

above rates of refill the temperature in the

pit

are correct on condition is 85 OF (30 OC).

A size-l 4 hrs at drum will one filling, The other at a time.

pit will most probably not be used for a stretch; may be for only 2 hrs. So the hold enough gas for two meals with only and more gas will fill in between. sizes Their will owner surely not use all the will learn to economize. burners

People to build pits are advised tc choose wanting a size larger than need (provided strictly they they have enough dung). This will make up for slower production of gas in lower Any extra temperatures. gas could be used for lighting.

25

SUGGESTIONS FOR CONSTRUCTING A

PLANT

Many different shapes and styles of gas plants have horizontal, vertical, cylindribeen experimented with: cubic. The design won overwhelming that has cal, its reliable for performance in popularity many countries is Indian different the pit design, of which over 70,000 plants are in use in India alone, Korea, and many 25,000 in in Taiwan, the Japan, Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, Pakistan, Iran, Thailand, and who knows Africa, Papua New Guinea, This else. is proof enough of its efficiency where and outstanding worth. This is the design, basically, that we recommend here. We describe below the construc2-size plant. of a No. For other sizes tion see the Data Sheet. lTHE PIT

Make the inside diameter of the pit 5 ft and its inside depth 11 ft 4". Of this depth 2 ft are above ground level and 9 ft 4" below. Cement construction is not necessary: baked brick bound with lime mortar or with clay is sufficient. Any porousness in the construction is very soon blocked with the cowdung itself. At two-thirds the height of the pit from the bottom, a ledge or cornice is made some six in wide for the drum to rest on when empty. This also serves to direct into the drum any gas forming near the circumference of the pit, and prevents it from escaping between the drum and the pit wall. The ledge should never be more than 2 ft (60 cm) below ground level. In this case its should top be 7 ft 4" above pit bottom. Do not construct the water well or spring. it is better to cement 2INPUT pit within 40 If the water the inside. ft of table a drinking is reached

An ordinary 10 cm (4"') rain pipe will do, beginning 90 cm (3') above ground level at the base of a mixing trough and ending in the pit at least 60 cm (2') above the bottom.

26

I/--scu M BREAKING 9
RODS

hOTTOM

CLOSED

A SM4PLE

SINGLE

CHAMBER

PIT

THE MIXING TROUGH - Villagers are often careless the proportions of dung and about water in the They go by guesswork slurry. rather than by actual measurements, making the slurry too thick or too thin. This infallibly alters the pH and produces too much carbon dioxide. It helps accuracy to have markers in the trough, one showing the correct level of water, and another nearer the showing the top level of the slurry after the dung has been total The markers added. could be grooves or ridges in sticking out a trifle. To the plaster, or a brick avoid having to build a very large trough,the dimensions to hold just could be calculated half the volume need(:d daily. Then the owner of slurry knows that he has to put in two trough-fulls every day. A useful improvement to the mixing trough is to give the bottom a slight slope away from the inlet Any sand or dirt that drops down during the hole. mixing is then not drawn into the pit but remains in the trough to be washed out through a small hole in the wall at the lowest point. THE PADDLE-WHEEL MIXER the in any compost heap, their all over attacked greater the surface area the decomposition. Where e.g. straw, leaves, grass, it is chopped up before the better. In a biogas digester, as bits of raw material are surface by microbes. The exposed, the more thorough vegetable matter is used, crop stalks, the finer being put into the pit,

In a cowdung-gas plant the slurry should be thoroughly mixed to make it homogeneous and smooth flowing. The dung should not be used in a lumpy condition. Though such lumps would, of course, ultimately decomtheir breakdown is easier and more rapid, pose, and their gas sooner obtained, if they are first broken up. It is not too difficult to break them up by hand for small family-size plants, but for larger installations, where the volume of daily slurry may be quite

considerable, hand mixing is far too fatiguing and time consuming. It is much more practical and rapid mixer. to use a mechanical The accompanying diagram shows one such mixer. Dimensions vary with the volume of slurry to be prepared. working While the paddles, place (it ought not to), could be fixed over them to 'clothing. if any splashing takes a half-cylinder of tin safeguard the operator's

II
'L

-. , ._ -?I, I,,--5 / 7 _v -.
-i lj Pi,.Y' .* &

A pacidie-wheel mixer- in use. Notice the ugly, old-style outlet through hose pipe.

The dung and water are put into the trough and the handle is cranked. The paddles help to break up the lumps and mix the dung with the water. In the beginning the lumps may be too large to pass through the screen, so the mixer could be used for a while without it. Then as the lumps are redated in size, the screen can be placed in position. Lumps that get stuck are scraped off and made to pass the paddles Soon the again. slurry flows through The easily. plug is then drawn and the slurry allowed to enter the pit. We think a screen of l/2" mesh would be suitable, though a finer slurry passing through a l/4*' screen would be still better.

29 dung to the bottom of the pit Lumps of may sink rise to float on the surface. With a very fine or slurry the dung remains in suspension, and decomposes and produces gas much faster.

3-

THE OVERFLOW -

from or two the topmost Remove a brick layer of the pit wall. The space left will serve as overflow. The spent slurry is led away in a drain to a long narrow trench !':O cm (20") or more wide with a porous bottom. Here the water seeps out and the fermented to be collected and stored dung dries in the sun, There should be two or for use as manure. three one filling while another is drying such trenches, slurry has no smell whatever. out. The dried 4GAS OUTLET

The original, primitive method of gas take-off (one still comes across occasionally) is a short length of metal with the main gas valve attached, pipe, welded to the of the drum. To this is fixed top a rubber or plastic hose long enough to allow the drum to rise and fall, whose free and is attached to the moisture release. This method is not recommended has proved unsatisfactory. nowadays as it The floppy hose pipe is ungainly and awkward and sooner or later cracks and leaks and has to be replaced. It has been superceded in Nepal by the centre-guide take-off.(cf. diagram). This modern method uses the centre-pipe as the gasoutlet. Gas collecting in the drum passes into the slide pipe through holes near the top of the drum. Since the top of the slide pipe is closed, the gas passes on into the guide pipe and leaves it through a connecting pipe at the bottom which leads it out of the pit. This method is neat, strong and permanent. Furthermore, it has been observed that since air and rain cannot enter the slide pipe and guide pipe, corrosion of these pipes is eliminated, or if any does occur, it is so extremely little as to cause no trouble whatever.

5 - MOISTURE RELEASE The gas in the plant is moist and warm. On its way to the kitchen it passes through piping which in winter may be quite chill and cause moisture to condense inside the pipe. This condensed moisture will accumulate and may eventually block the flow of gas. So a moisture release device should be installed at the lowest point of the delivery line. Four methods of moisture disposal are illustrated in the accompanying diagram. The first is simply a length of pipe in a bottle of water. The moisture trickles down the pipe into the bottle and overflows onto the ground. It is quite automatic and requires no attention beyond seeing that the bottle is always full. The end of the pipe should be 15-20 cm below the surface of the water.
MOISTURE
container U-pipe

TRAP

DEVICES
moisture tap DCS trap moisture device

is the same in principle, The second its shorter arm 15-20 cm long. The be full of water. The end, out. third is a length of which is occasionally

a pipe

U-pipe with must always

pipe with a valve at the opened to let the water

Where there is a high water table, with perhaps danger of occasional mild flooding during monsoon, these three devices have the disadvantage that water may enter the pipeline through them instead of leaving it. Sucn a contingency is with the DCS impossible Moisture Trap.

31 In hot moisture the pipe climates one since trap, is chilled. THE DCS may possibly get moisture condenses by with no only when

MOISTURE

TRAP

DEVICE

The Development and Consulting Services of Butwal, Nepal, have produced a moisture trap of entirely new design. It is in essence a U-pipe with long to which arms the gas pipe is attached. The moisture in the U, to the collects middle of which another long pipe is fixed called "the dipper pipe". The U must always some water contain in order to form sT:sal which a wate? forces the gas to rise up the first down the via arm and flow second the main gas valve which is just above ground. The rest of can be below ground. the device The top of the dipper pipe too is above ground. It is kept covered with the pipe is the dipper, a small a screw cap. Inside metal cup attached to a long wire.
DIAGRAM
front
dtpper p,pe cover-. -.\ ,motn gas valve

OF WATER

TRAP

DEVICE
stde DETAIL OlPPEli

-i

, grotlnd level -L--- -~- , olDeA!Ld

rhandle

6 mm Q

I
r--dtooer / I ,q&) . ,, ,: ,,,:, /,.. ,: ,:, 9-J ; I , i,, , I / ,, / / , ,, , ,,*r ,,f , f -, ,, ,. I,, ,. ,. I , , , ; .,,/ <I ., , ; J I,,,. / , ~:/,/ , ,./ , o-r-?L 11 11 ,

keep dipper dapper pipe not In uee.

InsIde when

rcontalner for ing out water

ltft-

Excess moisture with the dipper continues till is then left in

collecting in the U is taken out and thrown away. Extraction of moisture no more enters dipper, which the tihe pipe and screwed shut.

32 pit-digester designs, most the In must gas Pipe the pit not leave lower than 60 cm below ground -qal-iJe and level, otherwise the main the moisture release cannot be conveniently manipulated: they would be beyond reach. With the D.C.S. moisture trap this trouble is avoided. The main gas valve is always conveniently above ground. The gas outlet and even the top of the pit could be much lower if desired. Another advantage of this design . that it is so neat and simple and self-containeds To adapt it to lower or higher gas outlet all thai is needed is to shorten or lengthen the dipper pipe and the arm of the U.

depth make the making moisture realease, In this cup 5 cm more than the gas pressure. of the dipper is 10 cm the cup should be if the pressure Thus, 15 cm deep. Join the gas pipe to the U-arms at double in this case 30-35 cm above the height of the cup, seal will thus never the bottom of the U. The water and the gas will have be less than the gas pressure in the U also to go round the right way. The water through the dipper pipe; prevents gas from escaping so there is no need for its closure to be gas-tight. satisfactorily This working DCS moisture trap is in Nepal wherever it has been installed.

THE

NEPAL1

SLIMLIME

There is yet one more design of trap worth describing, the consists Nepali Slimline. While the DCS trap of one connected one for three pipes gas inlet, for gas outlet and the third for water collection and one pipe: extraction, Slimline has only the or so it seems. In reality there are two, one inside inner the other, the outer one for agas and the for water. the pit and the kitchen Condensate from trap, in the pipeline trickles d0W.n and gathers whence it is the extracted with a dipper, as in DCS trap.

33 The two pipes can be of any diameter the owner desires. on the volume of the digester and the Much depends of the main gas pipe. The only point to diameter that there be sufficient space between the mind is full and free passage of two pipes to allow the depends of the pipes on how deep The length gas. in the ground the gas comes out of the pit. As for a 15 cm depth ought collection, the Sump" for water to be enough for household plants with a gas pressure This determines the position of 10 cm water column. should be just inlet pipe. The outlet the Of gas at ground level or slightly below, so that the main gas valve is conveniently accesible.

GROUND

LEVEL

[ i-

v---

I m

COVER ( LOOSLY to prevent dirt gastight

FITTED ) from entering fitted

-REDUCER,

---I\11

DIPPER,

handle

and

cup

/'//

/r

CAP,

gastight

fitted

In making a perfect a perfect top.

the Slimline it is necessary to ensure bottom, and watertight the closure at gastight fitting of the two pipes at the

6-

THE GAS DRUM

steel sheeting or galvanizedThis is made of mild from SWG 16 to SWG sheeting of any thickness iron favours the heavier 30 (1.63 mm - 0.32 mm). India further strengthened with angle iron or iron swiw Taiwan often uses gauge 30 fixed to a rectangular rods; (their fermenting for rigidity wooden framework There is no point tanks too are often rectangular). having to heavy and then the drum too in making where the whole in plants Except counterbalance it, be stored for use at one time, gas has to day's to make the drum one-third the depth it is customary and its diameter 10 cm less than that of the pit, almo5.t double the height of the pit. A 2 l/2" pipe* md is welded to the through it of the drum passes held firmly by thin lower end is its centre; top pipe (called the top of this The tie-rods. iron drilled A few holes are closed. pipe") is "slide below the drum and just inside the in the pipe, top. (see diagram).

This pipe slips onto a 2it pipe* held perfectly in the dead centre of the pit by two strong cross-bars, or imbedded in a ferro-concrete beam. As the drum fills and empties it rides up and down on this centre guide pipe, the top of which should stand at least half the of the drum above overflow level. height Make sure that the drum is perfectly airtight. Attach handles to the outside for lifting. Weld four metal rods from the tie-rods to the slide pipe. Stagger them. With a slight rotation of the drum, or with its mere rise and fall, these break up troublesome scum that forms on the slurry and tends to harden and prevent the passage of gas. Protect the outside and inside of the drum with a coat of paint.

This diameter is suitable for small family-size require course Larger installations of plants. sturdier pipes of bigger diameter.

,35 front / cross TOP -HOLES, DRUM, / CLOSED-~ side / cross

INSIDE GAS EXIT

-7 \

.r

HANDLES 10 MM@ M.S. ROD--

-BARS FOR CONSTANT BREAKING OF SCUM i-7

! !

-PIPE.

BOTTOM

OPEN

LDRUM OPEN BELOW \ CROSS BARS

Gas drum showing scum-braking rods fixed all helter-skelter, not as recommended in the text.

36
A NEAT AND the :/IODERN ugly, WAY OF GAS TAKE - OFF pipe

eliminating

old-style,

flexible

SCHEME -front/cross full of gas floating gas drum

OF PRINCIPLES
front/cross __- _---.__ empty/no gas availabIe sitting gas drum outer pipe: top closed ,-ho[es,inside drum:gasexit

inside open

pipe ? \ I I

/ ii

hooks 6 Nos

1
I overflow

1 2 3 4 9 6

GAS SLiDE

DRUM

PIPE (G.I.

21/Z 0)
PIPE 2"0

CENTER AND GAS EXIT CROSS SUPPORTS MAIN GAS VALVE MOISTURE TRAP keep the drum is not

Note: increase moisture the 76 / 3.70

height so that too

low, the deep in

diameter, trap

ground.

37

Note:
0

steel cold-rolled drums, making For hot-rolled. preferable to sheeting is It resists corrosion better. dung suffer cattle using only Plants those whose corrosion than from less slurry is augmented with human waste. the where night soil is Plants only 9 material are raw predominant, the or This corrosion. may be most liable to due to increased hydrogen suphide. T+z is wiser to paint sheeting or of G.I. red oxide of a coat of bituminous paint. whether drums, iron, with of plain followed by a coat all

I)

Corrosion of concrete too, or of brickwork, Chinese-model plant drumless in a gas is prevented by bituminous paint.

7 - THE

FLAME

TRAP

(Not

shown in plant

diagram)

safety device that should arrester is a A flame It is commonly be incorporated into every gas line. main gas valve near after the just placed either or just before a gas stove or lamp. the digester, It is safer to have one in both places. Its purpose to prevent back-fire, accidental case of is, in running down the gas pipe into the the flame from collecting drum and causing an explosion.
CROSS CROSS

LFLAME

ARRESTER

38

of fine mesh or roll The arrester can be a ball which would not galvanized wire wire (copper, copper rust away) inserted into the gas pipe. It is sometimes not realised that this necessarily forms an obstruction It is therefore to the free and full flow of gas. placed in arrester be flame the that recommended a length of pipe of slightly larger diameter than is placed near the especially if it the gas pipe, a l/2" main gas pipe use a 3/4" For main valve. arrester. arrester, for a 1" pipe a 1 l/4" An arrester could wire disc at either into the pipe line. also end be made by brazing a copper of a short bit of pipe joined

GAS PIPE LINE DIMENSIONS FOR LOW PRESSURE GAS (10 CM)

HEAD

APPR.

100mm

WATER

COLUMN

167

152 ti E L 5 z
z

137 122 106

91

h c IL
0

76 61 45 30
15

I ri

DISCHARGE

0 mJ/ h 0 ft3Ih 0

1.41 50

2.83 100

4.24
150

5.66 200

203 250

8.&9 300

DIAGRAM BASED ON A FALL OF 3/16 WATER GAUGE FOR FOR ORDINARY LOW PRESSURE GAS SUPPLY

39

PIPE
Q) short distance

INSTALLATIONS
SLOPE
=

1 cm/mtr

MAIN

GAS VALVE

b)

medium----_--distance

c)

long

distance

d)

hillside

a,t

15.12.78

40 Ideally, the shorter the line the better, pipe the gas pit being as near the kitchen as possible. sometimes this is not practicable. But The greater the distance, the larger should be the pipe diameter, unless one uses a P-P. For a distance of 150 m Khadi and Village Industries Commission (Bombay) recommends a 1 l/2'! pipe. At a college in Patna a 2" pipe line, too big in our opinion, was installed for a distance of 160 m. It has worked with entire satisfaction for several years. Galvanized iron water pipes have proved to be the best. Plastic could be used; however, field tests have shown that due to various factors (poor quality material, ill-fitting adapters, &c. this is not as satisfactory as metal piping). G.I. laid pipes underground should be protected against corrosion with durable paint (bitumen) wrapped around with a bitumen-soaked cotton bandage. Plastic pipes should not their mechanical resistance for gas-tightness should never with an open flame. be used indoors because is not reliable. Testing be done with soap water

USING

THE

GAS

The first drumful of gas will probably contain so much carbon dioxide that it will not burn. It may also, just possibly contain some methane and a lot air of in just the right proportion to explode if DONT ATTEMPT TO LIGHT THE FIRST DRUMFUL ignited. OF GAS. Void it into the air and let the drum fill again. COOKING In India special stoves are made for burning cowdung gas. This gas, coming at low pressure of 7-10 cm will not burn in stoves built for high water head, pressure use. However, a llPrimusls or other pressure stove burner will work satisfactorily if the centre there nipple in the burner is removed, or where

41 if the needle-thin jet hole is enlarged is no nipple, to 1.5 mm (l/16"). On the other hand a burner made water pipe allows too much at home out of half-inch The pipe should be choked with a metal disc gas. centre having the hole of diameter 1.5 to 2 mm. An efficient burner is a tin can, filled with stones to balance it, having half a dozen 1.5 mm holes in the top. The gas enters at the bottom through a pipe choked to a 2 mm orifice.

Cooking

on gas

I-

G.I. PIPE

FLEXIBLE

PIPE

BURNER

L-LAME TRAP GAS VALVE

HOSE

CLAMP

Though cowdung gas burns well with or without air it is advantageous to use a burner with an adjustable air inlet, as such stoves burn hotter with less gas.

42

E WE E al 2 ul z L .2 =i

s .z Tii 0 IW -.,

El

961 _--.691 -------

Cooking

with

flat-bottomed

pot

Cooking

in a pot

with

round

bottom.

.,

.,

..<

I.

..,.

\ ; x, . . I , I,

810 for

-GAS low

BURNER = 16 cft /h

CAST

IRON)

450 W/h

pressure
18 Not HOLE s

ASmm@

NOZZLE

2.5 mm9

-HOtES
IN PIPE

8 mm *
AND COLLAR

\ -61.

LG.1. ELBOW PIPE l/I6

2*-l/2

VILLAGE

- MODEL STOVE

A simple solution to the stove problem is to use the existing village "chulo" or stove. Insert a pipe into it and fill the stove with stones. This works quite satisfactorily if fitted with a choked inlet (2 mm) and an air control.

45
A CHINESE GAS STOVE

the stove and into sunk deep pot is The cooking in the centre, Below it, off the bottom. rests just is a hole through which is directed a gas jet sufficito let air be drawn in the hole ently distant from thus ensuring a proper gastogether with the gas, hiss. The flame It makes an audible mixture. air licks the bottom of the pot, and the heat that rises blown away and lost instead of being up the sides, exposed on top of pots sits when the ( as happens and directed against enclosed totally is a stove) the pot by the tapering configuration of the stove. novel design is therefore more fuel efficient This than a normal open gas ring.

AERATION

PASSAGE NOZZLE

FIXATION

GAS SUPPLY

REFRIGERATOR

BURNER

of a kerosene flame A fridge that runs on the heat can be run on cowdung gas with a suitable burner. The burner whose design is presented here has given conducted in Nepal. With results in tests ve ry g00d 8 cm and a consumption of 100 a gas pressure of this burner has successfully worked a fridge ltr/hr, of 12 cft capacity over a test period of eight months.

simple, elegant and inexpensive, It is To fit it into the space provided, the stand can be made taller The nozzle can shorter. or be slightly adjusted a little higher or lower, and fixed as may be -found
necessary.
7 NOS. HOLES, 2 mm 0

C.I. PIPE l/2" (15,'21 mm 0)

2 NOS. AIRHOLFS AT 6 mm 0

--

RRONZE-PIECE, NOZZLE = 1 I"," 0 HEIGHT ADJUSTABLE

zzz--I

/ 7

/--

S T A :i 10 M 5 18 x ; mm

i \I \I \ \ I \I

measurements a,ba

in mm 13 1278

This burner has also run a kerosene incubator (100 egg capacity), and can serve very well as a low or for any other application temperature bunsen burner, smokeless req~irixg small 0 continuous: clean, a flame.

47 LIGHTING when burnt white light Cowdung gas gives a soft, much like the very incandescent mantle, with an and not quite as bright lamp, light from an Alladin lantern or a Petromax. and glaring as a Coleman are manufactured styles and sizes Lamps of various for use with cowdung gas. They India expressly in to four or more mantles, each from one may have 2.75 cft (80 ltr) gas per approximately consuming Each mantle, at a pressure of 4" hour per mantle. water head burns about as bright as a 40 watt electric bulb. At higher pressure they burn brighter.

For lighting, where many lamps are needed, it is more efficent to run a generator gas and have electric lights in gas lamps. than to burn the gas direct A 40-watt mantle consumes about 80 litres per hour so 25 mantles would require 2000 litres. On an to produce average it takes only 750 litres gas 1 kW/hr of electricity, enough to light 25 Nos. 40watt cheaper bulbs. And wiring a house is easier, and safer than installing gas pipes with the possibilty of cracking and the danger of leakage.

SIMPLE

CHINESE

GAS

LAW

The 0.8 mm nozzle is suitable in China where gas pressure is high (up to 100 cm). For a 10 cm pressure the diameter should be about 2 mm.

front/cross

&-

HANGER / THIN

MIRE

GLASS PIPE 8/10 mm 0, HEIGHT ADJUSTABLE, DEPENDING ON GAS PRESSURE

/--

TYO HOLES, 5 mm 0 FOR HANGER

METAL 14/16

tUBE mm 0

4 HOLES, 6 mm D FOR AIR MIXTURE g-8 'v' I DIFFUSER BAKED CLAY

NOZZLE,

0.8mm

49 metal tube glass tube

14116 mma

INlO mmO

rN

nozzle=

0.8 mm9

diffuser

measurements in mm Kathmondu,16.9.78 a,ba

3/4B plumbing thread; tne same rootstock head can be used for industrial purposes, when fixed in a row on a pipe with 3/40 inside threads (branch).

RUNNING

ENGINES

combustion engine can be adapted to Any internal on cowdung run gas. For petrol engines, drill a hole in the carburetor just near the choke and intro1/4H (7 mm> tube connected to the gas supply duce a through a control valve. The engine may be started and then switched over to methane while on petrol running, or vice versa. For smooth running of the the shod d flow engine at a steady pressure gas can be maintained which for stationary engines by adjusting weights on the gas drum, or in automobiles through a metering device sold commercially.

It is commonly recommended that when running internal combustion engines on cowdung gas the gas be first be purified. This is done by ridding it of moisture, of carbon dioxide and of hydrogen sulphide. But at least one experienced authority* maintains that engines after years of running on un-purified gas have shown no appreciable ill attributable effects to the gas as a such. "L. Fry: Methane Digesters for Fuel Gas and Fertilizer.

51 (Ruston, engines diesel manufacturers of Several adapt easily others) can Kirloskar and Crossley, It is engines for the use of cowdung gas. their agent experienced and have a recognized wiser to the attempt than to changes necessary the effect This remark and risk ruining the engine. job oneself applies to petrol engines too.
DIRECT INTAKE MIXER FOR DIESEL ENGINE PIPE

BIOGAS CHOKE (BALL VALVE) 3/L

J-WAY

FRONT

INTAKE

PIPE1

LREAR

INTAKE

PIPE

Carbon dioxide is removed by bubbling the gas through hydrogen sulphide by passing it through lime water; a tube containing ferric oxide, which is later renovato air or by gentle heating; ted merely by exposure by passing it through a quantity of and moisture very dry wood shavings.
DIESEL ENGINE WORKING SCHEME WITH BIO-GAS

EIOGAS

CHOKE7

,-INTAKE

PIPE

rEXHAUST

--

AIR -FI

LTER

usually Engines of gas per h-p.

consume per hour.

approx.

550

ltr

(20

cft)

engine to run on gas Rather than alter a diesel alone, it is far simpler and cheaper and more practical It can then to convert it to a dual-fuel engine. be run either entirely on diesel oil as usual or on 20% oil and 80% gas.

52 The gas is fed in between the air intake and the engine and the mixture of air and gas is drawn into cylinder. The engine is the started on diesel oil with the gas valve closed, and when running steady under full load, the gas valve is opened very gradually. Because the explosive mixture is now richer than with oil the engine alone tends to run faster, but governor the automatically controls the speed by d,minishing the diesel oil If the gas is supply. fed in either too suddenly or too much, the engine may begin to knock and run irregularly. The valve then be closed, should ever so little at a time, *the till running becomes quite smooth. The amount will take depends on its of gas an engine make and the efficiency of its governor. The average requirement of oil is between 30% and 20% with a corresponding gas consumption of from 70% - 80%, sometimes slightly more. The saving in oil is considerable.

Agro processing with combustion engine: 4/5 biogas and l/5 diesel fuel

A dual-fuel engine works best under a steady load. If the load varies much and frequently, the gas valve requires constant adjustment unless equipped with its own governor. Small infrequent variations are taken care of by the engine governor which allows more or less dies1 oil as required.

53

I I
/< /.,, @ \ \ . I, L 4. // -y, --

z CA 2
, / 0 F

l---J
OEL

If in the middle of a long steady run the engine the suddenly begins to knock, it is a sign that load has suddenly /lropp.zd and the gas input is now It silould be adjusted. tot rich. When adapting is no need nor is it smooth For gas pressure a diesel whateve:r* to advisable to running it as ste:l.iy as engine to run on gas there lower the compression ratio, alter the injection timing. to maintain the is essential possible.

DOUBLE

CHAMBER CONSTRUCTION

light, insoluble or indigestible matter in Since the slurry tends to rise with the gas bubbles for first couple of weeks of violent fermentation the to fall to and thereafter the bottom and form a troublesome sludge, an improved model of the Indian divided into now being used which is -fermenter is two compartments up to the ledge top having a combined of 40 time:; the daily input of slurry. The volume 2 ft (60 cm) above the bottom input pipe ends about The output is through a pipe of one compartment. beginning about 6" (15 cm) above the floor of ty; ground 4" above compartment and ending second cm) lower than the drum top when the drum is resting on the ledge. improved model is that since I,his The advantage of daily flow oi' slurary gclc::s up the first side, the and down the second rises, when the insoluble matter* where this matl,er n'.turaliy tends to fall, the outgoing found at sludge with any out draw:' daily slurry out the pit, if to clean T i-lus , having the bottom. becomes ;i comparatively rare necessity. at all required, two-compartmerlt This size, pits of any for those of larger used on construction can be is particularly recommended but volume than 200 cft (6000 ltr).

55 such a pit for the first time, pour When filling slurry into both halves equally to balance the pressure inner wall, or it thin collapse. The on the may need not to be thicker dividing wzll than 3" (8 the smallest dimension of a brick. cd,

Indian

pit

design,

two chamber

construction

If the input pipe. It is better to have a straight in by curved, sticks dropped pipe is and stones playful boys jam at the bend and cannot be removed without emptying With a straight the whole pit. such through or be objects can fall right pipe, pushed out with a bamboo. To exclude foreign matter with 1 cm (l/2") strainer the input and output pipes. from the pit fix a wire holes at the mouth of

56

TWO

CHAMBER

CONSTRUCTION

57

One of the first private gas plants in Kathmandu nearing completion. It is five metres deep and 180 cm in diameter. Notice the mixing trough behind pit, outlet (right foreground) and gas pipe to kitchen.

The same plant

in operation

58

A biogas

plant

in the hills

This picture shows the dividing wall in the pit, the fixture of the vertical guide pipe, and the gas outlet.

59 FUEL
-----c

GAS FROM

COWDUNG

/ GOBAR

GAS PLANTS

FOR SMALLER SIZES THE ONE -COMPARTMENT CONSTRUCTIONS ARE WORKING SATISFACTORILY IMPROVEMENT: CENTRE- PLACED GIAS- OUTLET PIPE. SIZE DAILY GAS- IPIT Dir AMETER PIT DEPTH DRUM DIAMETER SLURRY/DAY PRO[

E
a 2i .ax in I :
0 L x z 0 Y L Q n L Q) : =I c ii

DRUM DRUM OF 16 SWG 1.6 mm OR 2.0 mm MS. -I. MiLD STEEL HOLES FOR GAS EXIT (ON TOP, INSIDE, --IN 2/28 PIPE ) --------

DIAMETER

TOP OF PIPE 2/2# (90cm) ABOVE -OVERFLOW-LEVEL 2 d PIPE 8 LONG

.2bib PIPE 7-2 (215 cm) LONG TOP TO BE PERFECTLY CLOSED

CROSS - SUPPORTS.
moisture tap main- gasvalve - mixing trough (2xZx 1) r -CENTRE GUIDE = GAS PIPE BOTTOM CLOSED overflow 4 x 4 10 x 10 cm

.K w 5 b = 3 L C

c 0 .*ad ii ul 4 0 b

lz

design: a,b a

8. Saubolle 76 / 3.78 / 11.79

PIT-

DIAMETER

60 FUEL GAS FROM

SlZE
1 2 3 4

COWGUNG

/ GOBAR

GAS PLANTS
I SLURRY/DAY 30 DAY CYCLE 125 LITERS 200 LITERS 300 LITERS
400 LITRES

DAILY

GAS - -P!T!eMET,kfis

-------

t ;_QEPTH DH.lJ_M_ Dl.jif4~TER c1f-j +I t m r .+ 330 3' 8" ._~ -__.. 10 --110 _-_ 340 11 140 7 8 380 11 165 5' 8"
382

15 DIAMFER --fir--

190

5'

8"

DF<llvl T)c 16 SW3 Ic nCTTCC -Jnmm ,.P DC, I Lr, L. llllll MILD STEEL

DRUM e --- - \

TOP OF PIPE 2l/2d (30 cm1 ABOVE

HOLES FOR GAS EXIT (ON TOP, INSIDE DRUMIN 2/29 PIPE)

CROSS -SUPPORTS

-2a;! moistur e taoI f 1. 11 main g,ai VdiV e _--. 11 mixing trouqh I2'x2'x --2 c-.I?7

_. -

_ .- -._

--

CENTHE f-dJIDE = GAS PIPE -BOTTOM CLOSED

- I Lr)

sludge

tank

u s . C.C.PIPE . . --

Iii

dez;i.jn:

H.34

I!,.lllr

a,t-,ti

76:

2 Tilll.79

PIT - DIAMETER +----------T I

61 FUEL TYPE \j
SIZE 1 2 3 4 u 5
:

GAS FROM
'II1

COWOUNG

/ GOBAR

GAS

PLANT

FOR PLACES WITH HIGH WATERTABLE = REDUCED PIT DEPTH, BIG6 iER DIAMETER, RED. DRUM HEIGHT- BIGGER 0 PIT DEPTH DRUM DIAMETER SLURRY/DAY DAILY GAS- ]PI T DIAMETER PRODUCTIOI u cm + I* l 30 DAY CYCLE cm 2cLmg 8-2 1 2.5 m3 90 cft 140 4- 8 130 1 4- 4 125 LITERS 4 rn3 148cftl 170 1 5-8 1 265 ] I&101 160 1 S-4 1200 LITERS 1

! 6 m3 218cft I8 m3290cft

200 230

6- 8 7- 8
IJKU

287 290

9-7 9-0

190 220

6- 4 7- 4

300 LITERS 400 LITERS

fI

DRUM OF 16 SWG 16 OR -.- . . . . . . -...- -.. 20mm MILD STEEL

HOLES FOR GAS EXIT (ON TOP, INSIDE DRUM IN 2?2b PIPE ). -_--

Ix+-

OVERFLOW-LEVEL

OF DRUM HAS -ACONICAL cow7

w s* -5 -.--_ I
moisture main qas valve--_mixing trough( 2x 2xlI

ROSS-SUPPORTS CENTRE-, GUIDE = GAS PIPE 2d LENGTH= 6 (180 cm)

\ L-----uLL

FIX -TO L

RED.ELBOW 2xl THE BOTTOM

Z
C 0 .a Y u s

6 C.C.PlPE -- --..--

ii 0 L 0 b ;;

I cl

7
DIAMETER -I i

design: a,ba

B. Saubolle 2, 76 /Il.79

62

GAS

IN

BAGS

the most expensive single In constructing a plant, the storage drum. item is Its cost may amount to expenditure. total Villagers balk at it. half the One alternative is the Chinese drumless plant; another is the bag collector. This may be made of hyphalon, or of reinforced synthetic rubber. In of neoprene Tibet one sees cars and buses with what looks like baloon on the roof, containing several an elongated for two to four hours metres of cubic gas f enough depending on the size of the bag and running, of the vehicle. In China gas is the horse power of taken in bags by trailer or hand cart to the fields where it is needed for working irrigation pumpsin the Pacific they are simply used In many islands for normal gas storage at the plant itself.

To be sure these bags are costly, but not as expensive advantage the further have drums. They as metal rolled up and transported, that they can be folded, solution for gas plants which makes them a possible While gas cannot be compressed in far away hilly places. into them (methane is very difficult to compress cylinders), strong oxygen even into into anything, a pressure of withstand to they can be expected which is more than double the 25 cm water column, working pressure normally needed.

)-

Bag gas holders can serve another very useful purpose digesters. with Chinese conjunction used in when high pressure, very hold gas under digesters These through the the gas forces 1000 mm, which up to concrete cover unless this is rendered very thoroughly liable to also high pressure is Such leak-proof. The pit walls or cover. the fine cracks in cause pressure in a dealing with excess normal way of to void some of the gas into the plant is Chinese of so much iiieai-is a dead loss which of coiirse air, are obviated by the use drawbacks three These gas. Excess metal) even a bag (or of gas gas holder. The pressure stored. it can be need not be wasted; being Zc)wtr bt:cause of the increased storage space, pit, or of danger of damage to the is less there leakage through the cover.

Capacity

100 m3/Walser

Biogas Reservoir

Capacity

75 m3

As plastic and rubberoid suffer under adverse climatic conditions (fierce tropical sun, heavy monsoon rain) bag digesters and gas holders should be kept under also protect them from which will shelter, adequate damage by playful children. Bag holders and digesters may be had from: Kunststoffwerk Istighofen, - Fa. E. Walser, CH- 8575 Buerglen / TG, Switzerland - Lokestoke Developments, Eastbourne Lane, Sussex GU 29 9AB, Erlgland Midhurst,

64

STIRRER

OR NO

STIRRER ?

have shown that cowdung slurry fermented Lab tests its delivers 90% of potential anaerobically gas in four weeks at a temperature of 27-40 C. To obtain two more weeks. If the temperature another 8% takes will the whole process take very much lower, is temperature it is more at a higher much longer; does not produce more gas The temperature rapid. A given amount merely speeds up the production. it only a certain amount of gas. of dung can generate place in a few days or maw, this takes Whether than it can. That is cannot produce more gas it what we mean with potential.

very vast majority of gas plants throughout The very, the world are built to deliver their full potential For this the pits are in 30, 40, 50 or more days. the times the given a volume 30, 40, 50, or more Pit size is determined daily slurry. volume of the range given the local it takes, time also by the potential of the full exhaust temperature, to of is achieved, nothing we do, whether the dung. Once it or heat or beat it, or stirr it, it, we compress any more of what it no longer will make it given it, has.

through the slurry into the floating The gas rises tend matter solid tiny particles of Since drum. the slurry in the pit is the bottom, to fall to and denser at the top than at thinner necessarily It is denser here also because the daily the bottom. input enters at the bottom and fresh slurry is heavier than partially exhausted slurry. For these two reasons that gas forming at the very bottom we may expect hampered rising up. It is difficulty in has more We may say it is partially trapped in its movement. will But it free itself. to struggle to and has and does ultimately escape within the pre-set number of days without our having to do anything to help it. In fact it is naturally helped by the disturbance inrush of fresh at the botttom caused by the daily slurry.

65

experiments of observed in the been has It may that if occident, especially in the owners, plant at the very bottom are stirred and sludge the slurry around, "trapped" the gas which is and swirled UP released. This has led some to there is promply use of a stirrer the produces that more believe to obtain more rapidly merely helps it gas 9 whereas already There is that been produced. gas has the truth in the statement that the microbes undoubtedly they could could produce more gas if at the bottom freely and particles more attack more move about of dung. But let us remember that they are daily and swirled around by the swamped and s~~rrounded flood of frcsk rich slurry shot at them by the daily input. is used, it If a stirrer would be reasonable to since full potential of the build a smaller pit, in a shorter time, the daily dung would be obtained and there would be no need to have such a long retention as is required to get the same amount of gas It's a matter of choice. Occidentals without a stirrer. are very conscious of time. They want to do things quickly, to spend money on a stirrer, and are ready every day in working it., Orientals and spend energy more happy-go-lucky. Why buy Why are a stirrer? give oneself the added daily drudge of having to manipulate it, when the same amount of will gas be obtained if one sits down and waits patiently for a few more days? Time is of no consequence, and it. costs nothing.

Each day':; slurry rises a little nigher up the gas and giving lighter by decomposing pit as it gets inputs, off more r',as and is pushed up by subsequent fjJ;3! y, by the time it has exhausted its potentill the outlet and is thrown out. This tia! ) .j i !.t:aches a plant, .t;L-1 tlit!Ory e of operation of is t'passive" as dist.ingui.shed from "active" stirring. If a stirrer fresh as well in the pit, is used : al 1 the slurry as CIXI;:ctisi,t.:d, i:; mixed up. It is there-fore inevitable :fcii i y :;omc fresh that out together slurry is thrown SUlli@ This is definately with I;hat is exhausted. a loss.

66

There is another disadvantage to stirring the slurry These contain 10% of human waste, in Chinese plants. eggs present in parasite this lie at the and the That is why the effluent take-off in approved bottom. is half way up the Chinese plants digester where non-existant. This is importhese eggs are virtually tant where the effluent is used in vegetable gardens. rise and fall of slurry due to The constant gas pressure barely affects the bottom. mentioned loss of above, and the danger The gas parasites, are present only in from single-pit installations where output larger the plants. In flows into a covered sedimentation tank, the unexhausted thrown-off slurry continues to ferment and produce which is connected by pipe to the main its gas, outlet. Some installations have even a third gas for effluent. storage of the By prolonging tank from first time input to final extraction and use of the effluent, these extra tanks serve a further important purpose. It takes ninety day for parasite to be totally destroyed and rendered harmless. eggs If the volumes of the second and third tanks are so calculated as to allow the slurry to take ninety days for processing from start to finish, the health hazard is eliminated. But such are installations very costly and far beyond the means of villagers.

In conclusion l23-

we may say that: does not added produce expense more gas; and an added

A stirrer

It is an complication;

It may lessen the cost of a making it smaller, the since obtained more rapidly and the time can be shorter ; It causes a loss causing unexhausted out; in gas slurry

plant by gas is retention

4-

production by to be thrown

67

5-

a health hazard It creates iut!' 1.t: human waste is part input; It of

CEUI

in of

any the

plant daily

6-

of

is unnecessary, since the total amount with or without a stirrer gas produced, potential the more than never be the cowdung.

must not be above we have discussed The stirrer confounded with the scum breaker. This latter consists break up the the drum which attached to of rods falls or rises or drum scum automatically as the plants with the cowdung All rotated. is slightly floating drum should incorporate a scum breaker.

GAS

FROM NIGHT SOIL

Human waste, though its C/N ratio is not ideal* does produce an amount of methane that can be useful. In China tons of night soil are gathered in tank trucks every day and fermented in huge installations outside the towns, the chief aim being the production of first grade soil conditioner. The gas produced is abundant because of the proportions of tht? plants, and is used for running electric generators and and lighting. Pumps9 or for cooking Such large plants running primarily exclusively or on night soil have place in a booklet on little cowdung gas. However, it is quite common to add human waste to a cowdung gas plant. The digester is simply used as a septic tank, the toilet wastes being piped directly to the fermenting pit. Where this is done, attention should be paid to one or two important points. should be seats The toilet
*

Useful in the Volume

topic information on this MINI present authors @ booklet Press, Tripureshwar, I, Sahayogi

may be found TECHNOLOGY Kathmandu.

68

one metre above the pit about overflow level, and the inlet pipe from the toilet should end immediately below the ledge. If it goes deep down, solid matter inside and is accumulates hard to clean out. Then, disinfectants should not be used in the toilet bowls. would kill They the bacteria needed for fermenting slurry. Too much water the should not be flushed The amount of water used in flushing into the pit. could be deducted from the volume needed for making The actual slurry would then be thicker, the slurry. but the total amount of water entering the pit per day would be about right.

Biogas production

from

septic

tank

For night soil gas, what can be done, and has been two is to use an ordinary done with good results, +-jr tp&r@c- nnmhf3mtmnnt ...~~I Make it absolutely septic tak. vuurp-* except for the gas outlet pipe, and collect gastight, from which drum, the gas in a separate floating In building this it can be piped to points of use. tank make sure that the outlet pipe begins septic and that the input pipe 15 cm below water level, 5 cm (2"') lower than the toilet from ends about the mouth of the outlet pipe, so that in the event in the tank the gas may of too high gas pressure than back up off rather the outlet blow through into the toilet.

69

too produce far tanks septic family-size Private Only those of big institulittle gas to be worthwhile. prisons, schools, boarding hospitals, like tions input to produce a reasonable would have enough daily gas. The waste of one adult gives amount of useable 28-30 litres (1 cft) of gas.

Biogas digester combined with digester - below ground level)

middle: latrine, front: turret

latrine (fixed dome type left: mixing trough, of biogas digester.

in human waste to produce There is enough nitrogen carbonaceous matter is added. very much more gas if It has been proved that if 500 grams of wheat straw the output of gas is is added per person per day, coming (at the right temperature) increased seven fold, But with such a bulk of to 200 litres per person. the plant cannot very well dry matter in the input, be flow fed. Tt should be batch loaded.

70

BIOGAS

DEMONSTRATION PLANT

experimentation one research and purposes of For to work with a small size prefer sometimes would than a full size installation of several plant rather quantities requiring large capacity cubic meter Experiments in effects the day. slurry every of variation, different slurry densities, of temperature etc., can often be more output, insulation, gas conducted on a small scale before being conveniently tried on a full size plant. For demonstration purposes too, and for the instruction plant is often preferable. learners, a small of biogas popularization programme in the Nepali For far away villages scattered over the hills of this that five minutes of demoncountry, we soon realized could the villagers actually see when stration, pan of and perhaps even bring a small gas burn, impressive boil, could be far more the water to We had a number and convincing than hours of talking. attached for handles plants made with of these from one village to another. of carrying convenience Though ours were made from were a success. They plant can very easily be sheet metal, a similar made from a 200-litre oil drum.

not produce will course, A 200-liter digester, of do any steady and useful work like enough gas to It may light a stove for some 15 cooking a meal. minutes once a day, and that is all. But demonstration just to show that the gas does burns (does not take more than one minute. a daily slurry would require digester size of This If a little more gas 6 litres. of at least (1:l) increased to could be input daily the is wanted, But then the full gas potential of the 10 litres. dung will not be obtained. The effluent will continue this But rejected. being after slowly fermenting not to get our purpose is since not matter, does but to have a sufficient quantity all the gas possible, for a proper demonstration.

zz JI u
a : 0 &-

\
_, .---+ -.. \ --t... ---. . ..- -.T:; 4 6 8 -a--*--L.--------1st -..- _.
SOL 011

Z
--

--

__ _. - .-- I..-.._ _.- A ..- I .. . -.-.--- __.-_ I

w rij t L ._ cJ.:..

73

CHINESE

BIOGAS

TECHNOLOGY

For building a gas plant, a villager can always dig the pit; manage to he can generally make and bake bricks on his own land; but the expense of buying a huge metal drum he more often than not just cannot afford. The Chinese have thought up a way of eliminating They seal the fermenting pit with a dome the drum. or a slab of concrete. For the input and outflow of the slurry, in place of a pipe, they have a broad chamber. As the forms, instead of pushing a gas drum up it pushes the slurry down, forcing it into the Side chambers e When the gas is drawn and the pressure diminishes, the slurry flows back into the main pit. The only advantage of this model, apart from its fertilizer value, is that it does away with the expensive drum, thus substantially reducing the cost of the installation. Since the whole plant is below ground level, it is not designed to let the exhausted slurry flow out by itself. It is either pumped out or drawn out with a bucket. This is labour intensive. There is always slurry in the inlet and outlet chambers and whatever gas is formed in these is lost to the air. for the But Chinese this is no loss. Their main objective in installing a gas plant is top grade fertilizer, the being taken merely as gas a useful by-product. A gas plant for them is first and foremost a private fertilizer factory. However, if the pit is large enough, the gas produced, even if some is lost, is quite sufficient for the family's cooking and lighting needs. There are said to be seven million of these plants all over the country.

Most even of plants, family size, but especially the larger ones, are run on the batch loading system. But pure cowdung plants, loaded with daily input of dung and slurry alone, run just as well. The typical average input of a pit is stated as comprising 10% human waste, 30% animal dung 9 10% vegetable matter (chopped crop stalks, dry leaves, grass clip-

74

pings,etc.) human excreta

and 50% water. In family plants the directly flow into the gas pit, no required. manipulation being The animal dung is put in as a slurry. The vegetable matter is first composted for a fortnight, so that decomposition already set in and fermentation has can begin at once in the The vegetable pit. matter forms much acid, which has to be balanced organic with regular additions of lime or ashes in order to maintain the pH between 7 and 8. So working a Chinese gas entails quite a lot of labour and attention, plant model; but the Chinese far more, than does the Indian all manage right, and their plants give perfect satisfaction. The plant should be built the above water table to avoid all possibility of seepage, which might dilute the slurry too much. It should preferably bz sited in full sun. The volume of a pit built to supply gas for both cooking and lighting is given as 2 m3 per person. For a family of six the pit could be 3 m deep x 2m x 2m. It should have a strong well-compacted The floor and walls are usually of concrete, base. but baked brick and cement mortar could also be While we would use iron rods for re-inforcing, used. the Chinese use sticks or bamboo strips painted with tar. Special attention is paid to all joints between floor and walls, and between wall cover. All parts interlock very securely, particularly round the cover and the gas outlet.

Unbelievable as it through escapes may seem, gas concrete! It is therefore absolutely necessary to plaster the chiefly inside, the upper portion and the cover. Four plasterings are insisted upon. The first is of concrete with 10% lime. The second is a 3-5 mm layer of sand/lime 3:7. After this the whole interior surface is tapped with a stick to discover hollow spots or air bubbles. If any are found, those are parts re-plastered out and dwz solidly. The third plastering is cement/lime/fine in the ration P:2:1. sand Last of all comes a 23 mm coat of lime/sand 1:l. in the above The lime

75

it makes a denser plaster. plasterings is necessary: often form. The whole air bubbles it tiny Without throrough or the and to be painstaking has work A suggested Indian substitute gas will surely escape. for all this plastering is to cover the whole inside with acrylic working Nepal is paint. with enamel plastic emulsion.

* I

lflfl

cc

fLA5,.

-50
>-LO 1[< :

==I==
_ -. GLASS I.D. TUDES IO old 0 TO REAO PRESSURE A00 LEFT COLUMN FIGURE TO RIGHT COLUMN FIGURE. THUS: 20 + 20 (LEFT) (RIGHT) = 10 CM WATERCOLUNN ,--* c COLOUREO WATER

-34
-,,I -- 10 t 1 -Oi
- 10 -

2oc

;z

-3o!

-4o

An alternative procedure is recommended by Guangshu Acadmey of Institute of Energy Sources, Chinese The first plastering is of common cement Sciences. mortar: second, of cement mortar with 5% by the weight of polyvinyl the third, of acetate latex; a cement paste with 10% PAL. Finally a coat of bituminous paint is applied to protect the cement from corrosion. This employed for procedure been has years with Not a single the utmost satisfaction. leak has yet been reported.

76

the amount of meticulous care and technical Seeing and the cost of concrete construction, skill required, would not be preferable if it one wonders to buy a steel drum and build the far simpler Indian style However, in mountainous of gas pit. country where unweildy, metal drums cannot be carried huge y heavy, *up and down steep pathways and across raging torrents on tree-trunk bridges, the Chinese model becomes a very practical solution. There is no single "Chinese model" gas plant. The idea is a digester closed on the top and having basic a broad outlet chamber instead of merely an outlet The input may be through a pipe or a chamber. pipe. idea is The basic modified ad lib, each Province the design of its choice, adopting which is often dictated by the nature of the soil, the height cf the water table, or the availability of construction materials.

In some places the plants are rectangular in design, other though in parts of the this country shape could be considered outmoded and cylindrical tanks are preferred. Sechuan Province favours a shallow digester of large diameter completely below ground It is essentially a straight shallow cylinder level. about 1 m deep with a dome about 50 cm high and a concave bottom about 35 cm deep, though a flat bottom is also allowed. The lower end of the input is about half way up the cylinder. The output begins at about the same level, so as to draw slurry from the rather than from the bottom. middle There are virtually none in This is the middle. important when the effluent is used in vegetable gardens. The gas pressure in a Chinese plant is always high, but it should never be allowed to exceed 100 cm water column, or In construction the may crack. each which China plant has a homemade manometer doubles as a saftey valve. It is made of two glass tubes 100 cm long and 1 cm in diameter connected by a rubber tube at the bottom. One end is connected to the gas mains through a tee. The difference in between coloured water level the two columns of shows the gas pressure. Pressure over 100 cm pushes

water out of the tubes into a receptacle safeguarding thus allows gas to escape, the water flows When the pressure drops, the tubes.

above and the plant. back into

are generally emptied loaded plants Batch 20-25% months. four three or every loaded is left to innoculate the new old slurry for emptied entirely ever pit is If the must be taken precautions cleaning or repair, of A 30% concentration inside. fumes the while anaesthezise a person, air can in A 5.15% mixture is explosive. asphyxiate.

and reof the material. thorough against methane 70% can

Ccnstr

:, tion

materials

commonly

employed

in

China

are:

LIME - CLAY 22%) hardens and long curing.

(1 lime, slowly,

9-19 clay, moisture about requires firm compacting 6 crushed stones

LIME - CONCRETE (1 lime, 3 sand, or bricks) tamped layer by layer.

CONCRETE compressive usually of strength 400 kg/cm2 (called No. 400) No. 150, (150 kg/cm2) for covers and connections, in special cases No. 100, and for most parts No. 30. MASONRY (of brick, stone, cement-lime-sand a mortar of 50 kg/cm2, cobbles, slate) of strength with 10 -

recommended construction plans below three We give Industrial Institute of Sechuar Provincial the by for one construction, ir lime-clay Design, one and one for ordinary cement concrete. lime-concrete, Chinese ball intriguing In addition we give the and a slightly modified design successfully digester, tried out in Nepal.

The digester wall is only 6-7 cm thick, the smallest dimension of a brick. The bricks are laid vertically. Notice the shoulder from which the dQme rises to strengthen its base.

Beginning

the dome. Ericks (Photos:

laid horizontally. Mrs. S.L. Maskeyl

79

Approaching cal,

the manhole. Bricks first row half-bricks.

again

verti-

Second row of bricks for manhole are full size. Notice how dome, only just laid, is strong enough to be trod upon. CPhohos: Mrs. S,L. Maskey)

80

< . fl 77 _L 0 c / E c lz ,,i ,? C 4
-__ Tqq f/ 8 --

jYMBOL5

SYMBOLS

NATURAL -.~ TAMPED

SOIL ---SOIL

Rl

R,

R3

RADIUS

Dl

DIAMETER

SAND, LIME CLAYsPLASTERING

L,

LENGTH --

LIME -

CONCRETE

!-I H,

h, h,

HEIGHT

SLATES GROUTED COBBLES

(ROCK)

THICKNESS
----._ ------.~--

RISE fl f2 -.f.lLfi --YcT.; METER METER

BRICKS --._. - .----~~~ ._.. _

m2 (M2) 1:2:3

m3 (M31

SQUARE CUBIC RATIO 1:2:3

CONCRETE THE LOWER SYMBOL OF SMALL SCALE DETAIL Na 5 MEANS IN THIS PAGE .-.__-----___---. __ DETAIL FOR A WITH Ng 5 SEE PAGE DETAILS A
$--J4

0
1
2 -t 1

DETAIL (DRAWING FIGURE FOR DETAIL N-O LOCATION SECTION BOLD LINE LOCATION OF FOR

5 .-___ 5 A 8

FIGURE SECTION

FOR

SYMBOLS

/ CONVENTIONS

87

moveable

cover

05

outlet

cover

4 0

outlet

opening

1. covers opening for moveable cover

are made

of q 150 concrete

or slates.

2. gas tubes are of steel, plastic about 25 mm inside diameter, 3. inlet pipes and their made of concrete. connections

or bamboo, 5OOmm long are

measurements copied: a,be

in mm g. 76

-82

loo lm concrete /---.Ej?+qj & z-+ --2 z

7
two corm

grz II c-.-q-g-_ -f
L,

43
l

--

inlet

pipe 0

We
pipe length

81 2000

f32 1500

63 1000

I I

83
thick parting agent of fine sand backfill 300 mm at least in thickness bamboo (branches) mat earth tormwork and its umbrellashaped support (il members resting in shoes for convenirnut ef removal.) dome as designed 1-3 mm tamped

tov
/ I / h 6 ,-----tamped backfill /----support ,r traversed strips

mats

wall together -L shoes

masonery center tied with wires

OVERALL EXCAVATION DOME ON lIMf3ERBAMBOO)

WITH CAST SUPPORT

opied:

a,ba

9.76

84

central

pole

-7 \

,-dotted line shows rope as radius to curvature. / control

CASTING bF DOME ACC. TO NUMBERS

tOD

brick

bearing

+ t stakes f

LAY I N&OUT

EXCAVATING OF 6OTfOM ACC. TO NUMBERS

l-1

section

--il

lOQ-u -SO

I 100 s

measurements copied: a,ba

in mm

9.78

86

2-2

section

note:

dome, wall and bottom are of Il 30 concrete, when dome is made of P 100 concrete, see detail 1 inlet and outlet are made of lime-clay.

6, 8, 10 + 12 m3

CONCRETE

TANKS

87

01 / 5: 1 I 2
f -1 it C'> : .I. .-

l-l
__
-f ,

SECTION

lJ.-.-

---1
100, measurements copied: a,be in mm

~~~~=~

~~

..I

580

250

__----cl

900

100

k---.-..

TOP

L-

9.78

88

2-2

section

concrete

430

con

note:

all parts are of lime concrete If the bottom and dome are madeof other materials, see details 1,2

6.8,

10, 12 m3

LIME

CONCRETE

TANKS

89

----. -._-_____

j- 1 section

measurements copied: e,ba

in mm 9.76

90

2-2

SECTION

,3 / I. / B ( H 1R1 fl / D / H1/ R / f2 1 /
f-----t-+----t----k---

6 8 10 12

~580 3064 2530 1740 i f&O 2~00 1000 2550 300 i I I I I 1 1 I # I L880 3360 2630 1960 540 2700 1000 2860 34O 5180 3660 2730 2100 5380 3860 2790 2320 600 6&O 3000 3200 1000 3180 380

1000 3GO0 LOO

lime concrete i-

cl50 Pi-*---

rl5O -----w---

/ c
note.

02
all parts of tank are of ltme clay. If the and dome are made of other materials, see details, a.@.@

03
bottom

6,8,10+12m3

LIME

- CLAY

TANKS

91
gas pipe,

measurements copied: a,ba

in

cm! 9. 78

moveable

inlet

pipe

92

3
1. .di.g out half the spheroid of

2. lay

concrete

3. build top half of spheroid

of build top of sphere without of the wooden frame

construction 1.

procedure

spheroid

Cower half of sphere 1: 2: 4 cement, sand, gravel. gravel to be of lo-15 mm P. concrete thickness 4 mm top of sphere is brick work, with a coat of cement and sand. if no bricks ate used: 1:2:5 cement, sand plaster 8-10 mm thickness ou?side inside to coat three times: 1 st. 1:2.5 cement+sand,8mm thick 2nd. I:1 cement + time, 3 mm thick 3 rd. coating 3mm thick dig out another deeper pit, fi!I this with water, and float the spheroid into right position. fill spheroid its position and the pit fit inlet pipe with empty water; when both, spheroid in

2.

3.

6.

5.

6.

and

outlet

chamber.

THE

CHINESE

BALL

-W@ESMR

i 93

OUTLET

A "Cast-in-place" digester, A trench 200 cm deep x 6 cm wide is dug with special tools. Concrete is poured in and tamped down to Digester top center is make digester wall. dome shaped with mud. Concrete is cast over this. When hard, the mud of dome support and of hole pit is removed through manhole. Picture shows manhole construction. Photo: Elm. S.L.Maskey)

94 A NEPALESE-MADE "CHINESE" Producing 100 cft of GAS PLANT day

gas per

This is a local modification of the Chinese design. It eliminates the manhole in the centre of the dome. This certainly abolishes the need for a gastight seal that has to be checked every time the manhole opened for cleaning or repairing the pit. is The dome is completey cast and plastered and rendered gastight once at for all. So far so good. But when unless cleaning has to be done, a forced draught is provided with a fan or air pump, the fumes in such a confined space might be overpowering.

The technique of making this version of the Chinese design depends on making the gas dome of concrete The digester pit is dug from over a mould. spread This technique, dry. once it is the dome, under labour charges slightly more in costs although it the need for heavy wood saves than other versions, otherwise need to would form work that Or metal This version of the be carried to the plant site. Chinese design is therefore considered to be easier to make in the hilly regions of Nepal, where transport is difficult.

CONSTRUCTION PROCEDURE 1. 2. Dig a hole, 2 m deep by 2 m diameter

or branches and form utiards with Cover hole a mud mould for the cement dome -top at ground and fit Dig trench with a ,-jig. levelshaped outlet fit asbestos cement pipe pipe, gas and scum breaker support pipe. Pour that Build dome. supports slurry The the inlet forms thicker edge dome on undug earth. pit. a collar

3. 4.

95 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. Dig outlet While Build outlet access arch. concrete hole is beside hardening, on dome pipes. form digester carefully must position do to of pILpe * slurry fitting. gas and

masonry turret and scum breaker

support and pit

Dig under dome to plaster against wail.

Clean underside of dome the who 1e plaster coat one time, w.ithout stopping.

and plaster, be applied at cement paint water and

10. Plaster coat second with acrylic mixed (20 litres cement to to give stiff paste). 11. Plaster walls. second coat

under dome -using plastic emulsion 1 liter paint, with on digester floor of

12. Paint inside of dome with mixture plastic emulsion and cement with give a brushable consistancy.

acrylic water to

13. Build slurry reservoir tank of brick or stone masonry. Plaster inside of tank if soil is porous. Cover dome with soil to depth of 42 cm. 14. Fit scum breaker, fill with slurry of 1:l cowdung and water and wait for gas production to start (about 15 days). Let the first drumfull of gas escape. Once the plant is producing add 60 kg of dung per day mixed 1:l with gas water, cleaned of all straw and vegetable matter.

(Ref: Bhgcls Neasktter,

No, 10, D,. FuZford,

DC'S1

96

lo. I..11.1 I

97
DETAIL SECTION OF A GAS DOME

60 mn Concrete 1:6; cement: small Aggregate (as dry as possible 4 parts water to 1 part cement 8 mm Plaster 1:2 (cement coat : sand)

emulsion. / 3 rmn Plaster coat with acrylic plastic 20 litres cement to 1 litre paint with water to a thick paste. Paint with acrylic plastic emulsion mixed with cement and ,watered to a brushable consistancy.

DETAIL SECTION OF DIGESTER

PIT

WALLS

AND

FLOOR

15 mm Plaster Coat 1:6 cement:sand 10 mm Plaster Coat 1:3 cement:sand 2 coats ter-paste on. cement:wabrushed

Mud Wall

98

Pouring

concrete

on dome

Pounding

the mud mould

for the dome IPhotos: Kluu?u oititl

99
A COMPARISON

We are often asked questions like "What do you think is better, of Chinese technology?l' or "Which gas plant Chinese?" To this we can only the the Indian or that both are better. The Indian is better answer in some respects and the Chinese is better in others. Both have definative advantages, and both have snags. Nothing in this world is perfect. We list for you of both some 9.f the good and some of the bad points could be said for and against More technologies. have touched on the main but we hope we both sides, plant choice of the Your differences. may often materials available, conditions, be guided by local and other similar circumstanthe skill of the builder, plan't you build, if it is properly ces. But whichever give will operated, installed and YOU excellent service.

EFFICIENCY: The Indian gas plants are very satis'actory INDIAN: and serviceable. They are simple to build and maintain, and if intelligently operated are virtually troubleThey are highly recommended, for especially free. beginners.

The Chinese pl,a.nts too give perfect satisCHINESE: high builders. The Require faction. mwl-ewed gas pressure in the di,gester poses the biggest problem cracks leaks, construction is net perfect (gas if of gas: and walls,) g&what wasteful in cover gas excess pressure .iS lost, side formed in chmkw%j is reduced by releasing gas to atmosphere. So relativThe exhausted slurry ely larger plants are needed. and sludge of each batch m&es richer and more abundant soil conditioner than .that of Indian pit. The digester, insulated better totally because undergrmmd, is against winter cold.

r-l
INLET

,--GAS

DRUM MOVEA@LE EFFLUENT I -INLET COVER PIPE --FERMENTING SLURRY

--?I~

--DOME AS SEGMENT OF SPHERICAL SHELL - -PUMP

\\

r,s T,A.CE -CFF I I i

THROUGH
PIPE. FLAT ahal BOTTOM BOTTOMAS INVERiED i SEGMENT OF OUT FROM Ml DDLE. THE SHELL

CENTRE

SPHERICAL

IKDIAN

CHINESE-

ertilizer build but hard to install where drum cannot be made or easily be carried INPUT may serve as septic tank lants exclusively concrete tank with adjacent effluent chamber. Requires skill to render gastight. Can be built anywhere.

OPERATION

- virtually ond mixing

no attention and feeding

bey-

- height

of

float

shows

gas
col.

gas

in

sealed

digesin

- gas volume and pressure shown by slurry height

GAS PRESSURE

- low: 70 - 150 mm water - steady, due to floating drum high because of metal and its fixture presentable, neat

up to 1000 mm water- high: column maximum - constantly varying lower neat, cost clean,
because

COST APPEARANCE

drum

no metal

unobstrusive.

101
POSSIBLE TROUBLES

DEFECT No gas. rise. Drum won't

MAY BE CAUSED BY a) no bacteria b) lack of time

REMEDY Add some. Patience! Without it may take four weeks.. cold bacteria to five

c)

slurry

is

too

Use warm water. Cover plant with plastic tent or use heating coil. Add right daily amount of slurry taps

d) e) f)

insufficient leak in

input drum or pipe

Check seams, joints, with soap water.

hard scum on slurry blocks gas.

-. No gas at plenty in

Remove drum; clean slurry surface. With sliding-drum plants turning drum slightly breaks crust. Open escape Increase by cock. on drum. !

stove; drum.

a) gas pipe is by condensed b) c) insufficent gas

scum

blocked. water. pressure

weights

inlet

blocked

Remove drum and clean inlet. Close all gas-taps; fill the gas line with water; apply pressure through moisture escape. Drain water out,

increase. Counterbalance to 2 mm diameter.

"MAY BE THE CARBURETTOR IS JAMMED..."

TEMPERATURE TABLE

69 70

20.6 21.1
06 =

a9 90 (OF-32 x ) x 1.8

31.7 32.2 .0.5556 ) + 32

145 150

62.7 65.5

F=(OC

-.

INFORMATION

AVAILABLE

ON APPROPRIATE

TECHNOLOGY

/ MINI TECHNOLOGY - VOLUME I and A. Bachmann by B.R. Saubolle

Second Edition

Contains 36 low-key projects to make life more livable: water heaters, biogas, sawdust solar stoves, room corn and cooling, sheller, heating crow trap, fly and much more. Abundantly illustrated. trap, A real jewel! MINI TECHNOLOGY and by A. Bachmann VOLUME II B.R. Saubolle

continues volume second the information on This technology for rural areas and developing countries, not available where electricity is from the yet suggestions based on experience power grid. It gives on fuel efficient stoves, smokeless kitchens, energy from water. Explains also methods of rat' disposal, A welcome addition to the literature in this etc. field! BEEKEEPING, by B.R. Saubolle and A. Bachmann

An introduction to modern beekeeping in Nepal. Written expressly for the Apia indica, this booklet will render great service all over South-East Asia. Clear, to the point, practical. Treats also of wall and log hives and of the African Top-Bar Hive. A treasure! MULTI-PURPOSE by A.M. Nakarmi POWER-UNIT - With and A. Bachmann horizontal water wheel

This booklet explains in a few words, but with many diagrams and photgraphs, one of the latest developments in the field of micro hydro-power in Nepal. In essence it is based on traditional technology and can provide from two to five or ten horse power. comes in The modular design standard that sizes manufactured in porterable are loads, so that it can be transported easily even to remote areas. This device aroused has considerable interest in The booklet provides useful information many places. of alternative and renewable energy resources in rural areas. Published Sahayogi by: Press,

Tripureshwar,

Kathmandu

7 04
FROM THE SAME PUBLISHER ENERGY RESOURCES AND LOCALLYSMALL SCALE RENEWABLE FEASIBLE TECHNOLOGY IN NEPAL and G.R. Shakya by A. Bachmann provides a collection of booklet the recent This achievements in the field of locally-feasible technosome of the traditional technology also logy and The combination of the booklet, that of in Nepal. the photographs and the directory will the article, prove to be a useful tool for people activley involved in improvement of rural living. A good pathfinder! HOME BREW, by B. Remi

A delightful booklet, explaining how to make beers Written in a light vein, it is profusely and wines. Advocates only low-alcohol and humorously illustrated. no destillation. beverages: A charming production! DRINKING WATER INSTALLATIONS AND DRAINAGE REQUIREMENTS by A. Bachmann IN BUILDINGS IN NEPAL, This book is based on many years of experience in The collection includes instalsanitary engineering. medium-pressure water lowand lations of supply, also is valuable experienwaste water and gas. Included The solar water heaters. locally produced ces of and has many technical drawings presentation is clear architects and planners as well and is made for working at building technicians sites; all as for conditions to Nepal and useful with reference to to many other countries. Several times reprinted, revised edition. MOUNTAIN ENVIRONMENT AND DEVELOPMENT occasion published on the A collection of papers Swiss Association the 20th anniversary of of the for Technical Assistance in Nepal, 1976. This booklet has been reprinted several times and found worldwide distribution! RENEWABLE ENERGY RESOURCES IN NEPAL

Kathmandu the Workshop-Seminar, Proceedings of Sahayogi Press and April published by l-4 1981, Tribhuvan University. Recast, view of overall pi:ovides a good This collection solutions for urban and rural problems and possible populations in Nepal.

BOOK REVIEW FUEL GAS FROM COWDUNG

directed to people who This booklet is wish to build a biogas plant for supplying gas for cooking,lighting and other household Detailed constructions are purposes. given for constructing plants of several Two general designs are presented. sizes. that commonly used design is first The India, which is based on the use of in collection. The for drum a metal gas (who used by the Chinese second design, do not have easy access to metal drums) pressure-tight use of the based on is the space enclosures for gas collection, being provided my the for needed gas chamber being connected auxiliary an to the bottom of the main pit, into which part of the slurry flows as gas is accumulated in the top of the main enclosure. While the main trust of" the booklet deals use of manure from the with cowdung, dealt with, and animals is also other also the possible use of sanitary wastes that the noted dwellings. It is from India and in Nepal, emphasis in chief is on the book was written, the where gas as a fuel. Besides production of slurry effluent the gas production, the from the plant is an excellent fertilizer, of the value of the most retains which this purpose. This for original cowdung the plant. By usage of is a secondary that the primary noted contrast, it is biogas units is the Chinese purpose of with fertilizer, the production of for gas as a secondary the production of objective. this book should be most summary, In wish to helpful to those readers who small-scale install practical design and systems for producing gas and fertilizer. sufficiently The instructions given are detailed to provide guidance in the planning and construction of such plants for specific capacities. SUNWORLD / Vol.6 / No. 2 / 1982

FUEL

GAS Third

FROM COWBUNG Edition bY and

B.R. An in of dung This excellent, simple methane -

Saubolle

A. Bachmann clear exposure principles from diagrams gained very animal with systems. worldwide practical countries.

succint, 1Language of clear already has proved production

the

gas abundant, in and in has

measurements booklet distribution and helpful It

L .

metric

and British

several

developing

has received

much praise!

Booklets available fr0m3

U I! 1 CEF P. 0. Box 1184 Kathmandu 1 Nepal

Printed at

in

Nepal Press, Tripureshwar, Kathmandu.

Sahayogi