Executive summary

The biogas digester addresses two problems that exist within the United States, sanitation
leakage and energy. The digester will create a new form of renewable energy that could affect
25% of America. It will also eliminate septic tanks from the United States. This will eliminate
the problems associated with septic tanks which include leakage and waste buildup.

The biogas digester will lower cost and produce energy for households that currently use
a septic tank. The design will appeal to residents of the United States because it will still allow
them to go about the same routine they have grown accustomed to.

Background information

The United States is the leading country in energy usage. Under present circumstances,
the energy sources of today are quickly being depleted and causing increased harm to the
environment. In order to combat these two problems the United States must find new clean
sources of energy to meet the needs of a new generation in the United States. Many sources of
renewable energy call for solar, wind, or water generated energy, however these sources of
energy cannot be used in all locations in the United States. In order to maximize the amount of
people able to use renewable energy and to utilize a currently untapped energy source, within the
United States, our team proposes a design that will utilize human waste for energy. The average
person living in the United States produces 5.48 tons of solid human waste per year, feces. (The
Issues: Waste, 2008) Each household would be able to utilize the waste that they produce to use
for heating purposes and electricity production.

Currently, 90 million Americans use a septic system; that is approximately one in four
people. (Q & A on Septic Systems, 2007) Septic systems are typically located in rural and
suburban locations. The septic tank is a largely outdated mode of on-site waste water treatment.
Septic tanks leak sewage into the environment and waste a valuable energy source.

Septic tanks have been known to leach pollutants into the environment. Roots and other
plant materials can rupture the tank, causing on-site leakage. Most leaching occurs in the
drainage fields, because the septic system cannot fully remove pollutants from the waste. Septic
tanks do not utilize a potential energy source. Human waste can be used to produce methane,
which can then easily be utilized for heating and cooking, which a large portion of a person’s
electricity is allotted to, and can potentially be converted into electricity.

The biogas creator can be used to replace septic systems in the United States. It will be
leak proof to minimize damage done to the environment and provide energy to households. On-
site waste water treatment could potentially be revolutionized by the concept. The design is
important to the waste management industry because it will provide a low cost alternative to
current technologies. Septic tanks are expensive to install and maintain. Maintenance fees can
run upwards of $2,500, to simply clean the tank. In contrast a new biogas creator will be less
than half the cost of maintenance. The design will also appeal to the industry because it can
create money on its own. Energy is a valuable asset, the biogas creator creates energy from the
human waste that septic tanks now “digest” and then flush out of their tanks.
 The United States is becoming stricter on their environmental policies. Growing concern
over the future of our planet has caused the government and industries to look for new
environmental plans to maintain their industries. This design will enable the waste water
management industry to follow current and future environmental guideline at an affordable cost.
The current market for environmentally friendly products is still largely inflated. Most
alternatives cost more than their counterparts; the biogas creator will be the opposite. It is cost
efficient for both the industry and the individual.

The design will also be utilized in the energy industry. The United States is the largest
consumer of energy in the world. Current sources of energy are quickly being depleted or cost
too much to currently market to the general public. The biogas creator addresses both issues;
energy will be created from human waste, a renewable source, and the low cost will allow energy
companies to market the design to the average American consumer.

Overall, the design will be used to replace septic systems within the United States. The
product will be able to revolutionize the waste water management industry by creating a cost and
environmentally friendly on-site waste water treatment unit. It will also create a new affordable
source of renewable energy that will be accessible.

Concept details

The biogas digester design has been practiced in rural areas in developing nations;
however developed nations will not use biogas digesters as they currently are. Developed nations
demand products that are both clean and convenient to use. Current designs are rudimentary or
are not designed to fit western lifestyles. In the United States, people are accustomed to using a
toilet and simply flushing their waster into a pipe. Our design will allow this practice to continue,
regular toilets will continue to be in use, but instead of the waste leading to a septic tank the
biogas digester will utilize the human waste to create methane using anaerobic bacteria.

The process will begin at the toilet, located in the home. A pipe, varying in size as a result
of the variations of size of American homes, will carry the waste with water to the biogas
digester. Once the water and waste mixture encounters the biogas digester tank they will be
separated. The biogas digester is located below the home, and is a spherical shape in order to
permit easier separation of solids and liquids. The solid waste will float to the top of the spherical
tank, while the water remains at the bottom of the tank where a pipe is located to drain the water,
the water will subsequently go to drainage fields as it currently does today. Within the tank the
walls will be lined with anaerobic bacteria that break down the waste and convert it to methane.
The methane will be stored in a pressurized tank, similar to current propane tanks in the market.
The biogas stored within the tanks will consists mostly of methane. The biogas can then be used
to heat a home, cook, or power appliances. One cubic meter of biogas could potentially create
enough energy to light a 60-100 watt light bulb for six hours (a fluorescent light bulb will result
in longer use), cook three meals for a family of five or six, or generate 1.25 kilowatt hours of
electricity.

The biogas digester is spherical tank which will be created using a mold, in order to
eliminate seams, joints, or welds. This seamless design will prevent the leakage problem that
exists in septic systems from occurring in the biogas digester. The size of the tank will vary
depending on the size of the house and the average amount of occupants the house can hold. The
size of the tanks available will be between 2.0 cubic meters, for a four to six family household,
and 4.0 cubic meters, for an eight to ten family household. Larger sizes could potentially be
specially made to fit the needs of larger structures. A standard pipe will connect the toilet to the
biogas digester, the length and width of the pipe will be different for each household, because the
distance from the household to the biogas digester will be different. The tank will be lined with a
layer of anaerobic methane producing bacteria. These bacteria will be used to produce methane
and break the solid waste into slurry. The water that is flushed in with the waste will sink to the
bottom and drained through the numerous .1 mm holes that will fill the bottom of the tank. The
water will then be sent through a pipe to drainage fields that are currently being used by septic
tanks. In order to produce methane the tank will have to maintain an optimum temperature that is
between 40 to 50 degrees Celsius, in southern states nothing will be added to the tank because
the temperature for the bacteria is already at an optimum level. In northern states a heating
device will be attached to the side of the tank that can regulate the temperature of the tank, the
energy to power the heating will come from the biogas that the digester creates. The methane
will enter a pipe that takes the gas into a tank that will store the biogas for usage. The slurry will
be placed collected through alternative means. In rural areas the slurry will be used on their
fields in suburban areas a system of collection will be create for communities. The slurry can be
sold as fertilizer; the money collected from the fertilizer will then be used to pay for the
collection system.
Bibliography
Q & A on Septic Systems. (2007). Retrieved December 23, 2008, from
Environmental Solutions: http://www.environmentalsolutions.net/septicqa.php

The Issues: Waste. (2008, November). Retrieved December 19, 2008, from
Sustainable Table: http://www.sustainabletable.org/issues/waste/

Application 1 m3 biogas equivalent

Lighting equal to 60 -100 watt bulb for 6 hours

Cooking can cook 3 meals for a family of 5 - 6

Fuel replacement 0.7 kg of petrol

Shaft power can run a one horse power motor for 2 hours

Electricity generation can generate 1.25 kilowatt hours of electricity