Data Design and Construction of Food Waste Biogas Plant for Hostel Mess

The design needs to take into account the local economy where the biogas is being generated. How is this fuel to be used or distributed? How far are the reactors from the source of the feed stock? What are you going to do with the digestate that remains. What is the temperature you are going the reactor? Are you going to stir the contents? Will your design require specialized equipment or off the shelf commercial equipment? What is the rate of return that would make this attractive to investors locally?

Firstly i will suggest you to go through the following two publications (link below). The biomethanation plant used here are the floating dome based. Two factors i.e. pH of the feedstock and temperature available for anaerobic digestion are the most important parameters for biogas production from food waste. Generally, food waste are acidic in nature due to the contents of oil. The initial pH of food waste is around 3 to 4 (from the experience of our study). However, a basic environment i.e. a pH of 6.8-7.8 is required for anaerobic digestion. So maintaining the pH is an essential factor. Hence, your design should consider these two parameter. A pH -temperature controlled biogas digester will definitely be a solution.

Publications:

1) Patowary, D., West, H., Clarke, M., & Baruah, D. C. (2016). Biogas production from surplus plant biomass feedstock: some highlights of indo-UK R&D Initiative. Procedia Environmental Sciences, 35, 785-794.

2) Buragohain, S., Patowary, D., Kataki, S., Brahma, B., Sarma, G. D., Patowary, R., ... & Baruah, D. C. (2018). Feasibility Study on Implementing Kitchen Waste-Based Biogas Plant at Tezpur University, Assam. In Utilization and Management of Bioresources (pp. 103-112). Springer, Singapore.

Dear Avinash,

Firstly, in advance wish you best of luck for your good work. Secondly, I am fully agreed with the factors for designing of any treatment facility, quoted by Mr Edward. Bio-methane generation through AD is not new way to generate energy. Specially in developing countries our most of the projects fail due to lack of planning. I also would suggest you to go and conduct a survey first and see how much quantity of FW is being generated. Then what will the most cost effective system for collection, storage, and transportation. Then you would be able to understand what size of facility (biogas plant) would serve economically.

Thanks,

Asim

Avinash,

In doing the research for your dissertation, you might want to look at our work on food waste conversion. Go to www.integratedbiochem.com/papers Download "Food Waste: A Source of Industrial Chemicals" . The difference is this process can be managed to produce more methane and other materials that would have a use in the local economy.