| INFO |
| INTRODUCTION |
| TECHNOLOGY |
| BIOGAS? |
| ENVIRONMENT? |
| COMIC |
| USERS / |
| CAMBODIA |
| TANZANIA |
| ARKEN |
| LOUISIANA |
| KASSEL |
| SAN FRANSISCO |
| PORTUGAL |
| THE LAND |
| BIOGAS TAG |
Technical description
The Supergas plant consists of two essential components - a pressure equalisation system and a plant for processing organic waste. The organic material used in the system is effectively mixed by means of the pressure arising as a result of the gas production. Thus the pressure equalisation system is designed on the basis of hydrolic principles without application of mechanics.
Apart from being used in our system, the pressure equalisation system can also be used to convert e.g. Chinese biogas plants into high efficiency plants.
The pressure equalisation system between the reactor and the higher displacement chamber can be regarded as the heart of the Supergas biogas system. The biogas pressure is converted into potential energy which is released at regular time intervals by means of a pressure equalisation system controlled by the gas pressure in the biogas reactor. This process releases remarkable amounts of energy which normally cannot be achieved manually nor mechanically. In this way the break-downs and energy loss which is normally associated with mechanical parts are avoided and at the same time the stirring process optimize the efficiency of the plant considerably.
The device consist of two small chambers placed on top of each other. The chamber below is connected to the reactor whereas the chamber above is connected to the gasometer. The chambers are interconnected by a level tube and a reflux tube. The chamber below is provided with a filler tube. The level tube is set to blow out approximately 4 hours of gas production. The chamber below is approximately 3/4 full at the beginning of a new cycle. The liquid column in the level tube reflects the blow-off pressure. The level tube is calculated for a gas speed of 120 m/sec during blow-off. Within approximately 10 seconds the pressure between the reactor and the gasometer will be equalised and the substrate will flow back from the higher level of the displacement chamber. In a 5 m3 reactor the reflux substrate within the same time interval will be approximately 1,000 l.
The system operates without any supply of external energy for control or heating. The plant produces 3-5 m3 gas per day, which is enough for approximately 10 hours use. This is sufficient to provide a family of 10 members with gas for cooking and gas light purposes. The plant is raised without any mechanical or motor-driven tools.
The biogas system is developed in respons to the odd conditions posed by a harsh environment in developing countries. These conditions and their interconnections are described in the following paragraphs. Special attention is given to Tanzania, Thailand and Cambodia where our testing has taken place so far.