Article Information
Solar Biogas Digester with Built-In Reverse Absorber Heater

Keywords: Solar Biogas, Digester, Methane Tank, Reverse Absorber, Built-in Heater, Solar Energy.

Mehran University Research Journal of Engineering & Technology

Volume 32 ,  Issue 1

KHASAN S.  KARIMOV,MUHAMMAD  ABID,  

Abstract

In this work the design, fabrication and investigation of a solar biogas digester with built-in RAH (Reverse Absorber Heater) is presented. The maximum temperature (50 o C) inside of the methane tank was taken as a main parameter at the design of the digester. Using energy balance equation for the case of a static mass of fluid being heated; the parameters of thermal insulation of the methane tank were counted. The biogas digester is consisting of methane tank with built-in solar RAH to utilize solar energy for the heating of the slurry prepared from the different organic wastes (dung, sewage, food wastes etc). The methane tank was filled up to 70% of volume by organic wastes of the GIK Institute sewage, firstly, and secondly, by sewage and cow dung as well. During three months (October-December, 2009) and two months (February-March, 2010) the digester was investigated. The solar irradiance incident to the absorber, slurry's temperature and ambient temperature were measured. It was found that using sewage only and sewage with cow dung the retention times was 4 weeks and two weeks respectively and biogas quantity produced was 0.4 and 8.0 m 3 respectively. In addition, biogas upgradation scheme for removal of carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulphide and water vapor from biogas and conversion of biogas energy conversion into electric power is also discussed.