What is a biodigester
Biodigesters are specially designed concrete, metal, or plastic structures that provide anaerobic environments where organic matter is broken down into sludge, water, and gas. Biodigesters are constructed for different purposes. Some biodigesters are made for the purpose of managing household waste from the kitchen, bathrooms, and toilets. Others are made to manage wastewater produced from domestic or commercial premises as well as institutions that produce large amounts of organic waste like agricultural factories, schools, and jails among others. Other biodigesters are made to work in place of traditional pit latrines. Others are made for the purpose of generating biogas that is then used for lighting and heating. Putting up a biodigester in Kenya for any of the above reasons offers long term benefits to the users
Biogas Plants
Biogas Plants are biodigesters that are essentially designed to break down organic waste to produce methane which is a flammable gas that is widely referred to as biogas. Biogas is used for lighting and heating, especially cooking. Biogas plants use solid organic (biodegradable) waste as raw materials. The waste is broken down into biogas and liquid slurry. The slurry works very perfectly as organic fertilizer.
Setting up a biogas biodigester in Kenya requires expertise and experience so as to get the desired end result of enough biogas as the main product and organic fertilizer as a byproduct. Our biogas biodigester at Sturgis Limited is designed to achieve all that.
How does a biodigester work
A biodigester works by creating an anaerobic environment that is optimum for bacteria to break down organic material into sludge, water, and methane gas. A biodigester comprises at least one chamber that is airtight to create an environment that is completely devoid of oxygen (anaerobic). The chamber is fed with bacteria that thrive in environments that are devoid of oxygen. These microorganisms digest organic material in the chamber, breaking it down, as indicated above into sludge, water, and gas.
The design of individual biodigesters determines it’s efficiency in breaking down waste. Biodigesters made according to well-developed designs produce effluent that is mostly water. The easiest way to determine this is by simply looking at the effluent as it leaves the outlet of the biodigester. The better the biodigester design, the clearer the effluent. A more thorough and reliable way of determining the efficiency of a biodigester is by testing its effluent in a verified laboratory.
Effluent from waste management biodigesters designed and installed by Blueflame Energy Solutions is almost 100% clear. We have had the same effluent tested in a government laboratory and the results that have consistently come back is that the effluent is over 99% water. If you would like to learn more about how we can help you to design and set up a biodigester in Kenya or elsewhere, visit the Products page on our website where you can click on the particular product you are interested in to read more about it.
Why use biodigesters
- Economical Bio-digesters are cheaper install and maintain compared to conservancy septic tanks and soak pits and require very few manholes/inspection chambers.
- Environmental Friendly Recharges groundwater systems, thereby ensuring the availability of water in the ground (unlike in the centralized sewer system which pushes the water into the oceans).
- No exhausting A modern bio-digester does not require any exhaustion. So no need to call expensive exhausting services, and no messy toilet left-overs by honey suckers.
- No smells With biodigesters there is no risk of having foul smells emanating from waste water systems
- Guarantee/Warranty The modern bio-digester is guaranteed for a 3-year period after installation against the manufacturer’s defect.
- NEMA-approved The NEMA and the Ministry of Water & Irrigation have recommended and approved the modern bio-digester for use in handling all domestic, institutional, and commercial house water in Kenya.