Compartmentalized Anaerobic Digester with Movable Drums
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional anaerobic digesters face issues with unpredictable biogas production, energy inefficiency, and lack of control over temperature and pH due to large batch sizes and moving parts, which can lead to clogged flow passages and undesirable breakdowns, especially in cold temperatures.
Innovation Solution
A compartmentalized anaerobic digestion system with movable chambers and integrated digester drums that allow for independent control of temperature, pH, and water content, using biogas for heating and preventing mixing of organic waste batches, featuring a digester body divided by scraper plates and a barge system for drum movement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a single large batch size is used in conventional plug-flow digesters, then the system structure is simple, but the slurry can sit still for long times causing flow passages to become clogged and biogas production to take longer
Solution Approach 1:
The digester is divided into multiple compartments separated by plates, transforming a single large batch system into multiple smaller compartments. Each compartment processes a portion of the slurry independently, ensuring continuous flow and preventing stagnation. This segmentation reduces digestion time and prevents clogging while maintaining system simplicity.
2Reliability
If moving parts such as augers or mixing devices are used in conventional digesters, then mixing is improved, but energy consumption increases and breakdowns occur leading to repair time and expenses
Solution Approach 1:
The invention removes moving parts such as augers and mixing devices from the system. Instead of using mechanical mixing, the system relies on natural flow and compartmentalization to achieve uniform digestion. This extraction of moving parts eliminates energy consumption associated with mechanical mixing and prevents breakdowns and repair needs.
3Productivity
If conventional digesters operate in cold temperatures without temperature control, then the system is simpler to operate, but digestion efficiency decreases and biogas production is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses the biogas produced during digestion to heat the digester, creating a self-sustaining temperature control mechanism. The biogas fuels a burner that heats water circulated through coils in the digester compartments, maintaining optimal digestion temperature without requiring external energy input or complex control systems.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If new organic waste is mixed with old organic waste in conventional digesters, then the system is simpler to operate, but pathogens from new waste are introduced into processed waste reducing safety
Solution Approach 1:
The digester is divided into multiple compartments that process different batches of waste sequentially. Each compartment acts as an isolated processing zone, preventing mixing between new and old waste. This segmentation eliminates pathogen introduction while maintaining operational simplicity through a straightforward sequential processing design.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This design enhances control over the digestion process, reduces energy consumption, prevents pathogen introduction, and ensures efficient biogas production with 100% uptime efficiency by allowing for precise manipulation of variables and containment of organic waste.
Implementation Method 1
A heating system configured to heat the digester body, the heating system being fuelled by the biogas vented from the digester body
Implementation Method 2
an anaerobic digestion device includes a digester body configured to receive organic waste and a set of plates coupled to one another so as to divide an interior volume of the digester body into a set of compartmentalized chambers
Data Source
AI summary
An anaerobic digestion device includes a digester body with an opening through which organic waste is received and a digester drum removably inserted into the digester body for receiving the organic waste. The digester drum is movable relative to the digester body to advance a slurry of the organic waste along a length of the digester body. A set of ports spaced along the digester body and arranged to vent biogas from the organic waste contained in the digester drum. A storage vessel is configured to receive and store biogas received from the digester body via the ports, and a heating system configured to heat the digester body. The heating system is fuelled by the biogas vented from the digester body.