bioHAZM™ – Onsite Sewage Disposal System
Biodigester as an alternative to septic tank / leach field
The current irrational use of fossil fuels and the impact of greenhouse gases on the environment are driving research into renewable energy production from organic resources and waste. The global energy demand is high, and most of this energy is produced from fossil resources. Studies report that anaerobic digestion is an efficient alternative technology that combines biofuel production with sustainable waste management, and various technological trends exist in the biogas industry that enhance the production and quality of biogas.
Digestion or biodigestion is considered an effective tool in the management of organic waste and the production of methane as a source of renewable energy. A biogas plant or biodigester is an alternative for the production of biogas at low cost, a technology that offers direct and functional benefits. The direct benefits have been the replacement of the combustion of fossil fuels through the production of methane and the reduction in the use of synthetic fertilizers due to the nutrient content of the digested material.
The use of biogas to reduce the emission of gases causing the greenhouse effect emitted during the combustion of fossil fuels. Anaerobic digestion, digestion or methanation refers to the use of biological processes in an anaerobic environment to break chains of complex molecules into simpler substances. Anaerobic digestion can be considered as the simplest and safest way to treat human and animal excrement.
The anaerobic fermentation process that produces the biogas also produces a residual mixture that is a rich organic fertilizer of higher quality and nitrogen content than fresh manure and that can be used to compost with vegetable waste or be distributed over the fields as a fertilizer of considerable value. Biomass contains carbohydrates, proteins, fats, cellulose, and hemicellulose, which can be used as feedstocks for biogas production.
In current practice, co-substrates are usually added to increase the organic content and thus achieve a higher gas yield. Typical co-substrates include organic wastes from agriculture-related industries, food waste, and/or collected municipal biowaste from households. The composition and yield of biogas depend on the feedstock and co-substrate type. Even though carbohydrates and proteins show faster conversion rates than fats, it is reported that the latter provide a higher biogas yield.
What is a biodigester?
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A biodigester is like a mechanical stomach. It is fed with organic material waste, both human and animals, or vegetation or food waste, which is broken down (decomposed) by micro-organisms (bacteria) in an oxygen-free (anaerobic) environment to produce a renewable energy called biogas (methane and carbon dioxide) and other material that is mainly used as fertilizer. Digesters are designed to run at different target temperature ranges. The temperature ranges are typically 86 - 100 â—‹ F for mesophillic and 122 - 140 â—‹ F for thermophilic. There are different populations of anaerobic microbes that thrive in these temperature zones.
Advantages of a biodigester
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Zero waste is a philosophy encouraging a life cycle of reuse for every product, similar to the way resources are used in nature. By replicating that closed loop system digesters repurpose every component in the waste stream. In an age where resources are stretched more than ever, and citizens and consumers are demanding a lighter carbon footprint from the entire supply chain, the bioHAZM™ Onsite Sewage Disposal Systems (OSDS) captures more of one of the most potent greenhouse gasses on the planet (methane) and turns it into clean energy. The solids that remain post-digestion have uses as animal bedding, peat moss and nutrient-rich, fossil-fuel free fertilizers that get returned to the soil for better crop yields. In large systems, the liquid that remains post-digestion is no longer dangerous to our precious watersheds. That water can now be used safely as a supply for crops, which are in turn used as feed for animals and the entire system begins another loop. Here are some of the environmental benefits:
Capturing Methane Gas And Turning It Into Biogas (Clean Energy)
Cleaning Water So It Can Be Reused On Farms And For Food Processing
Reducing Air Pollution And Organic Waste Odors
Destroying Pathogens And Bacteria That Could Be Harmful To Human Health
Reducing The Need For Fossil Fuel Based Fertilizers
Protecting Watersheds
Complying With Local, State And Federal Environmental Regulations
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Simple Biodigester
The Biodigester is an airtight tank that works by overflow. As waste from toilet and kitchen sink enter the biodigester, an equal amount of liquid fertilizer exits the other end. Two 275-gallon IBC containers form the digesters core. They are buried in the ground (for insulation) and covered with a greenhouse to keep the temperature warm all year round, even in the winter. The first tank extracts about 80% of the biogas while the second tank extracts the remaining 20%.