Anaerobic Odorless Digester

The Anaerobic Digester

Solutions For Unsorted Waste (Trash)

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New Project (11)
  • A biological processes in which micro-organisms break down biodegradable material in the  absence of oxygen
  • Converts livestock manure into:
    • Biogas which is distributed in two ways
      • Biogas which is distributed in two ways
      • Fuels generators with reciprocating engines to produce electricity
      • Biogas is scrubbed and resulting methane is piped to a natural gas distribution network
    • Digestate which becomes a nutrient rich fertilizer

Benefits

Pollution Reduction

• Reduces methane emissions into to the atmosphere (GHG)
• Reduces run-off into ground water, lakes and streams

Expense Reduction

• Provides energy to meet on-site demand

Additional Income

• Derived from selling energy and digestate

Reduced Regulatory Burden

• Strict regulations exist related to the storage, handling and spreading of manure. Anaerobic Digester reduces that burden

Faster Re-grazing

• Cows can graze fields as soon as 2 weeks after spreading fertilizer from digestate (versus 3-4 weeks when spreading manure)

Additional Farming Benefits of AD

Improved Slurry Handing

Where livestock manure or slurry is produced, there are always considerations relating to its storage, handling and spreading. The regulations relating to slurry and manure management are becoming more complex and as the burden on farmers increases, AD should be more widely considered as part of the solution.

Bioenergy

Provides bioenergy which returns nutrients to land and rotates with crops for food production, rather than tying up land solely for bioenergy production. Crops grown to produce bioenergy also aids pest and weed control, for example; controlling the growth of blackgrass, plus it generates a low-carbon biofertiliser.

Profitable Farm Waste

Making break crops/out of date produce/vegetable offcuts/etc. profitable by turning them into energy.

Digestate Use

A greater spreading window for land application:

  • Reduction of pathogens that can be found in undigested slurry;
  •  Faster re-grazing – cows can be put out 2-3 weeks after spreading with no problems;
  • Less likelihood of nutrient leaching into local watercourses than slurries;
  •  The Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) of slurry is significantly altered by the AD process. In real terms, this reduced BOD means that if the digestate does get into watercourses, it will not pollute to the same extent as slurry.
  • Smell reduction when spread.

How Does It Work: Anaerobic Digester

The Process

Anaerobic Digester

Rather than sending to the Lagoon, the Manure is placed into the Anaerobic Digester.
• Eliminate the Off- Gassing of methane (GHG)
• Creates Clean-Renewable Electricity (off-set costs at site).
• Creates Heat for use in the Dairy (further offsetting at site).
The Anaerobic Digestor replaces the practice of manure lagoons; and applying manure from the lagoon direct to the field
Rather than send the manure to the lagoon, it is placed in the Anaerobic Digester. This eliminate off-gassing of methane (GHG) Source of heat for use in barns
Creates digestate to be used as:
• A high nutrient fertilizer
• Fuel in a biomass boiler
• Bedding to line cows’ stalls
Replacing the practices of manure lagoons, and spreading/applying to ground with a simple, smart, and clean process. “Anaerobic Digestion”. This process delivers valuable off-takes, and eliminates the pollutants – methane, leachate, and pathogens
The digester system reduces manure solids to a bacteria-free, odorless product. This product can be used as:
• Fertilizer (no concerns re off-gassing, or leaching to water table).
• A valuable Fuel, used in a biomass boiler.
• bedding used to line cows' stalls.

vs

Traditional Method

Typically, dairy farms are organized so that the cows are facing out, and the rear of the cows are facing in towards the middle of the barn.
The cows relieve themselves towards the centre of the barn
The cows are fed on the outside, keeping the feed separate from the waste.
The manure is either moved off site, and or held in “Holding Ponds/Lagoons”. Historically manure is then pumped out of the Lagoon and applied to ground, in order to get rid of it.
Manure
Manure Lagoon.
Tremendous release of Methane.
Manure pumped from the lagoon, and applied on the ground.
Additional release of methane, plus leaching into the water table.
The manure is removed from the barn, using tractors, sweepers, and our automated in floor squeegee systems
In floor auto squeegee
Vehicle squeegee
Unused feed (silage), bedding, hay, and crops, are sent to the Bio-Digester, producing a valuable Fertilizer, and or Bio-Fuel.

Visual Interpretation of Permitted Development Rights for Small Scale On-Farm Anaerobic Digestion Plants

Composting

Side by Side Composting Methodology Comparison
Purposed Methodology Advanced Methodology
Capital Intensive High + $15M not including envelope and …. Low $4-6M including envelope.
OPEX intensive High Yellow Steel, Fuel, human assets, higher tipping fees passed to tax base. Low Low fuel use, 2-3 employees, no Yellow Steel. Static tipping fees. Savings passed to tax base.
O&M High Ancillary equipment repair & upkeep, external coverings, leachate abatement/treatment, Low No ancillary equipment. All components are designed with cost, robust wear, and ease of change out in mind. Annual preventative maintenance = $45K/year worse case.
Physical footprint Large 900m3 + yard space, plus resource areas/ancillary work spaces. Small Fully enclosed 100’ long x 60’ wide, 30’ at peak, and 20’ at eve.
Additional Equipment Yes Loaders, Windrow Turners, etc. (Yellow Steel). No Processed material is conveyed from the plant into waiting trucks to market.
Leachate Yes The material will leach as it sits internally, and externally. Ground pollution, and GHG. None No holding of material = no leachate. Moisture is removed during the process.
Holding of material at site Yes Material will be held/bunkered internally, and windrowed externally. No All material is processed in one shift (in one day).
GHG to atmosphere Yes Holding of material will create/off-gas GHG. This is both indoors, and especially outdoors. No No material is held at site, and thus no GHG production.
Flexibility in feedstock (intake)  

No

Systems approach is singular focused. Cannot manage additional feedstocks i.e. wood waste, C&D, large limbs, etc.  

Yes

 The system is designed to be flexible i.e. can accept large diameter logs, C&D wood waste, etc.
Flexibility in volume No/Yes Difficult, as the facility is sized specifically, however can be accomplished with extra CAPEX, and additional land allocation. Yes Easy, as the system can ramp up volume throughput i.e. adding 4 hours on the process line, increases capacity by 50%, without the need to inject more capital, or land.
Noise Yes Internal and external noise generated by Yellow Steel, Yes Very low noise profile, as all machinery is indoors/insulated envelope. No outside yellow steel movement. Facility operates on an 8-hr schedule.
Smell Yes External holding areas will have off-gassing odours. No Little to no smell, as the material is processed in one shift. Not external or internal holding of material.

The envelope has a negative environment (pulls air in). Internal air is exhausted through bag house, and cyclone.
Quick turnover and Time to market No Weeks to months before the processed material is market ready. Yes All material is processed in one 8-hr shift. Ready to market the following day.
Decentralized deployment No/yes Not cost effective but can replicate. Yes Modular, scalable, designed for decentralized models.

Able to fit into all CVRD communities, at low cost, no fuss, no mess, no smell, and benefits/cost savings flow to local community members.
Additional Market Value Add No Yes Throughput product can be custom “dosed” during the process to meet a specific client’s needs i.e. 15/5/10 or produced as a standard nutrient load.
Wraps ? Yes We insist and wrap our programs at an ISO level. 14001 EMP is a core to the program.