Benefits of Using Biogas

The use of biogas is practically limitless. Any new house, guest house, lodge, development, golf estate, clinic, hotel, etc. that needs an independent sewerage system, or would like to utilise biogas as a sustainable source of energy, can make use of a biogas digester system.

A biogas digester has the following advantages:

  • Produces methane gas that can be used for cooking purposes, lighting, water heating and to generate electricity
  • Digests organic waste (from the kitchen, garden, sewerage, animal manure, etc.)
  • Prevents methane gas from entering the atmosphere

· Produces organic compost as waste product (in liquid, slurry or solid form)

 


Floating Dome Digester

A floating dome digester is designed in such a way that it has a dome (normally made of steel) that fits in the neck of the digester and basically floats on the gas produced in the belly of the digester below. As gas is produced in the digester it migrates upwards and collects in the dome, eventually creating enough pressure for the dome to in effect “float” on the gas.

The floating drum normally has a central steel pipe which facilitates its vertical up and down movement and also has metal guides built into the sides of the digester. The weight of the floating steel cylinder ensures that the gas produced is under constant pressure, which gives this type of digester its main advantage.

Unfortunately this advantage also results in the main disadvantage as the sliding mechanism requires specialized design and construction, is costly and further requires constant maintenance. Similar to the fixed dome digester, a high level of skilled labour is also required to construct this type of digester, which in turn becomes time consuming and costly.