Convert Waste to Energy with Methane Production

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Figure 1: Plan of individual digester unit.
Figure 1: Plan of individual digester unit.
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Figure 2: Cross-section of Individual digester unit
Figure 2: Cross-section of Individual digester unit
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Estimates for gas production per ton of manure for different digestion periods at different temperatures.
Estimates for gas production per ton of manure for different digestion periods at different temperatures.
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Figure 4: Plan of manure gas plant with latrines.
Figure 4: Plan of manure gas plant with latrines.
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Figure 3: Sketch of manure gas plant with latrines.
Figure 3: Sketch of manure gas plant with latrines.
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Figure 5: Cross-section of digester and latrine.
Figure 5: Cross-section of digester and latrine.
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Figure 8: Cross-section of gas-holder showing gas-line drain.
Figure 8: Cross-section of gas-holder showing gas-line drain.
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Figure 6: Cross-section of gas-holder for manure gas plant.
Figure 6: Cross-section of gas-holder for manure gas plant.
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Figure 7: Cross-section of manure gas plant showing piping.
Figure 7: Cross-section of manure gas plant showing piping.
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Figure 9: Cross-section of manure digester with floating cover for gas-holder.
Figure 9: Cross-section of manure digester with floating cover for gas-holder.
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Figure 10: Cross-section of digester with manure pile for heating.
Figure 10: Cross-section of digester with manure pile for heating.

How do we — on a very personal individual, family, tribal or community level — recycle garbage into fertilizer and useable power? Can we do it? Kieth D. Gilbert says, “Yes!” 

Drawing on personal experience and the World Health Organization’s book entitled Composting, Kieth presents a blueprint. 

Please note that this system requires users to somehow physically move wastes into and out of the plant whereas C.E. Burr’s design automatically transfers such wastes. Burr’s ideas, then, seem — by far — the more practical, trouble-free and desirable … even if details, at this point, are a little sketchy. Perhaps we can build an ideal recycling unit by grafting onto Burr’s design the following details on how to generate power from garbage. 

Generate Power from Waste

This article is presented as an alternative to the usual wasteful disposal of manure, feces, and various other organic materials. By using the principles presented here for converting organic waste into methane gas, even the most remote wilderness cabin can have gas heating, refrigeration and electricity. All the home appliances and machines which run on butane gas can be made to operate on methane and by using a compressor you can probably convert your car or truck to operate on methane also. There is another point of view which you may also feel is worth considering: The gases which we harness and use in this fashion would have been released into the atmosphere anyway so we will be adding nothing to the pollution of our environment.

  • Published on May 1, 1970
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