Mini Digesters Built For Smaller Dairy Herds

Mini Digesters Built For Smaller Dairy Herds DAIRY EQUIPMENT & IDEAS A new manure digester from Martin Energy Group can economically produce electricity from herds as small as 75 head or less The flexible design allows it to be modified for herds up to 500 head The low-cost system consists of only 2 major components: a digester reactor and a container with electromechanical systems and controls      The first 20 kW system was installed in Ontario more than 2 years ago explains John Hawkes Martin Energy Group     “It was the first factory-built anaerobic digester in North America ” he says “Everything was then delivered on a flatbed ”     The digester/reactor is a stainless steel tank with a liner and double insulated roof that simply bolts together This is where the anaerobic process turns manure into methane     A 20-ft long shipping container holds the technology needed to turn the methane into energy and controls the entire process It includes a hydrogen sulfide H2S management system with carbon filtration boiler genset valves and control systems It also includes connections to the local electrical grid for sale of excess power     “The only other elements needed are pumps and pipes to move the manure to the digester and to remove digestate ” says Hawkes “The only outside expertise needed for installation is an electrical contractor Once it is set up it can all be controlled from an app on a smartphone ”     Once the system is set up manure is pumped into the reactor several times a day with an equal amount of digested manure pumped out Biogas formed through anaerobic fermentation in the reactor is purified and burned in an internal combustion engine attached to a generator Electricity in excess of farm use is sent to the grid Discharged manure is run through a screw press to separate liquids and solids Separated solids can be used for bedding and liquids applied to fields     Hawkes says systems are being assembled in Europe at the rate of 1 to 2 systems per week for deployment worldwide A second system has been installed in Pennsylvania and several more are in process While the company has been installing digesters for large herds for a number of years small herd-sized systems have not been readily available until now     “When we found this Bioelectric system in Europe it seemed exactly what was needed It is easy to run low cost and simple It suits small farms ” says Hawkes     “Costs vary but a system designed for a 200-cow herd runs around $400 000 ” says Hawkes “The larger the herd the faster the payback ”     Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Martin Energy Group 17 Maple Ave Toronto Ont Canada M4W 2T5 ph 416 890-3992; www martinenergygroup com

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