[Digestion] Biogas Flashback, does it really happen?
Paul Harris
paul.harris at adelaide.edu.au
Fri Aug 3 06:09:53 CDT 2012
G'day Mark et al,
I visited a digester (made from fibreglass) in Ireland that burned when
an electrical fault ignited gas and in Australia a covered lagoon
ignited after a contractor ripped the cover. I doubt if either count as
"flashback" but it is best to be careful.
Happy Digesting,
HOOROO
Mr Paul Harris BEng (Ag) (Melbourne)
Visitor at The University of Adelaide
On 3/08/2012 5:50 PM, David Fulford wrote:
> Hello Mark,
>
> The only occurrence about which I have heard is of
> a very old Indian KVIC design, which used a
> counter-balanced drum. The idea was that
> sub-atmospheric pressure allowed more gas to come
> from the slurry, but the extra gas was all carbon
> dioxide. The idea also allowed air to enter the
> drum. An over-enthusiastic local farmer opened the
> gas valve in the top of the drum and lit the gas.
> The floating drum took off, as the gas in it
> exploded.
>
> The only result was that a group of important
> visitors got cattle dung slurry all over them.
>
> Actually biogas is quite difficult to ignite.
> Normal spark ignitors do not work well, you need
> one with a gas bottle which produces a flame.
>
More information about the Digestion
mailing list