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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-GB link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'>Dear Jos,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'>I have pasted in a post I made back in January on the subject as it may be of relevance. The monitoring units that we are developing are suitable for small-scale biodigester production rates. If you are interested please get in contact with me – perhaps off list would be more appropriate. An update on the post below is that we are targeting the $150-$200 mark per monitoring unit with an accuracy of around 5%, and that we are currently working on a second round of prototypes which should be tried and tested in 1-2 months – after which we should be able to publish a sale price and technical specification.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'>However, I feel that I am off the mark with what you are looking for. If you are looking for something to use for experimentation on a single biodigester, as opposed to logging the performance of a large number of small-scale biodigesters over a long period of time, I can recommend the Elster diaphragm gas flow meter that we use in our laboratory (<span style='color:#0070C0'><a href="http://www.elster-instromet.com/en/309.html"><span style='color:#0070C0'>http://www.elster-instromet.com/en/309.html</span></a></span>), the main benefits being its affordable cost and the fact that it has an electronic output that can be logged on a data logger or similar – so you can easily calculate flow rate. Its main disadvantage is that it is probably not resistant to corrosion. The approach that we have taken is to ensure the input has a H2S filter on it, and to purge it of biogas by blowing down the inlet pipe when we have finished the experiment. We also regularly check it with a standard volume to make sure that it reads the same values as when we first bought it. The day that it goes off we can just buy another!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'>Hope this helps,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'>Ed<o:p></o:p></span></p><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:black'>_______________________________________</span><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:black'><br></span><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:black'>Edward Matos</span><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:black'><br></span><span style='font-size:7.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:black'>MEng (Hons.), AMIMechE, Hon.MSEE<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:black'>Director<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:black'>Shamba Technologies Ltd.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:black'>Email:</span><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:black'> </span><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:black'><a href="mailto:edward.matos@shambatechnologies.com">edward.matos@shambatechnologies.com</a><br>Web:</span><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:black'> </span><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:black'><a href="http://www.shambatechnologies.com/">http://www.shambatechnologies.com</a><br>Mobile UK: +44(0) 755 2811 646<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:black'>Mobile TZ: +255(0) 686 128 037<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#7F7F7F'>Shamba Technologies Limited is a company registered in England and Wales</span><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#7F7F7F'>Company Registration No: 7094993<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto'><span style='font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#7F7F7F'>Registered Office: 2nd Floor, 145-157 St John Street, London, EC1V 4PY, England<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0cm 0cm 0cm'><p class=MsoNormal><b><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>From:</span></b><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> digestion-bounces@lists.bioenergylists.org [mailto:digestion-bounces@lists.bioenergylists.org] <b>On Behalf Of </b>Edward Matos<br><b>Sent:</b> 21 January 2011 18:25<br><b>To:</b> 'For Discussion of Anaerobic Digestion'<br><b>Subject:</b> Re: [Digestion] Small Scale Remote Biogas Monitoring<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#0D0D0D'>Hi Alex,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#0D0D0D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#0D0D0D'>We have developed this exact device for use in monitoring and testing the performance of a small-scale biodigesters.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#0D0D0D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#0D0D0D'>We use a physical computing platform called the “Seeeduino Stalker”, that detects up to 6 analog voltage readings and logs these onto an SD card. It is also fairly simple to attach the components to send out the data via GSM, though admittedly we haven’t actually tried this yet. Our prototypes run off a rechargeable battery making them a suitable solution for remote testing in rural environments.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#0D0D0D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#0D0D0D'>You can attach whatever low cost sensors you like to the analog readers, including temperature sensors, solar intensity sensors, proximity sensors (great for measuring gas reserve volume in floating drum designs), pressure sensors (great for measuring gas reserve volume in expansion chamber designs), and flow rate sensors. As you pointed out, there are no low cost flow meters available on the market, much less ones which are compatible with dirty biogas, which is why we developed our own! Our prototype uses a super low cost solution to get a biogas flow rate reading every 5 seconds – consistently accurate to within 5%.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#0D0D0D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#0D0D0D'>We are currently making final improvements to the module before implementing them on 100 Tanzanian small-scale biodigesters later this year. Initially we did not intend to scale up our manufacturing capability to supply anything other than our own needs as we did not think there would be much market demand for such a product. However if we can be persuaded otherwise then we would be happy to put the effort in to cater for this market need. If you (and/or anyone else on this forum) would be interested in such a product then please let me know (off this mailing list would probably be most appropriate) how many units you would need and by when and we can see how we might be able to help you. I cannot say anything of the cost (except that it will be “low-cost”!) but if your order quantity would vary depending on the cost then please include this for us to be able to gauge feasibility effectively. Also, please specify whether you would just be interested in the flow rate sensor (requires some C++ and electronics knowledge to implement) or whether you would prefer a whole user-friendly package with all the above sensors included.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#0D0D0D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#0D0D0D'>Feel free to contact me on any of the details below.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#0D0D0D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#0D0D0D'>Best regards,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#0D0D0D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#0D0D0D'>Ed<o:p></o:p></span></p><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:black'>_______________________________________<br>Edward Matos<br></span><span style='font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:black'>MEng (Hons.), AMIMechE, Hon.MSEE<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:black'>Director<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:black'>Shamba Technologies Ltd.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:black'>Email: <a href="mailto:edward.matos@shambatechnologies.com">edward.matos@shambatechnologies.com</a><br>Web: <a href="http://www.shambatechnologies.com/">http://www.shambatechnologies.com</a><br>Mobile UK: +44(0) 755 2811 646<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:black'>Mobile TZ: +255(0) 686 128 037<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:black'>Skype: shamba_technologies<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#7F7F7F'>Shamba Technologies Limited is a company registered in England and Wales</span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#7F7F7F'>Company Registration No: 7094993<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto'><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#7F7F7F'>Registered Office: 2nd Floor, 145-157 St John Street, London, EC1V 4PY, England<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0cm 0cm 0cm'><p class=MsoNormal><b><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>From:</span></b><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> digestion-bounces@lists.bioenergylists.org [mailto:digestion-bounces@lists.bioenergylists.org] <b>On Behalf Of </b>Alexander Eaton<br><b>Sent:</b> 21 January 2011 00:31<br><b>To:</b> For Discussion of Anaerobic Digestion<br><b>Subject:</b> [Digestion] Small Scale Remote Biogas Monitoring<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'>If you could only monitor two or three things in a small scale system in order to determine gas flow and methane destruction from a small biodigester, what would it be? Keep in mind low (ish) cost, and remote locations. <br><br>We are considering data logging thermocouples that would show presence/absence of a biogas flame across a time period. We would then compare that to measured flow rates. We have also considered monitoring internal digester temperature, so that with known waste input, we could calculate biogas production. We are testing so low cost flow meters, but they are still relatively expensive, and have yet to pass the durability test with biogas at this setting. We are also looking a difference platforms, from data loggers to GSM remote monitoring systems that transmit data. Does anyone have any low cost systems like this that could be used/adjusted for biogas? Something fro remote monitroing of efficient wood stoves, for example, may translate. The goal is monitoring sample systems in a larger population to improve carbon reduction estimates. We would be using very conservative multipliers to incorporate a large population, so the accuracy could be slightly sacrificed for robust measurements from a low cost system. <br><br>Best,<br><br>A<br clear=all><br>-- <br>Alexander Eaton<br>Sistema Biobolsa<br>IRRI-Mexico<br>RedBioLAC<br><br>Mex cel: (55) 11522786<br>US cel: 970 275 4505<br><br><a href="mailto:alex@irrimexico.org" target="_blank">alex@irrimexico.org</a><br><a href="mailto:alex@sistemabiobolsa.com" target="_blank">alex@sistemabiobolsa.com</a><br><br><a href="http://sistemabiobolsa.com" target="_blank">sistemabiobolsa.com</a><br><a href="http://www.irrimexico.org" target="_blank">www.irrimexico.org</a><br><a href="http://www.redbiolac.org" target="_blank">www.redbiolac.org</a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>From:</span></b><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> digestion-bounces@lists.bioenergylists.org [mailto:digestion-bounces@lists.bioenergylists.org] <b>On Behalf Of </b>Jos van der Ent | Safi Sana<br><b>Sent:</b> 24 May 2011 16:13<br><b>To:</b> For Discussion of Anaerobic Digestion<br><b>Subject:</b> [Digestion] Biogas volume measurements<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Hi All,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>I know there are more than one companies offering advanced measuring tools for gas(mass) flow meters. These are probably working fine for large scale systems, but I am wondering about methods for determining the biogas production of small scale systems (e.g. max 5 m3 biogas a day). The preference would go a simple meter, just like it can be done with water flow measurements.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>- I found one reference described at the biogas wiki about ‘upside down barrel’ method (and useful excel sheet!). <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>- Also special biogas meters are sold on internet (e.g. Puxin is offering with Qmax 4 m3/h) <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>- What would be against using a regular household flowmeter? (Would special arrangement be needed e.g. pressure regulators?)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>What accuracy would these methods have? <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Are there other options? <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>What do they use in laboratories?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>What are the experiences with these methods?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Thanks,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Regards, Jos<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div></body></html>