[Gasification] [Stoves] Karve connecting Biochar and Biogas

[phillip manske]

Hi - I work with the methane microbial catalyst pathway.  The pathway
uses syngas to feed the same microbes used in dairy manure digestion.
There are two stages and CO2 is needed for the second stage.  the
second stage makes the methane.  The microbe m.barkeri must have
acetate and CO2 to make CH4.

I'm trying to build the reactors and I focused on the second reactor
as its less demanding and I want to use a commercially available
feedstock for the acetate.

The methane reactor is much like manure so I'm going to try to reuse
post digested manure but I will add the ingredients used in the
methane stage.  Those ingredients are CO2, acetate and essential
vitamins.

I'm a little concerned that the release came so fast.  Activated
carbon is supposed to take a long while to release so I'd like to hear
about that.  Was the matter powder-ized and mixed completely.  How
muxh was used.  Sparging into manure is tough, I recommend making soda
water and mixing that into the mass but if activated carbon works then
I'm open to it.

Thanks much  for the input.

P

I suspect digester manure can be recharged several times to produce
more methane not only from repeated cycles but also from increased
production within a cycle.

The manure is a great bioreactor by itself as it has many nonchemical
reactive features like surface area, temperature stability and its
ability to mix well. These things all support the process.



On Thu, Oct 6, 2011 at 7:11 AM, Alex English <english at kingston.net> wrote:
> Ron, AD,
> When I visited Cornell U. in 2008 they told me that work in Australia had
> shown a significant increase in the rate of biogas production when biochar
> was added to manure based digesters. It was attributed to Stephen Joseph. At
> least the information was, and perhaps more:) I was unable to find anything
> else to back it up.
>
> Alex
>
> On 10/5/2011 11:04 PM, rongretlarson at comcast.net wrote:
>>
>> AD (cc four lists):
>>
>> I have not previously seen the connection between Biochar and Biogas
>> that you described (below) today on the gasification list. In
>> particular, you say you "../filled the digester/
>> with charcoal, my system accepted three times the normal daily input
>> and produced three times as much gas."
>> I think what you describe can be a very powerful push for both Biochar
>> and Biogas. Can you describe what you have learned a little more?
>>
>> I know too little of digesters, so this is not clear. I think I know
>> your kitchen-sized inverted "barrel" gas chamber and think I understand
>> the last part - of getting three times as much gas in the next 24 hours
>> or less (and 3X is a huge change!). Does the idea of accepting three
>> times more mean essentially the same thing? I would think you could
>> "jam" any amount in; what limits acceptance?
>>
>> Do you agree that this is very important new information? Do you agree
>> this information could help speed up both technologies? I believe there
>> is wide agreement that Biochar benefits from added biological material
>> (that would not be long-lived from a sequestration perspective). Is
>> there any reason to think that the traditional use of digester effluent
>> for ag improvements will be in any way harmed if it is continued through
>> the addition of carbon-negative Biochar? Should this not promote sales
>> of your charcoal-making stoves?
>>
>> If I haven't asked quite the right question - please answer the right
>> one. And congratulations on learning and reporting this.
>>
>> Ron
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> The remainder from AD Karve today on the gasification list:
>>
>> There are a lot of very simple ideas that need to be tested. I am
>> currently working on increasing the efficiency of biogas digesters and
>> feel that it might be possible to reduce the size and the capital
>> expense of a biogas system. For instance, when I filled the digester
>> with charcoal, my system accepted three times the normal daily input
>> and produced three times as much gas.
>> < snip>
>> Yours
>> A.D.Karve
>> *******************************************
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> Stoves mailing list
>>
>> to Send a Message to the list, use the email address
>> stoves at lists.bioenergylists.org
>>
>> to UNSUBSCRIBE or Change your List Settings use the web page
>>
>> http://lists.bioenergylists.org/mailman/listinfo/stoves_lists.bioenergylists.org
>>
>> for more Biomass Cooking Stoves,  News and Information see our web site:
>> http://www.bioenergylists.org/
>>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Gasification mailing list
>
> to Send a Message to the list, use the email address
> Gasification at bioenergylists.org
>
> to UNSUBSCRIBE or Change your List Settings use the web page
> http://lists.bioenergylists.org/mailman/listinfo/gasification_lists.bioenergylists.org
>
> for more Gasifiers,  News and Information see our web site:
> http://gasifiers.bioenergylists.org/
>