Operation and evaluation of a 50,000 gallon anaerobic digester at the State Honor Farm Dairy, Monroe, Washington. Final report, 1977-1978
Year: 1978
Type: report
Abstract: A 50,000 gallon anaerobic digester operated at the State Honor Farm Dairy, Monroe, Washington, is described. Its operation is explained and its performance is evaluated. The farm has a milking herd of 200 Holstein cattle. Currently only one reactor tank is in use producing 200 to 260 m/sup 3/ of bio-gas per day at an average of about 61% methane gas. The heat value is about 5.3 Giga Joules (5mm Btu) per day. Operator time has been reduced to 1 to 2 hours per day. The biological performance of the Monroe digester has been remarketably stable even under erratic conditions. In economic terms, the rate of return on invested capital for these systems is not favorable when used in the Pacific Northwest where cheap hydro power exists. Farms with a use for the gas directly on-site are at an obvious economic advantage. It was suggested that this technology should be applied to larger dairies (over 200 cows).
DOI: 10.2172/5901862
Authors: E. Coppinger, D. Baylon, K. Smith
Language: English
Field: Energy
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W233725834