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The Princeton Biodigester Project By: Kevin Griffin

The Princeton Biodigester Project By: Kevin Griffin

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The Princeton Biodigester ProjectBy: Kevin Griffin

Outline

Background Information

Explanation of the Princeton Biodigester Project

Details of Progress this Summer

Future Plans

What Is a Biodigester?

Anaerobic Digestion-C6H12O6 → 3CO2 + 3CH4

Main byproducts are CO2, methane, and compost

Motivation

Energy Independence Import 45% of transportation and

heating fuels in 2011 (EIA)

Waste Management 65% increase from 1980 28% compostable (MSU)

Environmental Impact Methane would otherwise

escape or be burned CH4 is a 20 times more potent

green house gas than CO2 (EPA)

Project Summary

Biodigester at the Forbes Garden

Food waste from the Forbes Dining Hall

Pilot project to determine viability of Mid-Atlantic climate and evaluate quality of compost produced

Benefits to the University

Reduce methane emissions

Eliminate emissions from transporting food waste

Reduce food waste collection costs

Supply the Garden Project with compost

Provide nitrogen rich compost to the community, decreasing the community’s need for nitrate fertilizers that pollute the water supply

Produce natural gas for heating and cooking

ImplementationConstruction of the

Biodigester Circuit for System Monitoring and Data Logging

Challenges

Two stages of digestion. Acidogenic bacteria break sugars and amino acids

into organic acids. Methanogenic bacteria then convert acids into CO2

and CH4

Methanogenic bacteria are sensitive to pH and temperatures

The composition of waste stream can greatly affect the balance of these bacteria groups

Future Research

Response to Changes in temperature Changes in pressure The introduction of bacterial cultures The use of different waste materials

and how these changes affect the system pH and the health of essential bacteria.

Acknowledgements

I would like to thank Dr. Shana Weber from the Office of Sustainability for all of her help and support.

Thank you to Professor Justin Sheffield for technical advice.

Thank you to Sean Gallagher and his team for constructing the biodigester and donating materials.

Thank you to Dean Caddeau and the Forbes College Office for their support and advice.

Sources of Data

http://www.eia.gov/tools/faqs/faq.cfm?id=32&t=6

http://css.snre.umich.edu/css_doc/CSS04-15.pdf

http://epa.gov/climatechange/ghgemissions/gases/ch4.html

http://www.wcasfmra.org/biogas_docs/6%20Biodigester%20manual.pdf