Development of an Anaerobic Digestion Unit for Biogas Production from Cow Dung Substrate

An anaerobic digestion unit for producing biogas from cow dung in the rural communities was designed, fabricated and tested for performance, durability and throughput. The major components of the digester included the substrate holding tank, tank cover, agitator, debris collector, inlet and outlet pipes, gas reception tank, hose and heat source. The digester is a vertical cylindrical tank with an inlet pipe for the introduction of substrate and an outlet pipe to collect the digested substrate. An agitator is incorporated inside the digester to break scum on the substrate and create uniform temperature profile in the digester while a pressure gauge was fitted to the gas outlet valve to measure the gas pressure in the tank. The agitator shaft is extended outside to be driven by an electric motor through belt and pulley system. The criteria considered in the design of the digester included air tightness of the system, mesophilic and thermophilic temperature, nature and type of substrate used, substrate retention