Anaerobic Digestion

City of Sunnyvale Wastewater Treatment Plant Tour - Anaerobic Digesters

When was the last time you had a nice meal and then several hours later your body digested and transported it to the nearest water closet? Well, those digestive by-products that our bodies create can be further digested to create biogas suitable for use as natural methane gas for heat and generation of electricity.

The system uses various types of microorganisms that further decompose organic waste into biogas consisting primarily of methane and a solid sludge. The biogas can be purified and used as a fuel source, while the sludge can be dried and used as a soil cover, fertilizer, or even animal feed additive.

Here is a timelapse video of a typical Complete Mix Digester being constructed:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ddbbJW8NDhQ