Course 2 Unit 4
Introduction to anaerobic
treatment technologies
[Part C only ]
Part C – Examples and case studies (in this file)
Lecturer: Dr. Elisabeth v. Münch
e.vonmunch@unesco-ihe.org
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Course 2 Unit 4
Course 2 Unit 4
Part C: Examples and case studies
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List of examples for Part C
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Example 1: India public toilets (Navsarjan Trust, GTZ
pilot project)
Example 2: China household and agricultural waste
digesters (CAAE (Chinese Academy of Agricultural
Engineering)
Example 3: Lesotho household biogas plants (NGO
TED, now supported by BORDA, Germany)
Example 4: Durban household biogas plant, South
Africa (pilot project)
Example 5: Rwanda prisons
Example 6: Germany, Waldmichelbacher Hof
(restaurant and farm
Example 7: Lübeck, Germany (residential area)
Example 8: Blackwater treatment in Sneek, the
Netherlands
There are many, many more examples, world-wide!
You may be able to send me project descriptions, files, powerpoint
presentations from your own experiences?
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Example 1: India public toilets
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The following slides were provided by Christine
Werner (GTZ), who gave a presentation about
ecosan in India at the Advanced Sanitation
Conference in Aachen, Germany (12-13 March
2007)
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Her complete presentation is provided under
Assigned Reading (pdf file of the paper) and Extra
Materials (powerpoint presentation in two parts)
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Navsarjan Trust ecosan pilot project
– Dalit Shakti Kendra (DSK)
source: Martin Wafler
location:
Nani Devti, Ahmedabad District, Gujarat State, India
implementation period:
2005/2006
vocational training institute Dalit Shakti Kendra (DSK)
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Course 2 Unit 4
Navsarjan Trust ecosan pilot project
dung
http://www.alisontoon.co
m<
proposed system for the DSK Campus
source
separating
toilet
greywater (pre-treated)
Biogas
plant
ornamental garden
www.beefgonzo.de
urine storage
biogas
sludge drying
beds
compost
vegetable garden
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toilet block with biogas plant
source: esf
source: esf
source: esf
Navsarjan Trust ecosan pilot
project - DSK
UDD as „emergency toilets“
ladies urinal
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Sketch map of the night-soil based
biogas plant
22 toilet cabins arranged in 2 semi-circles supplie a
biogas reactor locatet in the center
1: mixing chamber for buffalo dung
2: inlet chamber toilet water
(source: http://www.ruralsanitation.com/)
3: outlet chamber
„pour-flush“ squatting
pan with „P“-trap
2
infiltration/evapotranspiration
of wash-water in flowerbed
1
biogas
plant
towards
greywater garden
for reuse of water
2
towards
greywater
garden for
reuse of water
towards sludge
drying beds
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source: esf
source: seecon
Construction of the night-soil based
biogas plant
inletchamber for
toilet water
source: esf
source: esf
beginnig of construction
biogasreactor in the center
of the building
almost finished toilet center Feb. 2007
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Course 2 Unit 4
Example 2: China household and
agricultural waste digesters
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The slides for this example were provided by
Heinz-Peter Mang (he is with CAAE (Chinese
Academy of Agricultural Engineering))
I got them from him at the UNESCO-IHE
Refresher Course in Nanjing, China (October
2005) – I have asked him for an update, but
have not received an answer yet
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Course 2 Unit 4
China: Northern “Four-in-One”
Comprehensive utilization
kitchen
Pig-pen, toilet
Green house
food
manure
biogas
fertilizer
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China: Southern “Pig-Biogas-Fruit”
Comprehensive utilization
biogas
Pig manure and
toilet waste
Liquid
sludge
Biogas
digester
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Course 2 Unit 4
China: Northwest “Five-Matches”
Comprehensive utilization
cooking
Water
heater
Warm
house
lighting
orchard
Sand
sedimentation
Water
storage
Biogas
digester
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Household biogas digester plants in China
during 1973 – 2005 (total number, in 10,000)
16,000,000
16 million biogas plants
1600
1400
1200
1000
800
600
400
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73
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75
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77
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79
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81
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83
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85
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87
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89
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91
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93
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95
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97
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99
20
01
20
03
20
05
200
0
Year
How many are there in your country?
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Course 2 Unit 4
Example 3: Lesotho household biogas
plants
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I got these slides from Mantopi Lebofa
who works for the NGO TED, which is
now also supported by BORDA,
Germany
A more detailed presentation for this
example is provided under Extra
Materials
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Biogas system
Feeding
material.
Gas taken to the house
Methane producing
organisms produce
gas
Root Treatment System
Water flowing into
the expansion canal
Irrigation by
gravity
Storage for irrigation
water – H20 could be
pumped or irrigate
gravitationally
Sketch of biodigester replacing a septic tank. Wastewater as well as kitchen and
garden waste enter the digester and are broken down to biogas and fertile water.
The advantages: No more emptying of septic tank. Reuse of all water in the
garden. Less cost on cooking energy.
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Design details
Fixed Dome Bio Digester,
Size: z m3
Gas storage capacity: xy m3
All measurements in cm
Not to scale
Ventilation
Pipe
Principle of dry
toilet connection and
additional inlet
Note: digester outlet at
the bottom
Overflow
Gas Outlet
Manhole
Radiu
s
pipes of
1m length
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Course 2 Unit 4
Example 4: Durban household biogas
plant, South Africa (pilot project)
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I took the photos on the following slide during
the field trip organised as part of an
international ecosan conference in Durban,
South Africa (May 2005)
This installation was just a single pilot installed
provided by an NGO (I can’t remember the
name of the NGO)
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Toilet &
shower
Kitchen
Household biogas
plant in rural Durban,
South Africa
Digester receives toilet
water, greywater and
collected manure from 2-3
cows
Left: Toilet (flush), connected to
digester
Middle: Digester with floating
dome (biogas collection)
Right: biogas pipe to house
Storage and drying for digestate
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(used as fertiliser)
Course 2 Unit 4
Example 5: Rwanda prisons
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The information in the following slides
was taken from the paper by Butare and
Kimaro (2002) – this paper is also
provided under Extra Materials
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Biogas plant at Cyangugu Prison in
Rwanda
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Biogas plant treats toilet waste from
prisoners by using fixed-dome
anaerobic digesters
Generation of biogas was achieved to
generate energy for cooking - savings in
kitchen fuel is around 80%
Sustainable solution for the treatment
of waste from 6,000 prisoners
Source: Butare and Kimaro (2002)
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Design details
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Bioreactor is fed through two
toilet-waste flows: one comes
from 4,500 prisoners and the
other from 1,500.
1 digester of V=150 m3
(divided in 2 shells to improve
performance); a storage
capacity of 28 m3; 2 holding
tanks to further stabilize
sludge.
Production of 75,000 CH4
L/day
30 m of gas line which feeds 4
stoves of 1200 L.
Plant life time 30 years
Effluent from biogas plant is
reused as fertilizer in crops
inside prison (2 ha): bananas,
coffee, soy, tomato, etc.
Bioreactor split into 2
shells
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Course 2 Unit 4
Example 6: Germany,
Waldmichelbacher Hof
(restaurant and farm)
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The following slides are from a presentation I gave at
the Durban ecosan conference (May 2005)
More information:
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Separate presentation and paper under Extra Reading
GTZ project datasheet: www.gtz.de/en/themen/umweltinfrastruktur/wasser/9399.htm
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Course 2 Unit 4
Biogas plant with electricity generation at
farm and restaurant in Germany
Description:
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Farm of 200 ha, with grazing
land and fodder crops
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280 hornless cattle
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Restaurant with 250 seats
(“Waldmichelbacher Hof”)
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Slaughterhouse processing one
cattle per week
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Four families live and work
on/from the farm & restaurant
System components:
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Low flush toilets for all
buildings
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Manure collection, and mixing
channel under the cattle shed
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Heated, insulated and fully
mixed anaerobic digester with
280 m3 volume (40-44°C)
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Anaerobic storage digester with
1500 m3
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Two combined heat and power
generator sets with 37 kW
(electricity) and 74 kW (thermal
energy / heat) each
This is an example to
show that conventional
flush toilets (non-UD) can
also be used in an ecosan
project!
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Key results
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Annual savings in operating costs in
2004:
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20,000 €/year for not needing to
purchase fertiliser
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23,400 €/year due to electricity
produced on-site (more than 50%
of the electricity demand covered)
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Heat for all residential houses and
restaurant, and hot water
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5,300 €/year is the income from
selling excess electricity to the
grid*
Valuable liquid fertiliser (digested
manure) produced
Sanitisation of sewage by mesophilic
digestion and long retention times
Gas bladder of anaerobic digester
no. 2 (not heated, not mixed;
floating cover)
* New German legislation forces
energy companies to buy back
such green energy from
decentralised production for a fair
price
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Concept schematic of this closed-loop system
F
Farmland
Fodder
DM
(“digested
manure”)
Anaerobic
digester
(heated)
Cattle
Slaughterhouse
Horses
Meat
F
Fertiliser
DM
E
Barn and stable
(in winter)
OSW
W
Collection
channel:
Manure and
ww storage tank
effluent
BG
M
W
W
W
ww
storage
tank
W
Restaurant,
shop,
distillery
W
H+E
Households
Biogas
“EcosanBiogas Plant”
BG
Cogeneration
plant
H+E
E
Electricity
exported to
the grid
H: heat, E: electricity, F: fodder, DM: digested manure, BG: biogas, W: waste(water)
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Design drawing
Floating cover
Digester
Gas withdrawal
Stable/
cattle
shed
Digested
manure
Storage vessel
Combined heat and power plant
Heat to house
electricity
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Course 2 Unit 4
Example 7: Lübeck, Germany
(residential area)
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The information on the following slides
was taken from the GTZ project
datasheet on this project:
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http://www.gtz.de/de/dokumente/enecosan-pds-004-germany-luebeckflintenbreite-2005.pdf
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Housing estate with biogas plant in
Lübeck-Flintenbreite
(slide 1 of 2)
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Biogas
plant
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Integrated sanitation
system using vacuum
toilets and biogas plant =
production of energy +
saving of water
Foreseen for a community
of 350 inhabitants
Area of 3.5 ha which was
not connected to central
sewerage
Separate treatment of
grey, black and storm
water
Digested anaerobic sludge
is reused in agriculture
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Course 2 Unit 4
Process schematic
(slide 2 of 2)
vacuum
toilet
Kitchen,
shower
Storm
water
Blackwater
Greywater
(4.8 L/cap/d)
(56 L/cap/d)
Biogas
plant
Kitchen
residue
Biogas
wetlands
Effluent
infiltration
Effluent
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Course 2 Unit 4
Example 8: Blackwater treatment in
Sneek, The Netherlands
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The next slide is from myself and the remaining
slides for this examples are from Brendo
Meulman, Landustrie, the project leader
(provided in Sept 2007)
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Neighbourhood “UASB-septic tank” for
blackwater in Sneek, The Netherlands
• The “UASB-septic tank” is located in this
garage, together with storage tanks and other
experimental process units
• It treats the blackwater from 80 persons
(400 – 500 L/d; 5.6 L/cap/d; 1 L per flush)
• Digester is heated to 20 or 30°C with hot
water generated with biogas
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General view of the housing area
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How to get a concentrated organic
fraction?
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Vacuum toilets are used, they flush with
1L water and 100L of air. Reduction of
36 L/cap/d water, is 25% of total water
consumption
Vacuum toilet
Vacuum station (pump)
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Course 2 Unit 4
References
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Butare, A and Kimaro, A (2002) Anaerobic technology for toilet
wastes management: the case study of the Cyangugu pilot
project, World Transactions on Engineering and Technology
Education, Vol.1, No.1.
http://www.eng.monash.edu.au/uicee/worldtransactions/World
TransAbstractsVol1No1/Microsoft%20Word%20%2032_Butare.pdf *
Heeb, J., Jenssen, P., Gnanakan, K. & K. Conradin (2007): ecosan
curriculum 2.0. In cooperation with: Norwegian University of Life
Sciences, ACTS Bangalore, Swiss Agency for Development and
Cooperation, German Agency for Technical Cooperation and the
International Ecological Engineering Society. Partially available
from www.seecon.ch and
http://www2.gtz.de/dokumente/oe44/ecosan/cb/en-m23ecosan-human-dignity-lecture-2006.ppt
Tchobanoglous, G., Burton, F.L., Stensel, H.D. (2003) Wastewater
Engineering, Treatment and Reuse, Metcalf & Eddy, Inc., McGrawHill, 4th edition. This is a good book on conventional wastewater
treatment
Zhang Wudi et al. (2001): Comprehensive utilization of human
and animal wastes. Proceedings of the First International
Conference on Ecological Sanitation in Nanning 2001,EcoSanRes,
China
* Also under Extra Materials on the I-LE
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Other organisations and websites for
biogas plants
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BORDA (Bremen Overseas Research and
Development Association): www.borda-net.org extensive experience with decentralised anaerobic
wastewater treatment (mostly without source
separation), e.g. Household biogas plants all over the
world. See also their website to view the
presentations at recent symposium “Business
Unusual” Nov. 2006
Biogas for Better Life, An African
Initiative (www.biogasafrica.org) – New initiative
from May 2007, see next slide for more information
Agency for renewable resources: www.fnr.de
(Fachagentur für nachwachsende Rohstoffe; in
German and English)
Fachverband Biogas: www.biogas.org (in German
only)
Internationales Biogas und Biomasse
Kompetenzzentrum (IBBK) (http://www.biogaszentrum.de/ibbk/) – in German only
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Some more information about the
Biogas for Better Life Initiative
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Pan African Biogas Initiative Launched : 31 May 2007
A large-scale biogas initiative has been launched to bring renewable
energy to 20 million households in some 25 African countries. The
initiative was approved at a conference entitled 'Biogas for Better Life: An
African Initiative', held in Nairobi, Kenya on 22 May 2007. The initiative is
being supported by a consortium consisting of African countries
(including Benin, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Mali, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal
and South Africa), implementing agencies, local NGOs and donors
(including Finland, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway and the Shell
Foundation).
Dutch partners in the initiative are the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and
development organisations SNV and Hivos.
The first national biogas programme – in Rwanda –has already begun.
Similar programmes in Ethiopia and Uganda will begin later this year.
These national programmes aim to construct the initiative’s first 50,000
biogas plants. Biogas programmes are already operational in various parts
of the world. SNV has worked on several successful programmes in Asia,
especially in Nepal and Vietnam.
A simple biogas plant can be operated by any family with at least two
cows or four pigs. The family toilet can also often be connected to it. Such
a plant will generate enough gas to power a stove and a lamp.A biogas
plant costs from 300 to 400 euros (although in Africa it will initially cost
more). But the expense can be recouped within a few years through
savings on firewood. And the waste product can still be used as manure.
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