[Bioconversion] methane digester and greenhouse gas reductionfordemonstration post-carbon world home

[Paul Harris]

G'day,

What you are doing is a "carbon balance", so destroying a certain amount
of organic matter will result in the same CO2 whatever way it is
destroyed (combustion, aerobic or anaerobic). 

Aerobic destruction needs energy (to turn the heap/aerate the pile) and
does little other than conversion/disposal (unless the heat given off is
captured for warming a house or similar - it's low grade heat). 

Anaerobic destruction, which can be low tech/simple, gives of methane,
which should be used as fuel (high grade heat) and leaves a good organic
compost.

Combustion gives heat and ash/smoke, which has little organic material
but does contain plant nutrition and smoke is an eye/lung irritant.

I hope this helps,
HOOROO

Philip Anderson wrote:
> 
> Thanks Sasha, that clarifies this advantage and will help my presentation on
> the advantages of the system and cooking use I have in mind.
> 
> Can you address this question specifically:  Let's say a pile of leaves
> decomposes over two years and releases 1 lb of carbon dioxide.  If instead
> those same leaves are decomposed in an anaerobic digester to the same state
> of decomposition, and all the methane produced is captured and burned
> (forget the advantage of avoiding ancient carbon release via burning fossil
> fuels), will the carbon dioxide released from that methane combustion be
> more, the same or greater than 1 lb?
-- 
Mr. Paul Harris
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