[Gasification] Biomass Gasification at the "Chin-dia" price

[Peter Singfield]

Hi Doug;

>We would hear more from India if they were not so hindered by their internet 
>connections, and they being forced to download copious OT Subjects.

Your right on our missing the input from India --

But a lot of this off-topic stuff I personally am sourcing from there -- in
case you did not notice??

An Email message in plain TEXT is never bloatware!! Downloads in a few
seconds -- even at connection speeds on dial up as slow as 6 kb -- which is
what I sometimes only have here in Belize.

The reason we might not be hearing so much from them probably is because
nothing "new" under the sun is ever discussed here anymore.

Everything these days is but a pale reflection of real hard data one can
extract from the old Gas list archives.

We in 3rd world are looking for solutions Doug -- not "hobbies".

Plasma arc is probably off topic for you -- but it bares investigation
because we living in real time need stay abreast of every which way to make
"energy".

That is the real topic of interest you know -- making energy efficiently
and "reliably" for low costs and little capital investment from ever
sustainable fuels -- such as biomass.

The "new" technology I just browsed included plenty on biomass digestion
processes.

Look Doug -- I present but one example (there be many) appended below.

I suggest "India" would be right back on this list if we dealt with all
ways to "gasify" biomass --- no holds barred!!

As it is -- we have pretty well locked ourselves into one tiny box -- that
you feel comfortable with -- but really -- is a small box in this question
of alternative energy -- and how to do that best -- all the same!!

OK -- so a mail list should be created dealing just with partial combustion
gasifiers based on WWII technologies -- but should we convert this list to
that kind of platform??

Doug -- it is a dead horse you know -- or do you??

For my part -- it makes just as much sense to go back to combustion of
biomass to heat boilers to drive steam engines.

Everyone has their favored "hobby" to promote -- but Gasification should go
well beyond catering to one club of hobbyists!!

Doug -- you want to promote partial gasification power plants??

How about -- instead of trying to keep the box well closed -- you
researched what is out there and posted urls to developing projects for
everyone to follow??

Rising up in indignation every time some other alternative form of energy
is posted is not encouraging people from India -- believe that -- if you
can believe anything!!

You want to "encourage"??

Research the subject and post those results.

It is what I do -- and what you do not like -- but it is -- unfortunately
-- how ideas are developed!

In the box thinking stays in a box!!

Dr. Reddy (India) puts it well below --- argue it with him then to -- eh??

Post some stuff of value Doug -- just playing "policeman" is not productive.



Peter/Belize

At 03:20 PM 6/18/2007 +1200, you wrote:
>Peter,
>
>Does this mean you forgive us for our sins,  seeking to perfect a clunking 
>technology from the past?
>
>> OK - -what is happening on global level with partial combustion 
>> Gasifiers??
>>
>> Well -- a lot -- but just not around this area of this planet!!
>
>Now you discover that a lot of effort is going in to adapt this technology 
>to pick up it's role as a sustainable energy source, and very adaptable 
>chemical feed stock. You can write a book on what isn't right about all we 
>do on this forum, but you can write volumes on believing all you read about 
>technology, shopping the internet. Your gasification discoveries from 
>isolation are only new to people who are not really involved.  There is a 
>bigger picture to gasification, but you must connect all the dots to fill in 
>the colours, or you see only the outline.
>
>India and China are making big strides towards developing appropriate 
>gasification, but there are equally big problems yet to be resolved, which 
>at the moment uses cheap labour, and ignores toxic waste cleaning water 
>disposal. I doubt if  Thomas Friedman's gasification advisors told him about 
>that part of their successes, but they are trying, because old fashioned 
>gasification still has plenty to offer if you need it. You continuously 
>indicate you do not think the old stuff is any good, so what's the hurry to 
>find the next fantastic form of gasification that most people have no chance 
>to build or even purchase?
>
>We would hear more from India if they were not so hindered by their internet 
>connections, and they being forced to download copious OT Subjects.
>
>Doug Williams.
>
>

**********the "word" from India************

The availability of Energy in rural areas is at stake. The energy poverty
in rural areas is increasing. Moreover the demand for energy is ever
growing and the oil prices are increasing everyday. Keeping in view the
above facts there is need to look for decentralized energy options in rural
areas.

Energy from Biomass is one of the most widely used options. With the
availability of new technologies there are various means to convert biomass
into energy efficiently.

The biogas yield from Gobar or cow dung is very low as compared to various
other biomass, therefore there is a need to design biogas plants for
digestion of other efficient material. The widely available vegetative
biomass (usually weeds) and Kitchen waste form the important material for
designing efficient biogas models. At the same time not compromising on
food security issues, developing countries could also take up Energy
Farming (Production of biomass on fields for energy utilization - beside
food production and organic waste utilization). Anaerobic digestion and
gasification technology are possibilities for Energy Farming. 

I have developed a prototype mini-biogas plant called 'SRUSHTI' means
creation. This model works with vegetative biomass (grass, leaves) and
kitchen waste as raw material. It was created last year. This requires 2
kilograms of Kitchen waste and other green matter as feed, and releases
about 2 cubic meters of biogas. Initially to activate dung of cattle should
be added for introducing methane generating bacteria. 

The challenge was to develop a very low cost and efficient bio-gas plant,
for communities to adopt with out subsidy. This prototype was costing about
Rs. 3,500/- or about $80 (USD). 

The yield of biogas increases in this order for same quantity by weight of
the raw material as it is : cowdung, pig litter, vegetable, poultry litter,
bush waste, sewage, food waste, grass and vegetable oil. As compared to the
lowest and the maximum the difference is at least 5 to 10 times. 

Features:

Digester: A GI sheet drum as digester, an inlet (feed) and an outlet
(digested slurry) system. 

Controlling the temperature of the digester: Regarding keeping the
temperature of the microbes at 37 degree centrigrade there are three
options. The other option is to heat water through a simple solar water
heater and circulate the water in the drum through copper tubes used for
air conditioners which is adopted in this design. Other alternative options
are to have an aquarium glass / steel water heater (temp is adjustable)
this does not consume much electricity, which will be inserted into the
drum through the slurry tube and it will lie at the bottom. The other
option is to have a water bath around the drum and link the water bath to
solar water heater. The whole digester should be insulated from outside.

Mixing the biomass: At the top of the drum a stirrer with handle
arrangement is made, for rotating the material inside the drum. The shaft
of the stirrer should be gas leak proof. Another traditional method is to
rotate the floating drum.

Storing the gas: The gas is first stored in the floating drum and also in
the extra plastic drum linked.

I am keeping it under 'Open Source Technology' - any one could use the
design as it is or modify for community and common good.

Requesting for suggestions to improve.

Looking forward for suggestions in this regard.

Posted by Dr. N. Sai Bhaskar Reddy