JPS571495A - Methane gas generator - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To provide an apparatus having a mobility, a relatively simplified installation and a big gas generation ratio, by forming a prefermenting zone and a main fermenting zone in a horizontally long cylindrical vessel, maintaining the latter zone at a proper temperature, and breaking the uppermost scum layer in the latter zone at a proper time.

CONSTITUTION: A horizontally long cylindrical vessel 4 comprises a heat insulative body 1 and end plates 2, 3. The vessel 4 is pivoted by base stands 5, 6 at an inclined angle, and provided with a functional shaft 16 rotatably supported at the central parts of the plates 2, 3. An air-extracting pipe 23 is opened, and material such as excretions, urines or the like is charged through a charge opening 7 at the upper part of the plate 2, while methane bacteria are mixed with the material. The charged material moves from a prefermenting zone 17 along the inner bottom of the vessel 4 through an opening 19 at the lower part of an under-notched round partition plate 15 into a main fermenting zone 18. The volume of the material gradually increases and reaches a predetermined upper level (a). A heater of an electric heating device 24 is then actuate by a thermosensor 28 and a temperature control box 30, to keep the material in the zone 18 at a proper temperature. When the methane fermentation advances to a predetermined pH level, the pipe 23 is closed, and the methane gas consequently flows smoothly to an extracting opening 20. The upper-most scum layer formed in the zone 18 is broken by swinging blades 28 on the shaft 16 with a handle 27. Excess sludge water is discharged through an outlet 10.

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