BIODEC KATSINA PRODUCES BIOGAS FOR DOMESTIC USE
BIODEC Katsina produces biogas that can be used for domestic purposes. Floating gas holder Biogas plant was used, using cow dung as raw material.
The biogas was obtained through the anaerobic fermentation of cow dung by micro-organisms in the water medium. These micro-organisms of bacteria decomposes the complex carbon compounds present on bio-mass into simple compounds such as methane. The movement of the gas is controlled by a control pipe using valves.
The biogas produced was a mixture of methane (CH4) of about 65% together with carbon dioxide (CO2), Hydrogen (H2) and Hydrogen Sulphide (H2S). The biogas produced was passed to the gas collector that contained pure water so as to purify the methane gas. Biogas, a clean and renewable form of energy can be used as alternative source of energy especially in the rural areas to substitute the conventional source that are causing ecological and environmental problems. Although the biogas production was at demonstration stage, the biogas produced was enough to make a simple cooking of spaghetti for the fifteen staff of the centre.
All the processes involved in biogas production are vital. Apart from the biogas produced, the spent slurry after fermentation was very rich manure that can be used as organic fertilizer.
Some of the advantages of biogas are:
Ø Biogas is a clean fuel. It does not produce smoke during burning and hence does not cause much pollution.
Ø Biogas has high calorific value. In other words, it produces large amount of heat per unit mass.
Ø It is very convenient to use.
Ø It does not require any storage space in the houses. It is directly supplied through pipes from the gas plant.
The BIODEC Katsina as implementation arm of NABDA is posing to improve the nation through Biotechnology.
