BiomelioratioBiomelioration n Living in Harmony Living in Harmony

with Nature!with Nature!

Harnessing Bio-Harnessing Bio-Methanation for Methanation for

Energy Generation & Energy Generation & Environment Environment Protection.Protection.

Co-Generation of Organic

Waste

BioReactor

Methane +Soil

Amendment Re-Mediated Water

Introduction: Introduction: Most of the world’s public water has Most of the world’s public water has

become undrinkable due to sewage become undrinkable due to sewage infiltration into groundwater. Unless infiltration into groundwater. Unless something is done now to restore something is done now to restore the environment and curb pollution, the environment and curb pollution, the future will be very challenged in the future will be very challenged in terms of meeting the world’s water terms of meeting the world’s water demandsdemands

Sewerage Statistics:Sewerage Statistics: It is estimated that a community of 10,000 It is estimated that a community of 10,000

people can generate 40-acre inches of people can generate 40-acre inches of sewage effluent per day or an equivalent of 1 sewage effluent per day or an equivalent of 1 million gallons of wastewater. million gallons of wastewater.

Sewage: 1 person = 100 gallons pd = 1.46 Sewage: 1 person = 100 gallons pd = 1.46 acre inches paacre inches pa

25 persons = 2,500 gallons pd = 8 kWhrs pd 25 persons = 2,500 gallons pd = 8 kWhrs pd

2.4 kWhrs = 1 x 100 W Bulb = 24 hrs2.4 kWhrs = 1 x 100 W Bulb = 24 hrs

Types of Liquid Waste

Rural Sewage Municipal Liquid Waste Agro-Industrial Effluent

GOP

Definitions:Definitions:

Environment:Environment: Encompasses the Encompasses the Inorganic Biosphere that we inhabit; the Inorganic Biosphere that we inhabit; the inter-dependent Organic Life Forms and inter-dependent Organic Life Forms and the Life Supporting Ecological Systems the Life Supporting Ecological Systems that have evolved to work in harmony in that have evolved to work in harmony in order to sustain Life.order to sustain Life.

Biological: Biological: Taken to mean all living Taken to mean all living creatures be they zoological or botanical.creatures be they zoological or botanical.

Bioenvironmental Management: Bioenvironmental Management: The The attempt to minimize the impact on the attempt to minimize the impact on the environment of Biological activity can be environment of Biological activity can be termed as Bioenvironmental Management. termed as Bioenvironmental Management.

Biological amelioration/ remediation or using Biological amelioration/ remediation or using Biological means to improve or rectify existing Biological means to improve or rectify existing harmful conditions. A more cost effective method as harmful conditions. A more cost effective method as compared to incineration or physical and chemical compared to incineration or physical and chemical remediation methods.remediation methods.

Biomelioration/Bioremediation:Biomelioration/Bioremediation:

The amelioration of our degraded environment is best The amelioration of our degraded environment is best carried out by employing biological remedial measures carried out by employing biological remedial measures that are low-cost and ecologically sustainable.that are low-cost and ecologically sustainable.

Solid and Liquid Waste is increasingly being Solid and Liquid Waste is increasingly being processed by Microbial Agents (Bioaugmentation) and processed by Microbial Agents (Bioaugmentation) and Plants (Phytoremediation) to provide recycled water Plants (Phytoremediation) to provide recycled water for aqua, horti and agriculture. Disposal of waste is for aqua, horti and agriculture. Disposal of waste is more effective where there is partial recovery of more effective where there is partial recovery of energy and salvageable material.energy and salvageable material.

History of BiogasHistory of Biogas 10th century BC - Used to heat water in 10th century BC - Used to heat water in

Assyria Assyria 16th century – Used to heat water in 16th century – Used to heat water in

PersiaPersia 17th century - Flammable gases found to 17th century - Flammable gases found to

be emitted from decaying organic matterbe emitted from decaying organic matter 1776-1778 – Methane discovered and 1776-1778 – Methane discovered and

isolated by Alessandro Volta.Relationship isolated by Alessandro Volta.Relationship between the amount of decaying organic between the amount of decaying organic matter and the amount of flammable gas matter and the amount of flammable gas producedproduced

History, contd. History, contd. 1970s - Energy crisis renewed interest in 1970s - Energy crisis renewed interest in

ADAD 1970s - 80s - Lack of understanding and 1970s - 80s - Lack of understanding and

overconfidence resulted in numerous overconfidence resulted in numerous failures failures

China, India and Thailand reported 50% China, India and Thailand reported 50% failure rates failure rates

Failures of farm digesters in U.S. Failures of farm digesters in U.S. approached 80%approached 80%

Reasons for FailuresReasons for Failures Inadequate operator training.Inadequate operator training. Management failures. Management failures. Benefits oversold.Benefits oversold. Operations too small to justify digester.Operations too small to justify digester. High costs of Infrastructure.High costs of Infrastructure. Excessive operating costs.Excessive operating costs. Unreliable market for biogas.Unreliable market for biogas. Impurity of Gas produced.Impurity of Gas produced. Lack of appropriate microbial inoculation.Lack of appropriate microbial inoculation. Prevailing Contractor System.Prevailing Contractor System.

What’s Different Now:What’s Different Now: Improved designs and better understanding of O&M Improved designs and better understanding of O&M

requirements.requirements. Cogeneration to raise volume of Methane captured.Cogeneration to raise volume of Methane captured. High prices for liquid fuel & natural gas.High prices for liquid fuel & natural gas. Market evolving for biogas energy.Market evolving for biogas energy. Microbe culture in Laboratories.Microbe culture in Laboratories. Methods of scrubbing gas produced along-with Methods of scrubbing gas produced along-with

valuable by-products evolved.valuable by-products evolved. Possibility of deploying Multi-Use, Integrated Plant to Possibility of deploying Multi-Use, Integrated Plant to

address different problems simultaneously. address different problems simultaneously. Revolutionary new Low-cost, Low-carbon, Super-Revolutionary new Low-cost, Low-carbon, Super-

Insulated, DisasterInsulated, Disaster -proof Construction developed in -proof Construction developed in Pakistan.Pakistan.

System of CDM/ Carbon Credits created.System of CDM/ Carbon Credits created.

Advantages. Advantages. The odor potential of a well digested The odor potential of a well digested

waste is considerably reduced. waste is considerably reduced. Further Treatment & Bioaugmentation Further Treatment & Bioaugmentation

can eliminate foul odors.can eliminate foul odors. Digested waste has slightly less fertilizer Digested waste has slightly less fertilizer

value than non-digested waste, but it is value than non-digested waste, but it is more readily available to plants. It is more readily available to plants. It is simply converted to a more useful form. simply converted to a more useful form.

Disadvantages. Disadvantages.

A methane digester is large and A methane digester is large and expensive. The expense stems from the expensive. The expense stems from the fact that it must be well-insulated, air-tight fact that it must be well-insulated, air-tight and supplied a source of heat. The size and supplied a source of heat. The size of a conventional digester is equal to 15-of a conventional digester is equal to 15-20 times the daily waste volume 20 times the daily waste volume produced.produced.

A very high level of management is required. A very high level of management is required. A methane digester can be extremely sensitive to A methane digester can be extremely sensitive to

environmental changes, and a biological upset environmental changes, and a biological upset may take months to correct. Methane generation may take months to correct. Methane generation ceases or is very low during an upset. ceases or is very low during an upset.

Start-up--usually the most critical phase of Start-up--usually the most critical phase of methane generation-is difficult. Methane-methane generation-is difficult. Methane-producing bacteria are very slow-growing, and producing bacteria are very slow-growing, and several weeks are required to establish a large several weeks are required to establish a large bacterial population. bacterial population.

Methane is difficult to store, since at normal Methane is difficult to store, since at normal temperatures the gas can be compressed but not temperatures the gas can be compressed but not liquefied without special, very expensive liquefied without special, very expensive equipment. equipment.

Methane can form an explosive mixture if Methane can form an explosive mixture if exposed to air.exposed to air.

Environmental BenefitsEnvironmental Benefits Reduces odor from Reduces odor from

land applicationland application Protects water Protects water

resourcesresources Reduces pathogensReduces pathogens Weed seed reductionWeed seed reduction Disease vector control Disease vector control

after digestionafter digestion Greenhouse Gas Greenhouse Gas

reductionreduction

Biological treatment is the most Biological treatment is the most economical of waste treatments available economical of waste treatments available today. today.

In biological systems, the dynamics are In biological systems, the dynamics are biochemical as opposed to chemical, and biochemical as opposed to chemical, and the active agents are living entities. the active agents are living entities.

Where one would have to increase the Where one would have to increase the quantity of chemicals proportionally to quantity of chemicals proportionally to deal with a higher load of reactant, in a deal with a higher load of reactant, in a biological system the biological additive biological system the biological additive can grow to help compensate for can grow to help compensate for increased loadings. increased loadings.

NATURE NURTURES!NATURE NURTURES! We must Nurture We must Nurture

Nature in order to Nature in order to ensure that it ensure that it continues to continues to nurture US!nurture US!

2121stst Century Century Challenges have Challenges have to be faced with to be faced with

lo-cost, lo-cost, innovative and innovative and eco friendly, Hi-eco friendly, Hi-

Tech. Tech. Interventions.Interventions.

Carbohydrates

Fats

Proteins

Amino Acids

Fatty Acids

Sugars

Carbonic AcidAlcohols

HydrogenCarbon Dioxide

Ammonia

HydrogenAcetic Acid

Carbon Dioxide

MethaneCarbon Dioxide

Hydrolysis Acidogenesis Acetogenesis Methanogenesis

The septic system is a The septic system is a biological process. biological process.

Like any living thing, it has certain Like any living thing, it has certain nutritional requirements to function nutritional requirements to function properly and functions best in a suitable properly and functions best in a suitable environment. environment.

However, the best first step in optimizing However, the best first step in optimizing the performance of a septic system is to the performance of a septic system is to have a complete ecosystem of the have a complete ecosystem of the organisms required for the most complete organisms required for the most complete breakdown of the waste. breakdown of the waste.

Successful Bioaugmentation Successful Bioaugmentation Total System Management Total System Management If the microbiological population can be viewed If the microbiological population can be viewed

as a workforce, then the consultant or system as a workforce, then the consultant or system manager is responsible for keeping the manager is responsible for keeping the workforce productive. workforce productive.

He must maintain the integrity of the microbial He must maintain the integrity of the microbial ecosystem.ecosystem.

The system manager must provide an The system manager must provide an acceptable work environment by controlling the acceptable work environment by controlling the key system managers such as pH, temperature key system managers such as pH, temperature and oxygen levels. and oxygen levels.

He has to know when to lay off workers He has to know when to lay off workers through wasting to keep the population through wasting to keep the population young and vital. young and vital.

The successful system manager knows The successful system manager knows when to hire new workers to provide when to hire new workers to provide special skills not found in his workforce. special skills not found in his workforce.

Finally, he must compensate them with Finally, he must compensate them with nutrients to ensure good growth and a nutrients to ensure good growth and a healthy population. healthy population.

Bioaugmentation is the mechanism to Bioaugmentation is the mechanism to provide these skills workers.provide these skills workers.

Tensegrity is a contraction of Tensegrity is a contraction of tensional integrity structuring. tensional integrity structuring. “Tensegrity describes a structural-“Tensegrity describes a structural-relationship principle in which relationship principle in which structural shape is guaranteed by structural shape is guaranteed by the finitely closed, the finitely closed, comprehensively continuous, comprehensively continuous, tensional behaviors of the system tensional behaviors of the system and not by the discontinuous and and not by the discontinuous and exclusively local compressional exclusively local compressional member behaviors.member behaviors.

The Mongol Tent was named “Ger”, which gave rise to our Urdu word “Ghar”

and was adapted by the Turks as the “Yurt”, the source of our language “Urdu” arising from the plural “Yurtu” or group of

tents.

Sizing a Plant:Sizing a Plant:REQUIREMENTS

Small Large

Single Chamber

Double Chamber

Amount & TypeOf Raw

Material Used

Single Stage

Double Stage

ArtificialHeating &Agitation

MultipleDigesters

ArtificialHeating &Agitation

Operating Cycle of the Plant

Size of Digester

Availability ofRaw Material

Suitability ofR aw Material

Benefits of Composting:Serves as the principal storehouse for anions such as nitrates, sulfates, borates, Serves as the principal storehouse for anions such as nitrates, sulfates, borates, molybdates and chlorides that are essential for plant growth. molybdates and chlorides that are essential for plant growth. Increases CEC (Cation Exchange Capacity) of soil by a factor of 5 to 10 times Increases CEC (Cation Exchange Capacity) of soil by a factor of 5 to 10 times that of clay. that of clay. Acts as a buffer against rapid changes caused by acidity; alkalinity; salinity; Acts as a buffer against rapid changes caused by acidity; alkalinity; salinity; pesticides and toxic heavy metals. pesticides and toxic heavy metals. Supplies food for beneficial soil organisms like earthworms, symbiotic Nitrogen Supplies food for beneficial soil organisms like earthworms, symbiotic Nitrogen fixing bacteria and mycorrihize (beneficial fungus). fixing bacteria and mycorrihize (beneficial fungus). Serves as recycling sink for organic waste and green manures (animal manure, Serves as recycling sink for organic waste and green manures (animal manure, crop residues, household refuse and leguminous plants collected within and crop residues, household refuse and leguminous plants collected within and outside the farm) and thus keeps environment clean and hygienic. outside the farm) and thus keeps environment clean and hygienic. Softens the soil by introducing fibrous matter. Softens the soil by introducing fibrous matter.

Increases soil water retention capacity. Increases soil water retention capacity.

Makes plants more resistant to pests and disease through improved nutrient Makes plants more resistant to pests and disease through improved nutrient availability and uptake, resulting in healthier plants with strong availability and uptake, resulting in healthier plants with strong immune systems. immune systems. Prevents soil acidification. Prevents soil acidification.

UK Estimate:UK Estimate: If just 5.5 million tons of food waste was treated by

AD we could generate between 477 and 761 GWh of electricity each year – enough to meet the needs of up to 164,000 households. Compared to composting the same amount of food waste, treating it with AD would save between 0.22 and 0.35 million tons of CO2 equivalent, assuming the displaced source is gas-fired electricity generation. But at the moment we only AD 50,000 tons of food waste each year - 0.4 per cent of the UK‟s food waste.

ERM (2007), “Carbon Balances and Energy Impacts of the Management of UK Waste Streams”

Moving Towards The Future?

Conclusion:Conclusion: By now, I am sure that all will agree that the By now, I am sure that all will agree that the

discussed exercise is not only badly needed, it discussed exercise is not only badly needed, it is also highly desirable and affordable. is also highly desirable and affordable.

A CMD Project that commands carbon Credits A CMD Project that commands carbon Credits is the requirement of the day. is the requirement of the day.

In this manner, given seed money for initial In this manner, given seed money for initial establishment, a recycling of Capital along with establishment, a recycling of Capital along with Socially Generated Waste is made possible. Socially Generated Waste is made possible.

In this case we do not have to ask “How much In this case we do not have to ask “How much will it cost, rather ask what will it cost not to will it cost, rather ask what will it cost not to implement the Project?”implement the Project?”