Proceedings available at: Animal manure is often utilized by the American agriculture industry as fertilizer without considering the potential energy production. It is well established that on-farm anaerobic digestion (AD) can be effective in providing energy, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and controlling air and water pollutions. Knowledge of the ADs on biogas production, digested and stored manure nutrients, and air emissions must reach parties of interest. A modular, pilot-scale, mesophilic AD system is being installed for the new swine finishing facility at University of Missouri-Columbia Research Farm.

1. Design, Construction and
Implementation of a Pilot Scale
Anaerobic Digester at the University
of Missouri’s Swine Teaching and
Research Farm
By:
Brandon Harvey
Research Assistant, Agricultural Systems Management
Teng Lim
Assistant Professor, Agricultural System Management
Kevin Rohrer
Engineer, Martin Machinery

2. Purpose of Project
• Establish a pilot scale, on-farm anaerobic digester
– Potential Renewable Energy Production
– Manure Management
– Economic Viability
– Odor Control

3. Purpose of Project
• Research will provide information for small to medium
sized farms seeking:
– Viable energy alternatives
– Practical manure management practices
– Air quality improvements

4. University of MO-Swine Farm
Located approx. 5 miles
from campus
Consist of 2 barns
-Research
-Teaching
West - trailer court
East- several homes
South- University Farm
North- Undeveloped land

5. Construction Details
• Finishing Barns
• Valve Control & Manhole
• Dual Tank Design
• Heat Exchanger
• Gas Systems
• Water Heaters
• Control Panels

6. Finishing barns
Chopper pump
Scraper
system
Existing
Lagoon
Modified
water heater
Back-up natural
gas heater
Positive
displacement
pumpManhole
Mixing
tank
Digester
2
Digester
1
Biogas
Bladder
Condensate
Trap
Shelter
Flare
Valve Control Box
Radiant Heat
Pressure
relief
Flow meter
Mixing
tank
Iron
Sponge
Heat
Exchanger
Anaerobic Digester System

7. Finishing barns
Finishing Barns
• 136’*42’ finishing barn
• 85 Hogs per room (50-250 lbs.)
• 1.1 gallon/day manure per hog
• 8’ deep pit
• Plug flow system

8. Finishing barns
Chopper pump
Scraper
system
Existing
Lagoon
Modified
water heater
Back-up natural
gas heater
Positive
displacement
pumpManhole
Mixing
tank
Digester
2
Digester
1
Biogas
Bladder
Condensate
Trap
Shelter
Flare
Valve Control Box
Radiant Heat
Pressure
relief
Flow meter
Mixing
tank
Iron
Sponge
Heat
Exchanger
Anaerobic Digester System

9. Valve Control & Manhole
Chopper pump
Manhole
Valve Control Box

10. Finishing barns
Chopper pump
Scraper
system
Existing
Lagoon
Modified
water heater
Back-up natural
gas heater
Positive
displacement
pumpManhole
Mixing
tank
Digester
2
Digester
1
Biogas
Bladder
Condensate
Trap
Shelter
Flare
Valve Control Box
Radiant Heat
Pressure
relief
Flow meter
Mixing
tank
Iron
Sponge
Heat
Exchanger
Anaerobic Digester System

11. Digester
• 3, 2500 gallon reinforced fiberglass tanks
• Flexibility:
• Single stage two-stream parallel replication
• Dual stage single-stream experiment
Positive
displacement
pump
Digester
2
Digester
1
Heat
Exchanger
Mixing
tank

12. Fiberglass Tanks
• Digester Tank
– Reinforced fiberglass
– 2500 gal
– Heating tubes
– Nozzle mixer
– Anti-foaming sprayer

13. Finishing barns
Chopper pump
Scraper
system
Existing
Lagoon
Modified
water heater
Back-up natural
gas heater
Positive
displacement
pumpManhole
Mixing
tank
Digester
2
Digester
1
Biogas
Bladder
Condensate
Trap
Shelter
Flare
Valve Control Box
Radiant Heat
Pressure
relief
Flow meter
Mixing
tank
Iron
Sponge
Heat
Exchanger
Anaerobic Digester System

14. Gas Systems
Iron
Sponge
Biogas
Blower
Iron Sponge
Media

15. Gas Bladder
•Biogas rated plastic
•12’*15’*5’ inflated
•Housed in wooden
structure
•Weighted to maintain line
pressure

16. Finishing barns
Chopper pump
Scraper
system
Existing
Lagoon
Modified
water heater
Back-up natural
gas heater
Positive
displacement
pumpManhole
Mixing
tank
Digester
2
Digester
1
Biogas
Bladder
Condensate
Trap
Shelter
Flare
Valve Control Box
Radiant Heat
Pressure
relief
Flow meter
Mixing
tank
Iron
Sponge
Heat
Exchanger
Anaerobic Digester System

17. Water Heaters
Biogas
water heater
Back-up natural
gas heater
•1 Hog produces 2000 BTU of methane per day
•2000 BTU*170 hogs= 340,000 BTU/40000 = 8.5 hrs.
•Natural gas to supplement when needed

18. Control System

19. Control Panels
Control Panel w/ touch screen
VFD controllers on reverse
side

20. Greenhouse

21. What was Learned
• Design/ Implementation:
–Complex
–Time Consuming
• Significant Consideration:
–Barn manure capacity
–Maintaining manure freshness/ solids
content
–Project management

22. Future Plans
• Currently
– Awaiting startup (May 1, 2013)
– Awaiting manure VSS test to determine loading
rate
– Awaiting system test trails

23. Future Plans
• Improved design efficiency of heat-exchanger
• Effects of feedstock characteristics
• Co-digestion
• Feedstock pre- treatment on biogas
production
• Characterizing greenhouse gas emissions from
untreated manure and AD- treated manure

24. Summary
• Purpose of Project
• Project Design/Construction
• What was learned
• Future Plans

25. Acknowledgements
MU- College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources
MU- Commercial Agriculture Program
Dr. Tim Safranski
Dr. Joe Zulovich
University Field Operations

26. Questions?