In article <terry-2003952100300001 at ppp01p09.ucc.uconn.edu>,
terry at uconnvm.uconn.edu (Tom Terry) wrote:
> I teach a microbiology course, and a few of my students are interested in
> building a small scale methane generator. I'm not familiar with the
> literature on this subject. Anybody have a good reference or two regarding
> this? Thanks!
> Tom Terry, Dept. of Microbiology, Univ. of Conn.
A few years ago a lab mate and I constructed the "bioblaster" to harvest
methane from ponds. It is simply an inverted 5 gal. bucket with a hole cut
in it and a length 3 ft. length of 2" PVC pipe sealed with a gasket. Set
the contraption down in a nice methane generating pond (duck ponds are a
good place) and push down forcing the air out and water into the bucket.
Stopper the PVC pipe and start stirring up the muck beneath the bucket.
The bucket will rise out of the water as the methane is trapped. Once full
remove the cork and light the escaping methane while pushing down slowly on
the bucket. The affect is quite spectacular, especially around dusk or
dawn.
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| Paul Lepp pwlepp at studentL.msu.edu |
| Michigan State University Department of Microbiology |
| (517) 432-1140 E. Lansing, MI 48824 |
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