Hi-Tech Monitoring Advances Methane Energy
US - Engineers at Washington University engineers have founds that vigorous mixing helps microorganisms turn farm waste into alternative energy.
17 April 2008
1 minute read
The researchers have used hi-tech imaging technology to monitor the mixing efficacy and study how microorganisms break down manure. They found that vigorous mixing helps the process. The goal is to produce a simple method that farmers can use to treat their waste and generate energy, says a report by Christopher Leonard for the Associated Press.
Pig and cow manure is a persistent pollutant from industrial-sized barns and feed lots, but can become a useful source of fuels like methane when broken down by bacteria.
The research team, which includes Washington University professor Muthanna Al-Dahhan says that these new findings are just a small step toward making a reliable "digester" that farmers could use to turn manure into methane.
"Each year livestock operations produce 1.8 billion tons of cattle manure," Al-Dahhan said in a statement. "Treating manure (with microorganisms) gets rid of the environmental threats and produces bioenergy at the same time. That has been our vision," said Professor Muthanna Al-Dahhan
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