Bio gas, an environment-friendly source of energy

Bio Fuels Lanka converts food waste to bio gas. It is an environment-friendly source of energy and can be used for cooking, as electricity to light the bulbs and the remains as fertiliser for plants. The Managing Director Bio Fuel Lanka and Country Representative Orient Green Power Company Ltd, Michael Perera Magala said that people love environment-friendly sources of energy but were sceptical about implementing new procedures.

The Bio gas Plant or The Continuous-Flow Stirring Tank Reactor is a unit which operates at maximum efficiency and reduces waste volumes by converting it to clean energy.

This process reduces the labour and energy costs. It also reduces the costs associated with waste transportation, disposal and pest control and the time and effort needed for trash removal, said Magala.

The technology was introduced to Sri Lanka in 2008 but it is a common source of energy in Europe.

Magala said ,"We modified the technology to suit the needs and requirements of our country considering the weather and the temperature.

He said that they have completed four plants of which one was at Heritance Hotels owned by the Aitken Spence Group. Once the plant started operations the company has been able to save the money spent on the gas bill.

The CSTR AD Biogas Plant (CSTR) is a vertical, cylindrical digester and is the first ever CSTR Biogas Plant in Sri Lanka. The mixing of its contents is by a centered vertical low-speed agitator which is characterised by a high circulation rate and thus the digester content is perfectly mixed.

At the same time, low rotation speed guarantees gentle treatment of the anaerobic micro-organisms.

Due to the continuous mixing it provides an optimal substrate transport for the bacteriological degradation of the organic substances into Biogas.

The CSTR digester is suitable for the treatment of high solid materials such as bio waste and sludge as well as for scum developing material. Sediments can be easily removed during the operation. It is specially suited as a large scale biogas plant. SG