Evaluation of the proposed bio-gas project at Lamar, Colorado

Technical Report · Fri Jun 30 04:00:00 EDT 1978

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/6081057· OSTI ID:6081057

Jones, J. L.

The proposed bio-gas cattle manure processing plant at Lamar, Colorado, would probably not operate as planned because of apparent flaws in the conceptual design of the algae system for water renovation. Although there is no reason to suspect that the anaerobic digestion portion of the plant will not produce a CH/sub 4/-rich fuel gas (assuming an adequate quality of water for slurry preparation), it is not apparent that the design is optimal in terms of producing a high value cattle refeed product. The estimate of the investment cost for the proposed plant (exclusive of the algae system for water renovation) appears to be reasonable based on comparisons with SRI's previous estimates of anaerobic digestion facilities for cattle manure. The economic feasibility of the project is highly dependent on the revenue to be obtained from sale of the digester residue for cattle refeed, especially if one assumed CH/sub 4/ sale at a price below $2 per million Btu as specified in the subject report.) This cattle refeed aspect of the project appears to be a high risk area. It appears to be premature to embark on the construction of a large commercial manure processing plant at Lamar. A more prudent plan would be to construct and operate a process development unit (considerably larger than the current pilot plant) to gather more process design data and to produce suitable quantities of the refeed product for further cattle feeding trials.

• Research Organization: SRI International, Menlo Park, CA (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: EW-78-X-03-0357
• OSTI ID: 6081057
• Report Number(s): TID-29306
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

09 BIOMASS FUELS
090122* -- Hydrocarbon Fuels-- Preparation from Wastes or Biomass-- (1976-1989)
140504 -- Solar Energy Conversion-- Biomass Production & Conversion-- (-1989)
AGRICULTURAL WASTES
ALKANES
ANAEROBIC DIGESTION
ANIMAL FEEDS
BIOCONVERSION
BIOMASS CONVERSION PLANTS
BIOSYNTHESIS
COLORADO
COST
CRYOGENIC FLUIDS
DIGESTION
ECONOMICS
FEASIBILITY STUDIES
FLUIDS
FOOD
HYDROCARBONS
INDUSTRIAL PLANTS
INVESTMENT
MANAGEMENT
MANURES
METHANE
NORTH AMERICA
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PROCESSING
ROCKY MOUNTAIN REGION
SOLID WASTES
SYNTHESIS
USA
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTE PROCESSING
WASTE PROCESSING PLANTS
WASTE PRODUCT UTILIZATION
WASTES