WASTEWATER

SOLUTIONS
BIOGAS DIGESTER PROJECT
At Mwananyamala Regional Referral Hospital
 Introduction
The project involved the construction of the bio digester with the
capacity of 32mᶟ and the gas storage capacity of 5m³. The construction
process began on 14th June and ends on 22 th August 2018.

 The feeding materials are placenta from the maternity wards and soft organic materials
from the hospital.
 Daily feeding of the materials in the bio digester is on average of 79.86kg
 Gas produced is used for heating the water in the boiling pans with capacity of90litres.
 Biogas system components

Biodigester
 The biodigester was constructed using concrete
paver blocks with strength of 35Mpa and been
plastered using cement sand ratio of 1:3. The
radius of the digester is 2.5m and it is spherical
in shape with conical bottom
 The bio digester was designed for smaller
imposed loads

 The primary function of the bio digester is to

separate the feeding materials (placenta from
the maternity ward, black water from one toilet
and the soft organic material (mainly food
waste) from the hospital) into liquid, solid and
gases. In the process of digestion biogas is
generated and it is mainly constitute of methane
(CH4) 65% and carbon dioxide (CO2) 35% with
other trace gases like hydrogen sulfide (H2S) Blocks work for biodigester
which can be removed using ferric oxide (FeO3).
Biogas system components cont…

Inlets and outlets

 The bio digester was designed with two
inlets; one for placenta which is connected
to the bio digester with 6inch pipe and the
other for discharging of soft organic
materials and it is cylindrical in shape.
The outlet is cylindrical in shape and it
discharge the slurry from the bio digester
to the displacement channel.

Inlets and outlets

Biogas system components cont…
Placenta conveyance channel
 The channel is 0.15m wide and
3m constructed using vibrated
sand blocks with movable
openings and it is connected with
6inch between the 6inch P-trap
from the innovated toilet and the
biodigester. The bottom slab of
the channel is smooth for
seamless movement and it is
sloped 3%.
 Primary function of the channel
is to safely convey the placenta
to the biodigester.

Placenta conveyance channel

Biogas system components cont…
Displacement channel  PICTRURE
 The channel side walls were
constructed using vibrated sand-
cement blocks and paver blocks
were used to enclose the structure
and produce curved appearance.
 It is 10m long and 1m wide
functioning to increase the
retention time for the bio slurry
from the dome and to be used as
the compensation tank of the
slurry from the dome pushed by
the gas pressure inside.
Feedstock
 The feeding materials in the bio digester are placenta with 0.56kg average
weight each and are 46 in total on daily average discharge sum up to
25.76kg/d.
 The average daily food materials discharge ranges fluctuate from (0-100) kg
due to the fact that in other days the materials are not collected.
 Daily average water discharge in the bio digester is 505l/d.
 Average daily discharge for the materials are 580.76kg/d
Biogas system

Gas production
 The average daily gas production has been
measured at 2.5m3/d.
 Gas producted is expected to increase since
the placenta takes long time to decompose
and the materials feeding continue.
Gas piping
 The produced biogas that accumulate on the
upper part inside the bio digester is
collected through IPS pipes to the twin
burners located in the maternity ward.
 In line with the piping system there is water
trap for collection of condensation water in
the system.
Gas utilization
 The produced gas is used to heat water
using twin stoves with 45litres volume each
located in the maternity ward.
 The heated water is provided sufficient
gravity to flow to the bath room for bathing. Biogas burner and stoves
Temperature in the system
 The temperature in the system fluctuate between 28.7OC to 32.6OC with an
average of 30.7 OC.
 The fluctuations are acceptable and the working condition in the bio digester
is intensively high and fever anaerobic process.
Effluent disposal system
Septic tank system
 The effluents from the bio digester are discharged to the existing septic tanks
connected to soak pit which are not functioning and results to frequent
emptying using cesspit emptier truck and transport to the waste stabilization
ponds for disposal. However this system can be easily modified to a
sustainable, cost effective, socially acceptable and environmentally sound
wastewater management facilities leading to recycling and reuse of
wastewater through OSWAMS.
 OSWAMS model of treatment

The OSWAS treatment units are;

 Biogas settler/ Settling chamber
 Anaerobic Baffled Reactor
 UP-flow anaerobic filter
 French drainage
 Composite filter
 Polish pond
Benefits of using OSWAMS
 Reuse of the treated wastewater for irrigation,
gardening, toilets flushing, road /City cleaning
and car wash.
 Reduce the emptying cost since the organic
materials/sludge are converted into gas and
water which are reused.
 Production of biogas which can be used for
cooking and replace chacoal
 It preserve the environment through green house
gases remove OSWAMS mode of treatment
 Conclusion and Recommendation
Conclusion
 The construction of bio digester
does not incur much cost and time
 All placenta collected are
discharged daily and satisfactory
 Food residue discharge are
satisfactory
 No requirement for power to
decompose the placenta hence
serve the electricity cost
 Gas production is expected to
increase due to the increase of
sludge
 Lack specific trained personnel
 The existing septic tank system are
not functioning and they are only
used for storage which incur much
cost in desludging.
Recommendation
 The bio digester system should be adopted to all hospitals with
maternity ward in the country due to the facts that; it need
low cost for investment and guarantee the performance for
more than twenty years with minimum maintenance. Currently
some of the hospitals dispose the placenta into the open pit
which is not environmental friendly and endanger the heath of
people surrounding the area. In other hospitals they use diesel
engine operating incinerator for burning the placenta, the
consequences is that; the generated temperature is not enough
to burn the placenta completely and convert them to ash and
hence ending up by drying. The dried placenta need either to
be buried in the ground or managed as solid waste and results
to complicity.
 The effluent from the bio digester should be connected to
OSWAMS to improve the quality and to be reused
 The produced biogas should be considered as a resource and to
be reused.
 Specific personnel should be trained and hired for operation of
biogas system