In a compost system that generates methane how would one go about separating Methane from Oxygen ?

CrazyNeutrino said:

In a compost system that generates methane how would one go about separating Methane from Oxygen ?

So … there’s mostly nitrogen in there, right?

dv said:

CrazyNeutrino said:

In a compost system that generates methane how would one go about separating Methane from Oxygen ?

So … there’s mostly nitrogen in there, right?

Nitrogen as in grass and vegetable matter

other gases?

CrazyNeutrino said:

dv said:

CrazyNeutrino said:

In a compost system that generates methane how would one go about separating Methane from Oxygen ?

So … there’s mostly nitrogen in there, right?

Nitrogen as in grass and vegetable matter

other gases?

No …. nitrogen that is the main component of the atmosphere and is hence going to be a major component of the gas in your compost bins…

At this stage I know nothing

about oxygen, nitrogen and methane separation

Bottom line is that it is difficult to do without nanofilters or distillation (methane has a higher boiling point).

Membrane gas separation might be the way to go

for a small operation of a typical household compost heap

Membrane technologies are not as well developed as other gas separation techniques and as a result they are less widely used. Manufacturing challenges mean the units are better suited for small to mid scale operations.

The use partially permeable membranes which allow “fast” gases to pass through and be removed, while “slow” gases remain in the airstream and emerge without the original contaminants. Membrane technology is most often used for moisture removal, hydrogen removal and nitrogen enrichment.

CrazyNeutrino said:

Membrane gas separation might be the way to go

for a small operation of a typical household compost heap

Membrane technologies are not as well developed as other gas separation techniques and as a result they are less widely used. Manufacturing challenges mean the units are better suited for small to mid scale operations.

The use partially permeable membranes which allow “fast” gases to pass through and be removed, while “slow” gases remain in the airstream and emerge without the original contaminants. Membrane technology is most often used for moisture removal, hydrogen removal and nitrogen enrichment.

Why do you want to do this btw?

dv said:

CrazyNeutrino said:

Membrane gas separation might be the way to go

for a small operation of a typical household compost heap

Membrane technologies are not as well developed as other gas separation techniques and as a result they are less widely used. Manufacturing challenges mean the units are better suited for small to mid scale operations.

The use partially permeable membranes which allow “fast” gases to pass through and be removed, while “slow” gases remain in the airstream and emerge without the original contaminants. Membrane technology is most often used for moisture removal, hydrogen removal and nitrogen enrichment.

Why do you want to do this btw?

Off grid living

I want to live a bit further out

CrazyNeutrino said:

dv said:

CrazyNeutrino said:

Membrane gas separation might be the way to go

for a small operation of a typical household compost heap

Membrane technologies are not as well developed as other gas separation techniques and as a result they are less widely used. Manufacturing challenges mean the units are better suited for small to mid scale operations.

The use partially permeable membranes which allow “fast” gases to pass through and be removed, while “slow” gases remain in the airstream and emerge without the original contaminants. Membrane technology is most often used for moisture removal, hydrogen removal and nitrogen enrichment.

Why do you want to do this btw?

Off grid living

I want to live a bit further out

Yer already out there man.

CrazyNeutrino said:

dv said:

CrazyNeutrino said:

Membrane gas separation might be the way to go

for a small operation of a typical household compost heap

Membrane technologies are not as well developed as other gas separation techniques and as a result they are less widely used. Manufacturing challenges mean the units are better suited for small to mid scale operations.

The use partially permeable membranes which allow “fast” gases to pass through and be removed, while “slow” gases remain in the airstream and emerge without the original contaminants. Membrane technology is most often used for moisture removal, hydrogen removal and nitrogen enrichment.

Why do you want to do this btw?

Off grid living

I want to live a bit further out

You may not need to separate out the methane if all you want to do is run a gen. But you probably will want a digester.

AwesomeO said:

CrazyNeutrino said:

dv said:

Why do you want to do this btw?

Off grid living

I want to live a bit further out

Yer already out there man.

Creswick is too noisy

Trains and v8s

Making the best of garbage gas

Methane generated by rotting rubbish in landfill dumps could make a far greater contribution to the world’s energy supply. A new way of harvesting the gas should mean that many landfill dumps that till now were thought to be too small to produce usable amounts of the gas will be able to provide a viable supply.

more…

That way uses the membrane method.

wont be for a while yet, 1 or 2 years

so have plenty of time to research

CrazyNeutrino said:

In a compost system that generates methane how would one go about separating Methane from Oxygen ?

The best way is to avoid the problem completely. Put an impermeable membrane over the compost. No oxygen is generated by the compost, so just collect the gas that is generated. That gas will be a mixture of methane, carbon dioxide and water vapour. Cool it to remove the water vapour.

Footnote. The amount of methane generated will be directly proportional to the amount of oil in the compost. So if your compost consists solely of fruit and vegetable scraps then you won’t get any methane out of it.

Cynical Devil’s-advocate footnote: Once you collect the mixture of methane, carbon dioxide and water vapour from your compost, sequester it underground at a depth exceeding 2 km because they’re all greenhouse gases.