EECOPALSA

 

Energia Ecologica DePalcasa  --  Palm Oil Mill --  Honduras

The Palm Oil Mill has been designed with two anaerobic BioGas collection lagoons, followed by four open-airlagoons.  The processing water is first passed through a cooling tower (71K COD / 48K TSS) and then goes into the two parallel BioGas Lagoons.  The flow is 5to 7 m3 per hour, producing some 300 m3 gas (50-60% methane) / hour in each collection lagoon, capable of running two 633KW Generators.

The BioGas Lagoons are 70 m X 35 m x 4m deep each, with an effluent of 10K COD and 25K TSS.  BioGas Retention times is over 160 days,which will require a dosage schedule that is extended over time. The wastewater passes through a solids separator, and then on through four open air lagoons, each 35 m X 35 m X 4 deep.  The final effluent is used as irrigating water on the adjacent farmland, though during heavy rains there is some waste water release.

AquaClean benefits for this BioGas System would be:

Gas Volume increase of 20 to 30 percent.

Significant reduction in H2S, and therefore longer life of generators.

Reduction of sludge build up in the Anaerobic Lagoons, saving in shut down sludge removal frequency…as well as lower solids removal by trucks from the separator.

Significant reduction of odor from the lagoons and irrigation areas.

Overall reduction in COD /BOD / TSS…bring the discharge into compliance, while enhancing the fertilizer value for irrigation by some 30 to 50 percent improvement in crop yields.

Recommended treatment plans would be applied as outlined below:

Week             Each BioGas Lagoon         Open AirPonds

Gallons          One                                Two                            Three             Four               Five                Six

One               1(twice per week)           1(twice per week)           4                   4                    2                    1

Two               1(twice per week)           1(twice per week)           2                   2                    2                    1

Three            1(twice per week)           1(twice per week)           2                   2                    1                    1

Four              1(twice per week)           1(twice per week)           1                   1                    ½                    ½

Thereafter     ½ (twice per week)          ½(twice per week)          1                   1                    ½                    ½

First month would be 43 Gallons, with weekly maintenance of 5 Gallons thereafter. This is certainly economical on a cost / benefit analysis…and is in keeping with their Carbon Credit and Environmental Operating Methods.