Rediseño del Sistema del Biodigestor Tubular Anaerobio Porcino de la Institución Educativa Agrícola de Guacavía, Cumaral-Meta.

Abstract

This research project evaluated the efficiency of an anaerobic tubular biodigester of the Institución Educativa Agrícola the Guacavía, located in Cumaral, Meta. This biodigestion device was designed to be fed to pig excreta from a pig corral (currently with a population of 16 pigs). However, it has been in a state of abandonment for approximately five years, so the excreta produced are not properly treated and discharged outdoors, causing negative environmental impact. In order to put the biodigestion system into operation, a procedure was carried out which was divided into three phases in response to each of the objectives of the project. Phase 1 included the diagnosis of the system: beginning the recognition of the study area, the Georreferencing and Evaluation of the current state of the biodigestor and its components, to determine the actions for the rehabilitation of the system. The activities necessary for the redesign of the biodigestor were then analysed in Phase 2 according to the results of Phase 1, considering not the current pig population, but the optimal parameters for its operation for the current dimensions of the plastic bag that constitutes the biodigester, in order to determine the necessary biomass of excreta that will determine the suitable population of pigs. In Phase 3 a laboratory-scale assembly was carried out at the University of Santo Tomás to determine the potential for real biogas of the excreta produced and thus estimate the production of biogas of the system under optimal conditions. The biodigestion system was found to present problems due to the water table level of the site where the biodigester pit is excavated, resulting in a decrease in the temperature of the plastic bag and thus affecting the main advantage of the system in this region, which is the temperature within the mesophyl range reached with the ambient temperature (Approximately 30 °C). That is why recommendations are made to mitigate this problem and the temperature is not affected. This problem is already solved and the system input values are recommended for an optimal operation, expressed in the amount of pigs that the pig farm should have for a stable excreta feed, assuming a water ratio of 1:7 in the mixture entering the system.