Methane, also called biogas, can be used for a variety of applications from cooking to fuel for combustion engines. Methane burns very cleanly, and making it is a carbon-neutral activity, as it is simply speeding up and trapping a process that would have taken place naturally.
Chicken manure is a good choice for making methane. A single pound of poultry droppings can produce up to 10 cubic feet of gas, more than any other livestock waste. After the gas production is complete, the leftover sludge is excellent garden fertilizer. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
A Basic Methane Generator
1. Drill a 3/8-inch hole through the bottom of the 30-gallon drum, 3 inches from the outer edge. To the threaded nipple, screw on one bolt, insert the nipple into the underside of the hole. Screw the gasket and valve onto the other end of the threaded pipe and connect the hose to the valve. When closed, the assembly should form an airtight seal.
2. Fill the 55-gallon drum with a chicken manure/water slurry made of three parts chicken manure to one part water. Add a few handfuls of shredded newspaper, straw or old feed. Stir gently to remove air bubbles and thoroughly mix the contents.
3. With the valve open to release air, carefully lower the 30-gallon drum bottom-up into the slurry inside the larger drum. Important: The smaller drum should fit close to the sides of the larger container, but not so snugly as to restrict vertical movement. Once the smaller drum is to the level where slurry will start to come through the hose, close the valve. If needed, weigh down the smaller drum to keep it fully immersed in the slurry.
Tags: smaller drum, 30-gallon drum, chicken manure