ARTI Biogas Plant

Appropriate Rural Technology Institute (ARTI)

The ARTI is a domestic biodigester technology useful to generate gas primarly from cattle dung.

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Product description Brand name and product description

The ARTI biogas plant is a system developed by India’s Appropriate Rural Technologies (ARTI), it converts food waste into methane-rich gas. The system is compact for urban use, suitable for both cities and farms, and designed to handle high-calorie feedstock such as leftovers, spoiled food and other kitchen waste, green leaves and other starches and sugars rather than manure or human waste.

Target region(s) Target region for distribution/implementation (listed by country if specified)

India.

Distributors/implementing organizations Organization(s) distributing/deploying this product directly to communities/individuals?"

ARTI is the distributor of the system.

Market suggested retail price Price per unit or service price per usage/terms (USD). Subsidies noted.

Approximately $156 USD (10,000 INR).

Competitive landscape Similar products available on the market. May not be a comprehensive listing.

Low-cost biogas production systems like the Flexi Biogas, DESI power, Simgas and Sistema Biobolsa.

SDG targeted United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) targeted with this product/application/service

Goal 7: Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all.

Target user(s) Target user/consumer base (country, income segment)

Households that have at least 6 to 8 heads of cattle.

Manufacturing/building method(s) Detail regarding solution production or construction method (instructions, mass production capacity, custom made,etc...)

ARTI builds the digesters from off-the-shelf plastic storage tanks and third-party plumbing kits and biogas stoves supplied by Samuchit Enviro-Tech (SET) Pvt. Ltd. The installation time is of about 3-4 hours and can be done by one person.

Product Intellectual Property Open source/IP protected (note patent)/trade secret/other?

Open source.

User Provision Model Where can the product be purchased/acquired by end users?

Users can obtain a system from ARTI or build the system themselves from off-the-shelf parts.

Distribution to date Number of units that have been deployed, downloads or users to date

ARTI has installed 1000 systems since 2003 and installs 30-50 per month. The organization guesses that 1000 more have been built from DIY instructions.

Fields marked are sourced values that have been evaluated by the manufacturer or a third party, all others are design specifications.

Digester capacity/volume (L)

1000-1500.

Input requirements (volume and frequency)

1-1.5 kg/day of feedstock and 15 liters of water/day

Average daily biogas production (m3/day)

250-500g of gas per day for every 1-2 kg of feed

Output gas capacity/volume (L)

1000

Output power capacity (kW/kWe)

~ 0.4 kWh

Primary fuel source(s)

Starchy or sugary feedstock (waste grain flour, spoilt grain, overripe or misshapen fruit, nonedible seeds, fruits and rhizomes, green leaves, kitchen watse, leftover food, etc)

Design specifications Component and Operation overview including power, portability, facility requirements, preventative maintenance and user training requirements

ARTI is made from two high-density polythene (HDPE) water tanks that are cut-down and adapted using a heat gun an HDPE piping. One of the tanks is placed upside down in the upper part of the system to hold the gas, whilst the other one holds the slurry. The system also has an inlet and an overflow so that users can both add feedstock easily and remove digested residue. With the purpose of letting users employ the gas as a cooking fuel, a pipe is put in place to take the biogas to the kitchen.

Product Dimensions: 1.4 m x 1.4 m x 2.5 m

Product schematics Design and assembly illustrations

Technical support Technical support provided by

Technical support is provided by ARTI.

Replacement components Availability of replacement components (in-country, by order,...)

Replacement parts can be found off the shelf from third-party suppliers.

Lifecycle Disposal and warranty

Unknown.

Manufacturer specified performance targets Designer / Manufacturer specified targets

The system is designed to output 500g of methane for every 2 kg of feedstock.

Vetted performance Findings of manufacturer evaluations or independent testing centers

Independent academic research performed in Tanzania found that 2kg of kitchen produces is able to produce about 200 liters of biogas. It was also estimated that plant could be fed 5kg/day producing 670 liters of biogas per day. The researchers recommended that additional customer service and training be available for the ARTI system due to frequent system failures resulting from lack of education and assistance. Performance details can be found at build-a-biogas-plant.com, and Howtopedia.

Testing organizations Independent lab, academic research centers, etc.

Swiss Federal Institute of Science and Technology, 8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland; Department of Water and Sanitation in Developing Countries (Sandec).

Zurich University of Applied Sciences ZHAW, Institute of Biotechnology, 8820 Wädenswil, Switzerland.

Ardhi University, Environmental Science and Management Department, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

Safety Potential hazards / risks related to operation of this product

Extreme caution is necessary when working with biogas. Adequate ventilation, appropriate precautions, good work practices, and adequate personal protective equipment will minimize the dangers associated with biogas. Wherever possible, digester-associated tasks and maintenance should be performed without anyone having to enter confined spaces, including pits.

Complementary technical systems Performance of this product is improved with another technology (eg. Cookstoves and Wind-blocking skirts)

Biogas use products are available on the market including: stoves, commercial burners, water heaters and gen-sets.

Academic research Academic research related to the product (e.g. published papers in peer-reviewed journals)

Voegeli, Y., Lohri, C., Kassenga, G., Baier, U., Zurbrugg, C., Technical and biological performance of the ARTI compact biogas plant for kitchen waste-case study from Tanzania. Paper presented at the Twelfth International Waste Management and Landfill Symposium; 2009; Sardinia, Italy.

Lungkhimba, H.M., Karki, A.B., Shrestha, J.N., Biogas production from anaerobic digestion of biodegradable household wastes. Nepal Journal of Science and Technology. 2010;11:167-172.

Austin, G., Morris, G., Biogas production in Africa. Bioenergy for sustainable development in Africa. Netherlands: Springer Netherlands; 2012. p 103 – 115.

Rahman, M., Paatero, J.V., A methodological approach for assessing potential of sustainable agricultural residues for electricity generation: South Asian perspective. Biomass and bioenergy. December 2012;47:153-163.

Karve, A.D., Karve, P., Kulkarni, G., A new compact biogas system based on sugary/starchy feedstock. Energy for sustainable development. March 2005;9(1):63-65.

Agrahari, R., Tiwari, G.N., The production of biogas using kitchen waste. International journal of energy science. December 2013;3(6)408-413.

Compliance with regulations Product certifications and standards referenced by designer/manufacturer

Unknown.

Evaluation methods Evaluation methods/protocols/guidelines referenced by designer or manufacturer.

Independent laboratory and field analyses were carried out. The methane content in the biogas was determined by Biogas Analyzer Gas Board-3200P.

Other information

The ARTI received an Ashden Award video.

A free do-it-yourself construction guide and video are availablle

ARTI also offers other products like water tanks, fuel briquettes, improved cook stoves, plant tissue cultures and more.

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