Patent ID: 6451206
Filing Date: 2002-09-17
Classification: C02F,C12M,Y10S

Abstract:
A system for converting a reservoir into an anaerobic digester in which organic waste contained in the reservoir can be at least partly anaerobically decomposed, wherein the reservoir is of the type having a surrounding containing wall, the system comprising a roof structure adapted to be installed on the reservoir to seal the reservoir from the atmosphere, said roof structure including a gas-impermeable membrane adapted to extend over the organic waste contained in the reservoir for trapping, beneath said gas-impermeable membrane, gas generated during decomposition of the organic waste in the reservoir, said gas-impermeable membrane having a peripheral depending skirt adapted to extend downwardly and inwardly of an inner surface of the surrounding containing wall of the reservoir below a level of organic waste to prevent the gas from escaping along the inner surface of the reservoir, wherein said gas-impermeable membrane is adapted to float on top of the organic waste to raise and lower with the level of organic waste in the reservoir.