Patent ID: 6254775
Filing Date: 2001-07-03
Classification: C02F,C12M,Y02W

Abstract:
An anaerobic digester system, comprising:a vertically upright cylindrical vessel having a given vessel diameter,a support matrix arranged in a cylindrical core portion of the vessel for supporting a microorganism biomass thereon, wherein the support matrix includes a plurality of vertically-oriented radial panels spaced at angular intervals within the vessel, said panels having planar surfaces with a three-dimensional surface architecture for supporting the microorganism biomass thereon,a vessel input for supplying an input slurry feedstock of liquid containing anaerobically digestible solids at an upper portion of the vessel above the matrix,a gas output at the upper portion of the vessel for withdrawing an output gas from the vessel generated by anaerobic digestion of the solids in the feedstock by the microorganism biomass, andan effluent output at a lower portion of the vessel below the matrix for withdrawing liquid and remaining solids from the lower portion of the vessel;wherein the vessel contains liquid to a height around the support matrix which provides a ratio of 2 to 1 of liquid height to vessel diameter in the vessel.