Patent ID: 7468133

Claim:
An anaerobic lagoon digester comprised of: a fluid filled anaerobic lagoon, a fluid inlet into and a fluid outlet from said lagoon, said fluid containing anaerobically digestible nutrients, a fluid source inputting said fluid into said lagoon through said fluid inlet, a fluid containment means receiving said fluid from said fluid outlet, at least one baffle located in said fluid in said lagoon and diverting the flow of said liquid, at least one float, said at least one baffle supported by said at least one float, a heat source, hot water and/or steam provided by said heat source, at least one heat pipe connected to said heat source, said hot water and/or steam conducted to and within said fluid in said lagoon to said at least one baffle by said at least one heat pipe, at least one return heat pipe connected to said heat source and to said at least one baffle, said hot water and/or steam conducted from said at least one baffle to said heat source by said at least one return heat pipe, said hot water and/or steam passing through said at least one baffle, said at least one heat pipe and said at least one return heat pipe supported within said lagoon by said at least one float, whereby said at least one baffle is heated by said hot water and/or steam, bacteria resident in said liquid and on said at least one baffle, said bacteria producing gas, whereby the transit time of said liquid through said lagoon is increased by said diversion and by the presence of said bacteria on said heated at least one baffle thereby increasing the rate of production of said gas.