Technology

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All of the activities in the anaerobic digester is managed via the control panel. Currently, three displays show the pH inside the digester, the temperature, and the operation. 

Homer Farms Inc. uses a specifically designed grinder to process food waste to improve the fermentation efficiency in its bioreactor. The processed waste meets the requirements of Grind Level 4 in which the particle size is under 2.0 mm. The grinder also utilizes air switch control, auto-reverse system, and overload protection to reduce operational risks. The grinder cavity is insulated to keep the operation noise under 15 dB to make the grinder a great fit for its application in the urban environment. 

After food waste is processed in the grinder, the food waste is transported into the bioreactor for digestion via the feeding pump. The feeding pump is a submersible pump particularly designed to process sludge with large particles. To ensure the performance of the feeding pump, a screen system is placed above the feeding pump to block any objects that may cause a clog.   

Homer Farms Inc. currently uses a stainless steel container as the reactor for anaerobic digestion. The reactor is double layered with copper pipes between the two layers. The copper pipes are filled with water and are connected to the temperature control system to maintain the optimal temperature inside the reactor to achieve efficient digestion.   

A circulating pump is integrated inside the reactor to allow thorough mixing. The circulating pump connects to the bottom and top of the reactor to ensure the sludge reaches an equal degree of digestion inside the reactor. 

Due to the nature of the anaerobic digestion that has an optimal temperature between 30 °C and 50 °C, the temperature control system performs as a heater in most cases. The temperature control system regulates the temperature of the water in the copper pipes between the layers of the reactor to maintain the optimal temperature for anaerobic digestion.