Construction of a biodigester to generate renewable energy from organic waste at Pacto, Ecuador"™s slaughterhouse

Abstract

This project is a solution to treat the organic waste generated in the slaughterhouse of Pacto, located in the northwest of the Province of Pichincha, Ecuador. According to the projection for 2019 of the INEC population census conducted in 2010, the population of Pacto is estimated at 5,863 inhabitants, of which approximately 20% (293 families) occupy the animal feedlot for slaughtering cattle and are the direct beneficiaries. For this reason, an anaerobic biodigester was designed to obtain biogas as an alternative energy source. To build, operate, and maintain it, local human resources, students and teachers from UTE University were involved. The implemented biodigester is a semi-continuous flow sausage-type, which for its optimal operation needs 3.30 m³ per week of load, with a mixture whose equivalence is 1:3 (one part water to three parts solid). The biogas production obtained after 16 weeks is 5.81 m³. The fuel switch is efficient as an alternative and clean technology, thus replacing fossil fuels.

The advantages of using this type of biodigester include easy installation, low cost, better final disposal of waste from slaughtering cattle, and production of biol (organic fertilizer), which is a source of phyto-regulators to improve crops and can be used as fertilizer in crops, thus considerably reducing the impact on the environment. All this contributes to a better quality of life for the workers of the slaughterhouse and the population in general and is aligned with SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) 3 and 7 of the United Nations: ensure a healthy life and well-being; and ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all.