Cooking with the Flexi Biogas

Bio-digesters generating gas

Once the Flexi Biogas system is installed, fresh dung mixed with water to a smooth consistency is added into the orange pipe in the foreground. Once in the bag, it begins to ferment and move slowly across the digester till it is “exhausted”. Gas that is formed presses down on the slurry and pushes the exhausted dung out of the orange pipe in the background. If the gas pressure rises because not enough gas is being used, it will simply push more dung out the other end.


The gas outlet pipe connects to simple gas stoves such as the one or two ring whirlwind cookers which are adapted for biogas. Whirlwind type cookers are preferable since biogas does not come under as much pressure as Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG). Once modified, the stove cannot be restored to its original use. Special burners are available for ovens and large-scale cooking.

The DBG model will produce and hold up to 5 cubic metres of gas which is adequate for one family’s cooking needs for 2 days. As long as dung is added daily, the gas production can be maintained. Our research found that two big buckets of dung are enough to keep a household of 6 going continuously.
The exhausted dung is emitted by the system automatically and has no bad odour. The slurry will need to remain in the bag for up to 3 months in order to be fully digested. It can then be channelled directly to the farm or vegetable patch where it can be used immediately. No further composting is needed.

The Flexi Biogas system’s capacity can be easily expanded by adding more Flexi Biogas systems beside the initial one and connecting with pipes. Thus, several houses, a village, a health centre or a school can enjoy biogas conveniently and without disruption.





Flexi biogas systems have both cooking and non-cooking applications. Due to the high gas production, most Flexi Biogas system owners use the system in both ways.

The biogas system free their owners from the hassle of cooking using electricity, LPG, kerosene and biomass fuels (firewood, charcoal and dried plant waste). These energy sources are expensive, unreliable, difficult to transport and pose a health risk. They are also not environmentally friendly and sustained use inevitably leads to desertification.

 

















The biogas produced can cook all kinds of food e.g. yam, vegetables,  rice, etc. Food that needs to be cooked for a longer period can be cooked in a pressure cooker. The biogas flame does not contain soot and burns at a higher temperature than LPG.

Flexi Biogas systems make cooking enjoyable for women and children. Biogas is smokeless and odourless unlike biomass fuels. Women and children who use Flexi Biogas systems experience fewer respiratory health problems. They also have time to pursue education, business and social activities since they do not spend time collecting biomass fuels.

 

Flexi Biogas systems produce biogas throughout the year. This is because gas production is dependent on input. Consumers do not worry about supply disruptions and price fluctuations evident in other energy sources.


email: koboideas@gmail.com