Bert-slurry only AD (Anaerobic Digestion) plants apply a unique technology. The power of nature is used to mix the substrates in the digester. These natural forces help saving on operational cost and investment. It allows to build small plants e.g. 30 kW. No other biogas system is using the power of nature as consequently as does Bert. Hence Bert offers a unique technology which is optimized for liquid fermentation and small plants.
The construction design of the concrete digester allows the generated biogas to mix the substrates. This happens automatically and continuously. Furthermore, an additional mixing system is incorporated into Bert’s unique heating system which is applying the specially developed Thermo Gas Lift technology.
The Bert technology is designed to have minimal moving parts and to require minimal operations (15-30 minutes per day) and maintenance. All plant components are standardized. Consequently structural service and maintenance are straightforward and easy to learn.
Integration of Bert technology in the farm slurry management allows additional savings: fresh slurry is fed continuously from the barn into the pre-pit. From the pre-pit the substrate is automatically and regularly fed into the digester. The mixing inside the digester happens automatically as well through the power of nature. The digested substrate is automatically poured into the storage pit.
Bert Mobile is an industrially manufactured integral biogas system. All advantages of industrial manufacturing e.g. quality control, mass production and economies of scale can be realized. But there are more advantages; like ease of maintenance and low maintenance costs, a quick and worry free installation and up-powering. A Bert Mobile becomes profitable from 3 metric tons of slurry processed per day. And there is already a Bert Mobile available for the price of just 1 tractor!
A major advantage of the Bert Mobile system is the ability to operate off grid, self sustainable generating sufficient electricity to run your farm by processing the on site waste biomass, thus realizing considerable savings on decomposing costs. And as a bonus a surplus of electricity can be sold to third parties.
• Configurations existing of 4 or more containers are available upon request.
• All pre-pit technology and post-digester units can come containerized.
• The CHP/kW output of all Bert conventional and mobile systems depends on the SUBSTRATE(S) PROCESSED. There is no guarantee with regard to the maximum CHP
The BD has a build in heating system. This heating system will be adjusted to the climate zone. The temperature of the digester’s interior should be about 40°C. The BD's external insulation is not included but can easily be arranged for locally and is a must for good biogas results, even in hot climates.
The manhole in the BD's top is the access to its interior. This biogas-tight cover usually does not need to be opened. The cover’s window with build in wiper allows a view of the digester's interior while in operation. The mixer’s actions can be monitored also. The substrate input pipe is submerged in the substrate to avoid biogas from escaping.
A view of the BD’s interior. The reinforced and stiffened construction allows to fill the BD up with 50-60 m3/tons of biomass. The interior is completely protected against corrosion.
The outlet for the biogas bag, which serves as the external biogas storage room, is integrated in the BD’s top.
The flanges for the heating system are located left of the flange for the mixer. The heating system is connected to the CHP and keeps the temperature at about 40°C, even in a hot climate or harsh winters with minus temperatures.
An external mixer is to be connected to this flange to regularly mix the substrates. Usually the mixer runs every hour for about 3-5 minutes or can be programmed individually, depending on the substrates used.
Flanges for taking substrate samples. A temperature sensor controls the BD’s interior temperature.
This image shows the BD’s output and overflow exit hole. The hoses and pipes are included in the package price. The smaller hole is an emergency outlet, in case one wants to empty the BD.
Bert Mobile is an industrially manufactured biogas plant consisting of a 40 feet bio-digester (BD) and a 20 feet technical container (TC). It’s a biogas plant that will be delivered by truck and is ready for biogas production within 4-6 days.
Containerized means that the BD as well as TC are standard size containers. All parts of the biogas plant come prefabricated and delivered in a container, so that on site installation is limited.
All animal (cattle, pigs, chicken, etc.) slurry/manure, as well as slaughterhouse waste, water treatment plant sludge, all food waste from food factories. In fact nearly all biomass.
The number of containers depends on the daily biomass available. With 3 tons of biomass per day or 10 cows you can start with the smallest system and upscale later on if required.
The power that the biomass is containing varies a lot. Compare it with the food you eat. Eating a steak and spaghetti will fill up your stomach (digester) and gives you energy for a long duration. Eating a watery soup with just 1 carrot in it won’t give you much energy. Usually dry matter content (DM) and organic dry matter content (ODM) are the key analytical data we need in order to define the biogas producing capacity of a substrate. Fats and sugars are excellent for biogas production.
Depending on the biomass we offer various methods to feed the biomass into the digester (BD) on an hourly basis. For successful biogas production it is important that the biomass is presented to the bacteria in very small (digestible) portions. Therefore, shredders or other devices will be used to prepare the biomass.
The output of the digester is a wonderful bio fertilizer that can replace commercial fertilizer. This product is not smelling and has proven it’s effectivity many times all over the world.
The biogas process is an anaerobic one. That means there is no smell from the process. The output of the digester does not smell either. If there is smell, it comes from the biomass which is waiting to be processed. That part needs to be managed properly.
The required CHP’s (Combined Heat and Power) capacity depends on the power of your biomass. Please inform us regarding the amount of biomass you have available per day and we can calculate for you the capacity needed.
The digester ideally should be fed on an hourly and timely basis: that means 24 times per day x 365 days.
Bert systems are always working with heated digesters and a substrate temperature of around 40°C. In consequence a BM produces more biogas than other systems and at a constant rate. The heat comes from the CHP engine or from a heat pump.
Digestate is a nutrient rich substance produced by anaerobic digestion that can be used as a fertilizer. It consists of left over indigestible material and dead micro-organisms. The volume of the digestate will be around 90-95% of what was fed into the digester.
All the nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium present in the feedstock will remain in the digestate as none is present in the biogas. However, the nutrients are considerably more available than in raw slurry, meaning it is easier for plants to make use of the nutrients.
The digestate is treated through a biological process using MBR Technology. After extracting the solids from the digestate, the liquid portion will be further treated until it meets the discharge standard.
The containerized 40 feet digestate treatment system in combination with the optional internal nutrient recovery unit is the solution to excess slurry, ground water pollution and regulatory issues. Whilst the digestate treatment system eliminates the digestate’s nitrate/nitrogen component(s) and provides non polluting grey water, the nutrient recovery unit recovers the digestate’s nutrients (solid as well as liquid) which can be applied for private use or sold to third parties.
In our PRODUCT SHEET you can find more information regarding the components, different capacity options, flow charts and input and output values.
