Biogas for piggeries

A substantial opportunity for pork farmers

Joffrey Bourdareau \ January 22, 2020

The way farmers produce pork varies depending on the producer but one thing all piggeries have in common is that they generate a huge amount of waste. This includes both liquid and solid waste which, if handled incorrectly, can create a significant negative environmental impact. Issues like nutrient overloading, run-off, and odour are of particular concern.[1]

However, due to new technologies and processes, Australian pig farmers have a clear opportunity to turn this waste into a potential additional source of income. And, by treating its waste effectively, the Australian pork industry can bolster its growing reputation for producing environmentally sustainable pork.

The waste from pig farming can be effectively treated and turned into biogas, an alternative energy source. By collecting the methane from the waste, farmers can generate electricity for the farm and feed any excess into the electricity grid.

[1] https://australianpork.com.au/sites/default/files/2021-06/PMEG_pocket-guide.pdf

Challenges for pig farms

Common issues
  • High COD/BOD
  • High Suspended Solids
  • High Phosphate levels
  • Odour problems from both ammonia and hydrogen sulphide
Objective
  • Generate more and better biogas
  • Control PH
  • Reduce Phosphate and BOD/COD
  • Avoid the use of a chemical scrubber
  • Reduce blockages from struvite
  • Safe product to handle
Solution

ACTI-Mag Logo

related customer stories

How does Biogas work ?

Anaerobic digestion is a natural process that converts organic matter present in wastewater sludge into biogas for electricity, as well as significantly reducing the contaminant load in treated water.

The energy produced from the biogas can be fed back into the grid or used in other parts of the production process, which represents a real opportunity to reduce energy costs.

ACTI-Mag, with its unique high surface area and high localised pH surface, is able to break down complex organic matter by hydrolysis into smaller units, which allows the biological system to convert the organic matter into biogas more quickly, and improve the quality.

Find out more about Biogas management

Why to choose the right alkali ?

To control PH

Calix has developed ACTI-Mag, a concentrated, stabilised suspension of magnesium hydroxide, which is an inorganic compound that manages alkalinity and controls pH in anaerobic digestion of wastewater.

Dosing the wastewater streams with ACTI-Mag can reduce the amount of hydrogen sulphide produced. This offers the twin benefits of less odour and toxicity as well as increasing the biogas produced.

Find out how to stabilise pH and boost alkalinity
To reduce phosphate

There are two methods of removing phosphorus from wastewater: biological removal and chemical removal. Establishing and maintaining biological conditions for effective and continuous biological phosphorus removal can be quite challenging.

ACTI-Mag boosts this biological phosphate removal while at the same time capturing the excess phosphate within the sludge, which is beneficial for composting of solid waste.

Find out how to remove phosphate
To reduce BOD/COD

Boosting anaerobic digestion, ACTI-Mag supports bacteria and speeds up the breakdown of complex organic chains (including proteins, carbohydrates and lipids) into smaller units such as amino acids, sugars and long chain fatty acids.

The process reduces the rate-limiting step in the digestion process. This results in improving BOD/COD in the final effluent.

Find out how to reduce BOD/COD
Queensland Anaerobic Trial

The system went from on being able take 75% waste stream to 100% of the waste stream

  • plus a reduction in BOD on the effluent
  • increased gas production from 400,000 m3 – 800,000 m3 greater than the increase in influent
Find out the success story

 

The Calix difference

Award solutions

Calix was honoured to be recognised at the @BioenAustralia Awards for our international project – improving biogas production (by 29.6%) as a renewable energy source in Thai palm oil plants.

Find out how Calix helps industry to turn waste into Biogas
Meet our people

Phil Hogdson, CEO at Calix Limited, explains how to improve sustainability of wastewater treatment using our product ACTI-Mag.

Indeed, our product is different than other harsh chemicals because it appears to be the safest and most environmentally friendly solution to improve your wastewater treatment.

Calix supply chain

Calix is able to offer better service, reliability and performance to its customers because it controls the entire production process from mining of raw materials, processing and production.

Calix owns and operates a mine, production, testing facilities and close-to-customers manufacturing plants.

From mine to customer!

Contact us to get a quote
Calix Technology

Faster reactivity = less costs

Calix core technology makes high surface area materials (with a honeycomb-like structure), giving you a price and a reactivity advantage.

Our materials are proving to have similar properties to highly active nano-materials, without the health/safety concerns and high cost, but with all the benefits.

To learn more about how Calix technology works, click here.

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