Proposal for a Biogas Supply Network in the Rural Community "El Almirante"

Abstract

Generally, biogas applications have been limited only to occasional use in the places where it is produced, with very few experiences related to network distribution in homes for domestic use. The present work was developed in Los Hermanos Farm, located in El Almirante Community, Bayamo Municipality, whose main economic line is the raising of pigs. The amount of manure generated has a theoretical biogas potential of generating more than 200 m3d-1; however, the current treatment system, made up of 4 biodigesters of 60 m3 each, produce approximately 100 m3d-1 of biogas, which allows 149 people to be provided for cooking food in the 50 closest homes. Therefore, the objective of this work was to propose a biogas distribution network, based on technical, economic, energy and environmental criteria, that allows an adequate distribution of biogas for use in cooking food in Cuban rural communities. In the present investigation, the branched biogas distribution network presented several advantages compared to a circular distribution network according to the six established priority orders. As the main result of this work, it was shown that biogas distribution networks have important environmental and social benefits; likewise, the favorable results of the financial indicators denote the economic feasibility of these systems, considering the significance of saving electricity in homes.