US-Costa Rica - International Doctoral Dissertation Research: Optimizing Energy Production and Waste Treatment in Small-Scale Digesters

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This US/Costa Rica Doctoral Dissertation Research project will examine the potential of small-scale digesters to be optimized for methane production, waste treatment, fertilizer value, and electricity generation by adding grease and fats, of animal or vegetable origin, to agricultural digesters. The research will be conducted in Costa Rica at the EARTH University. Stephanie Lansing, a Ph.D. candidate, under the supervision of Dr. Jay Martin of Ohio State University, will collaborate with Dr. Raul Botero, a leader in the development of small-scale digesters and a professor at EARTH. The project will advance the field of digestion technology by producing reliable electricity generation while maintaining the simple design advantages of small-scale digesters. This research is multi-disciplinary and integrates traditional farming specialties, i.e. animal production and crop growth, with work from environmental engineering, the food industry, and the energy sector. The research will ultimately improve the scientific understanding of digesters and provide small-scale farmers with an optimized digestion system that produces electricity to meet household needs while providing fertilizer for their crops and reducing disease and environmental degradation caused by poor wastewater management.