Apparatus and method of using an agricultural waste digester and biogas generation system

A method of generating biogas from agricultural waste comprising the steps of:

• providing a buoyant digester assembly having a cylindrical body, a hollow interior, a central axis and a plurality of wheel segments within the interior of the digester assembly;
• providing a gas conduit extending from the interior of the digester assembly to a power generation device;
• providing a water vessel containing heated water;
• placing the digester into the warmed water of the water vessel;
• supplying the interior of the digester with agricultural waste to generate biological gas;
• and
• operating the power generation device with biological gas generated by the digester assembly.

An agricultural waste digester and biogas generation system comprising:

• a water vessel containing water;
• a buoyant digester assembly placed within the water of the water vessel and having a cylindrical body, a hollow interior, a center axis, and a plurality of wheel segments within the interior of the digester assembly;
• wherein the cylindrical body is enclosed at a first end by a first cover having a hub and is enclosed at a second end by a second cover having a hub;
• a gas conduit extending from the interior of the digester assembly to a power generation device;
• a bushing assembly included within the hub of the first cover rotatably supporting the gas conduit;
• a pair of digester stabilizer assemblies each rotatably supporting the first and second hubs of the cylindrical body within the water vessel such that a horizontal orientation of the cylindrical body and the center axis of the cylindrical body is maintained;
• and
• wherein the plurality of wheel segments are fixedly attached to the cylindrical body such that the plurality of wheel segments extend radially within the interior of the cylindrical body and have an arcuate, contoured surface area which restrict biogas movement within the digester assembly and trap rising biogas under the segments such that an ascending force of the trapped biogas rotates the cylindrical body about the center axis of the cylindrical body and produces an induced agitation of agricultural waste.

An agricultural waste digester and biogas generation system comprising:

• a water vessel containing water;
• a digester assembly placed within the water of the water vessel and having a cylindrical body, a hollow interior, a center axis, and a plurality of wheel segments within the interior of the digester assembly;
• a gas conduit extending from the interior of the digester assembly to a power generation device;
• and
• wherein the plurality of wheel segments are comprised of a series of segments each having an arcuate, contoured surface area each extending within the interior of the cylindrical body from an outer edge fixedly attached to the cylindrical body to an inner edge extending freely within the hollow interior adjacent the center axis of the cylindrical body such that rising biogas is trapped under the plurality of wheel segments and an ascending force of the trapped biogas under the plurality of wheel segments rotates the cylindrical body about the center axis of the cylindrical body and produces an induced agitation of agricultural waste.