Method for producing methane gas by processing waste materials

A method for producing methane gas by processing waste material consisting essentially of:

• a. placing organic waste material into a first tank and a second tank, the first tank being interconnected by a conduit with the second tank for limited liquid waste material flow thereto and for full ion flow therebetween, the conduit being of a size small enough with respect to the capacity of the tanks to prevent any substantial flow of slurry between said first tank and said second tank and to prevent the introduction of any substantial amount of oxygen into said first tank and large enough to allow the free passage of ions, the level of liquid waste material being above the interconnecting conduit;
• b. introducing an anaerobic bacterial inoculent into the first tank to interact with waste material therein;
• c. introducing an aerobic bacterial inoculent into the second tank to interact with waste material therein;
• d. positioning a cathode electrode in the first tank, said cathode being the only electrical terminal within said first tank;
• e. positioning an anode electrode in the second tank to effect an electrolysis reaction with the cathode in the first tank by ion flow through the conduit therebetween, said anode being the only electrical terminal within said second tank;
• f. applying an electrical current to said electrodes;
• g. collecting methane produced in the first tank;
• h. continuously supplying fresh waste material to the first tank;
• i. continuously transferring waste material which has interacted with the anaerobic bacteria from the first tank to the second tank;
• and
• j. continuously removing waste material from the second tank after interaction with aerobic bacteria therein.