A rare snowstorm caused significant damage across many parts of Central and Southern China, drawing widespread attention from the government and the public. People in the affected areas are working hard to overcome challenges and gradually resume their daily lives and production activities.
After the heavy snowfall, many household biogas digesters froze and stopped producing gas, creating a serious energy shortage in some regions. In such situations, quickly restarting biogas production is crucial for meeting post-disaster energy needs.
It's common for biogas output to drop during winter or even go into hibernation. While it’s not difficult to revive a dormant biogas system, the real challenge lies in overcoming the misconception that biogas doesn’t work in cold weather. The key is to find ways to reactivate the system and ensure continuous gas production.
Here’s a practical method to help restart your biogas digester:
First, remove about half of the slurry from the digester. Then, cover it with a thick layer of straw (10–20 cm), followed by a black plastic sheet. Place a transparent film on top and secure it with ropes. Surround the area with soil or sand to create an insulating barrier. This helps retain heat and promotes microbial activity.
Next, prepare new organic material if available. If not, you can reuse the removed slurry after re-inoculating it. To do this, dig a small pit, lay down a black film, place the raw material on it, add bacteria-rich materials like manure or soil, and mix in warm water. Cover with a transparent film and let it sit for 5–10 days until it starts producing gas. Once ready, transfer it back into the digester.
Close the inlet and outlet valves again. If possible, use a pump to circulate the slurry once a day for around 30 minutes, or manually stir it by removing and reinserting the liquid. Be careful not to do this during cold hours—preferably at noon when temperatures are higher.
If you have plenty of dry manure or straw, you can pile them on top of the existing layer, sprinkle a little water to aid decomposition, and allow them to heat up naturally. This will help raise the temperature inside the digester.
During winter, keep these tips in mind:
1. Avoid putting cold waste directly into the digester. Pre-ferment it first to increase its temperature before adding.
2. Do not feed or empty the digester during cold periods, especially in the morning or at night, or during rain or snow.
3. Don’t add dry manure directly—mix it with moisture first.
To improve biogas performance in winter:
1. Add enough raw material at once to minimize the need for frequent additions of cold material.
2. Implement insulation measures ahead of time using the methods described above.
3. Regularly check gas pipelines and joints to prevent leaks caused by temperature changes.
Another effective strategy is to build biogas digesters inside enclosed greenhouses or construct small greenhouses over existing systems. This can significantly boost annual gas production, regardless of the region.
In conclusion, with proper care and management, biogas systems can still operate efficiently even in winter. It just requires a bit more attention and the right techniques to keep things running smoothly.
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