Some science projects prove that a stinky hill can be the source of clean energy.
The leavings of bovines were once merely squishy obstacles for the unwary, but the ingenuity of man has transformed their foul wastes into fertilizer and fuel. In a world looking to green energy, cow dung is the gold mine of renewable resources. As a science project topic, manure methane might seem silly, but the same youthful creativity behind it could one day lead to a way to sustain the energy needs of a resource-hungry planet.
Projects Making Methane
Projects in which students make methane from manure work around the same basic principle. Students blend manure with biological agents and allow it to digest in a closed container until the mixture releases methane, which is captured for fuel. Though the premise is the same, blueprints vary, so it is wise to review several of the plans on the Internet to discover which one most closely matches your available resources. Ensure that your sources of manure are from free-range animals that have not fed on antibiotics.
Pet Powered Methane Projects
Pet-powered methane projects are a variant of methane from manure projects in which the source of manure comes from a household pet. Viable sources include cats, dogs or rabbits, but most mammal waste will work as long as the pet has not been recently dosed with antibiotics. As an additional challenge, the students can vary the pet's diet to discover if the amount of methane produced over a set period changes with the change in dietary nutrients.
Projects Using Methane as Fuel
For an enterprising and ambitious science project, students can utilize the methane created from manure digestion for a simple but useful commonplace process. Some possible examples include using the methane as fuel for a stove, to burn in a water heater or even to drive an electrical generator. In the latter example, you could even use the electrical power to run an animal feeder and bring the process full circle. Some projects, such as the "Poo Powered PlayStation" use methane-generated electricity to power televisions and video games.
Experimental Manure Methane Projects
Experimental manure methane projects require a thorough understanding of the fundamentals of how methane digestion works. In these projects, the student redesigns some aspect of the digestion process or apparatus to discover mechanisms to maximize methane output. These projects will require extended trial and error and careful record keeping across a long period of time, so only the most dedicated students should attempt projects of this type. Some suggested experimental projects include utilizing native versus non-native bacteria for digestion, extending the cross sectional area of the digestion chamber and utilizing natural heat (such as focused sunlight) to speed the process.
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