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Jean Pain was a self taught Frenchman who designed a means of achieving (at least partial) [[energy]] autonomy, using inexpensive [[biomass]] fuel, with a mere mound.
Jean Pain was a self taught Frenchman who designed a means of achieving (at least partial) [[energy]] autonomy, using inexpensive [[biomass]] fuel, with a mere mound.
==The principle==
==The principle==
Pile a mound of vegetable waste and wait : after a while, an anaerobic fermentation will take place, emitting heat and smell. The smell is methane gas. After a further wait, the mound will turn into a fertilizing [[compost]].
Pile a mound of vegetable waste and wait : after a while, an anaerobic fermentation will take place, emitting heat and smell. After a further wait, the mound will turn into a fertilizing [[compost]].


Now grind the material in bits 2-3 mm thick. Build the mound; the aerobic fermentation taking place is odourless and yields more heat.
Now grind the material in bits 2-3 mm thick. Build the mound; the aerobic fermentation taking place is odourless and yields more heat.
Jean Pain simply placed ground material inside a steel tank fitted with a pipe; the tank was in turn placed into a ground material mound.
Jean Pain simply placed ground material inside a steel tank fitted with a pipe; the tank was in turn placed into a ground material mound.
==What does he get out of this ?==
==What does he get out of this ?==
* [[Methane]]. The pipe from the tank drives the methane produced in anaerobic fermentation to truck ainner tubes to be stocked. Enough gas is produced to cook and power a (small french) car.
* [[Methane]]. The pipe from the tank drives the methane produced in anaerobic fermentation to truck ainner tubes to be stocked. Enough gas is produced to cook and power a (small french) car.

Revision as of 09:12, 21 October 2012

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Introduction

Jean Pain was a self taught Frenchman who designed a means of achieving (at least partial) energy autonomy, using inexpensive biomass fuel, with a mere mound.

The principle

Pile a mound of vegetable waste and wait : after a while, an anaerobic fermentation will take place, emitting heat and smell. After a further wait, the mound will turn into a fertilizing compost.

Now grind the material in bits 2-3 mm thick. Build the mound; the aerobic fermentation taking place is odourless and yields more heat. Jean Pain simply placed ground material inside a steel tank fitted with a pipe; the tank was in turn placed into a ground material mound.

What does he get out of this ?

  • Methane. The pipe from the tank drives the methane produced in anaerobic fermentation to truck ainner tubes to be stocked. Enough gas is produced to cook and power a (small french) car.
  • Hot water. An additional copper tube is coiled around the tanks ; water runs through it and gets hot with the heat that both aerobic and anaerobic fermentation provide. Enough to use for sanitation and house heating.
  • Compost that can be used for home farming or sold.

External links

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