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.