0. Brainstorm with your group to determine 4 sub-functions of your capstone project.

 
- Storage of gas 
- Size of IBC/ container 
- Production of gas / The right proportions 
- Use of Gas 
 
1. Brainstorm (on Padlet.com) to determine at least 5 feasible alternative solutions for each sub-function 
previously identified and assemble the results in a classification scheme (See reading for examples). 
- Storage of gas 
a. Collection in a balloon 
b. Upside down container over water 
c. Shipping container via. Ms. Mathews 
d. Leave inside tank until its needed 
e. Propane Tank 
- Size of IBC/ container 
a. Small container for more concentrated reaction 
b. Larger container for mass reaction 
c. Funnel-shaped container 
d. Heated tank to speed up reaction times/Greenhouse 
e. Insulated tank to control the temperature 
- Types of manure/ food 
a. Chicken Fecal Matter 
b. Horse Manure 
c. High sugar content vs low sugar content 
d. Cow manure 
e. Deer pellets/Goose Poop 
- Use of Gas 
a. Power Solar Hut on Campus 
b. Exhibition Night BBQ 
c. Leadership BBQ 
d. Bunsen burners in the chemistry lab 
e. classroom 
 
2. Form 3 promising design concepts by combining compatible sub-function alternatives from your 
classification scheme. 
 
● The first design we have in mind to innovate our design is to have a large IBC tank with the cow 
manure as a catalyst for our reaction. We would then use fruits, vegetables, and other food 
scraps from the cafeteria to create our methane and nitrogen-rich fertilizer. This methane would 
then be piped out into a secondary storage container where it would pass through in order to 
remove any H​2​S. After filtering out, the methane would then be bubbled through a manifold and 
into a secondary storage unit made up of 2 cylinders filled with water. This water is used to filter 
out the CO​2​ and get us the purest form of methane.  
 
● The next design concept that we do is place the biodigester inside a greenhouse enclosure that 
would allow us to control the temperature of the chamber at all times throughout the process. 
This gives us the ability to have a constantly warm environment for our chamber to conduct the 
processes faster, even during the colder months of the year. We can use food with a higher sugar 
 concentration because it will decompose faster in warmer temperatures which in turn will speed 
up the reaction. Due to the fact that more methane gas is being produced by the digester, we can 
expand the gas used to far more than an exhibition night barbeque and towards more 
school-wide consumption. 
 
 
● The third design will use different components in all of the parts of the first biogas digester 
described. For the IBC tank, we can use a funnel-shaped container or a smaller sized cube. For 
the collection site of the gas, we can use a small or large balloon depending on the rate of 
reaction. We could also just leave the gas in the container until the need of use. Based on trial 
and error could help us choose the right manure to use. Another group of trial and errors or a 
survey could help us choose the best use to use the gas.  
 
3. Firm up your 3 design concepts by sketching them up in the form of concept drawings. Functionality 
(i.e., how it works) should be clearly indicated in the drawings through the use of labeling and text.