Design of a biodigester as an alternative for energy diversification at the EXIBAL Cía. Ltda. plant.

Abstract

Exibal CIA. LTDA. faces significant challenges related to rising energy costs and its dependence on conventional energy sources, which affects its competitiveness and sustainability. This study addresses this problem by designing a biodigester as a self-sufficient energy production solution. The quantitative and applied research focused on evaluating the alternative energy sources available at the plant and determining its energy requirements. The methodology included identifying and quantifying the organic matter (pig manure) available at the company, analyzing the thermal demand, and comparing different energy technologies using a weighting matrix. The results demonstrated that biomass is the most viable source, obtaining the highest score compared to LPG, solar, and wind energy. The plant's energy requirements for the kitchen area are approximately 800 kWh/month. The trapezoidal biodigester design, combined with the geomembrane, fully supplies these areas with a 42% surplus. The study concludes that the implementation of a biodigester is a technically and environmentally suitable alternative to diversify the plant's energy matrix and improve the management of organic waste.