CARMHA, BIOGAS and PROCESS
CARMHA – Covered Anaerobic Reactor Methane Harvesting Activities.
Lotic encourage the use of CARMHA - Using CARMHA will bring good returns.
Biogas can be generated from any high strength organic waste. Typical composition of biogas is:
| Gas | Percent (% ) |
| Methane, CH4 | 50 - 75 |
| Carbon Dioxide CO2 | 25 - 50 |
| Trace (N2, H2S, O2, H2) |
Methane is equivalent to 21100 yrs times carbon dioxide and is most likely higher. Using CARMHA will bring the following returns:
- Reduces CO2e emissions – a positive effect on reducing global warming and thus improving the environment
- Generates CO2e for carbon trading – a potential financial gain
- Optional energy generation – reduced operating costs
The climate change debate offers a wakeup call to much of the traditional engineering thinking and approach to the practical solution of wastewater treatment problems. Engineers are ideally positioned to be leading in both the debate and implementation of practical outcomes.
There are a range of anaerobic processes that lead to a cost effective removal of between 60% and 80% of the organic load with minimum energy use. They can also lead to being an energy generator. Too often wastewater engineers look to the activated sludge (AS) process as the primary treatment process without recognising that this is an energy intensive solution.
Lotic aims to bring the opportunity to be responsible citizens in the climate change battle to authorities proposing new treatment plants. It is our belief that the majority of major sewage treatment plants could cost effectively retrofit a roughing anaerobic process upstream.
Internationally anaerobic treatment is increasingly recognized as the core method of advanced technology for environmental protection and resource preservation. Australia can also be a leader in this advanced technology of which Lotic is prepared to play its part.
In addition to energy saving, an upstream anaerobic process also has advantages such as:
- robust process
- sludge management
- ease of operation
- downstream process reliability
Lotic feel strongly that justification should be required for not using an appropriately designed anaerobic process for wastewater treatment, before the traditional AS process is adopted.
