WHO PUT THE DUMP IN DOMPOASE?
Louis, Jeremy, and Bob made a trip out to the site of the Fecal Sludge (FS) to Biodiesel Plant. It is located at the municipal landfill managed by the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) at Dompoase, on the southeast side of town. We took our machetes with us to cut down the bush at the site, as well as to assist us in case we ran into any snakes. The photo on the right shows a “road kill” IBC (intermediate bulk container) that was unable to get out of the way of a sludge delivery truck.
ANAEROBIC DIGESTERS IN-PROCESS
The “fermentation” side of our plant consists of twelve ten thousand liter concrete digestion tanks. These are called “Puxin” type digesters, and we will be loading them with untreated fecal sludge in order to extract lipids and create biogas. On the left are the gas collectors – fiberglass domes that sit in the neck of the digester to collect the produced gas.
RAINY SEASON MEANS BUSH
Jeremy, Louis, and Bob made their way from the main gate down to the site through a lot of bush and some fairly deep water. Bob was thankful for the “Wellies” he had bought for 18 cedis (~US$9) the day before.
TAXI TIME
We travel by taxi a fair amount of the time. They comfortably hold four passengers plus the driver and cost 15 cedis per hour (~US$7.50). This photo is the result of five of us squeezing into a taxi, leaving Lauren no where to reasonably put her arm – or maybe she’s just channeling Marilyn Monroe. On the right is Kartik, our fearless leader from Columbia – unseen on the left and right are Jeremy and Justin.
SUAME MAGAZINE
Suame Magazine is a place not a publication. Anna led Lauren and Bob on a search for parts through the maze of recycled materials, workshops, and support businesses. In case you’re in the market for a used engine, this is your place!
THOSE WHO WILL SURVIVE COLLAPSE
This is a metal working shop in the magazine. Bob spoke to them about custom fabrication of a jacketed stainless steel tank – the response? “Here’s one we built for another client, where’s your sketch?” Most of their work is for local food producers – palm oil and the like.
STEERING WHEELS R US
From steering wheels to fabric to pipe, it’s all to be found here….somewhere. Ask and you shall receive….directions. On the right you can see the obruni (white guy) with his trusty sidekick and taxi guy Eric (in the orange shirt) bargaining for some 2 inch hose – used of course!
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