Engineer: RCM International
Owner: Castelanelli Brothers Dairy
Project: Anaerobic Digester Cover & Lagoon Liner
Size: 140,760 SF / 32,844 SF for 1600 milking Cows
Material: 60 mil HDPE Cover
Installer: Environmental Fabrics, Inc.
Castelanelli Bros. Dairy. Wastewater Treatment Improvements.
Lodi, California, September 2004
Castelanelli Bros. Dairy is an 80-year-old family owned dairy with 1600 milking cows. Manure from the dairy was collected in an earthen lagoon. This operation caused unpleasant odors, collected weed seeds, and emitted greenhouse gases.
In an effort to establish itself as an environmental leader in California, Castelanelli Bros. Dairy selected the RCM Digesters for the engineering and construction of a biodigester to solve these issues and to generate their own power utilizing a renewable fuel source. This ranch now complies with the California dairy net metering law A2228. The project has been funded in part by USDA’s Rural Business Cooperative Service through their Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Grant Programs, Western United Resource Development, California Public Utilities Commission’s Self Generation Incentive Program. Bacteria present in the digester break down volatile solids in the manure, which generates the methane gas which is then combusted in engines/generator sets. They produce approximately 160kW of continuous electrical output.
The material used for all of the anaerobic lagoon covers was 60 mil HDPE manufactured by Recubrimientos e Impermeabilizaciones SL Ltda. A cover ballast weight system, and a biogas collection system under the cover, were also installed as a part of the system.
Environmental Fabrics, Inc. of Gaston, SC was chosen for the fabrication and installation of the cover and biogas system. Since being placed in operation, the cover system has functioned as designed and with minimal maintenance.
