METHANYS
Science
What happens inside the digester, step by step.
Four groups of micro-organisms work in a chain. What one group excretes, the next one eats. Reactions shown are simplified reference equations.
Overall balance (glucose as a model compound)
C₆H₁₂O₆ → 3 CH₄ + 3 CO₂About 70% of methane comes from acetate and about 30% from hydrogen and CO₂ (orders of magnitude, varying with the process). Biogas typically holds 50–70% methane, the rest mainly CO₂.