Application and development of biogas technology for the treatment of waste in China

China has a long history of utilizing biogas technology for the treatment of waste and the production of energy. This paper reviews the development and technology of the three types of biogas digesters used in China: household-scale digesters, biogas septic tanks, and biogas plants for the treatment of municipal, industrial, and agricultural waste. The structure of household-scale digesters is simple and practical; the basic type is the fixed-dome digester, also called the hydraulic digester. The biogas septic tank for sewage treatment is a combination of the traditional digester, an anaerobic filter, and a facultative filter.