CONSTRUCTION OF A DIDACTIC BIODIGESTOR FOR THE SCIENCE STATION OF ITAIPU TECHNOLOGICAL PARK

Abstract

The present work describes the construction of a didactic biodigester for the production of biogas to be used at the Science Station - Itaipu Technological Park, destined for primary education students. The biodigesters produce biogas employing anaerobic bacteria that perform the digestion of waste, such as food waste, decomposed organic matter, among others. In addition to biogas, another by-product of anaerobic digestion is the biofertilizer, used in agriculture as a nutrient-rich substrate for plants and vegetables. The final objective of the project is to obtain a standardized biodigester model, which will not be used for large-scale production, but rather as an experimental bench model, fostering the knowledge, technology, and teaching of renewable energies in different environments. The focus of this research is to promote the knowledge diffusion, presenting to educators a form of science education in a simple, didactic, visual and experienced way. The primary science education, precisely the teaching of alternative forms of energy production, constitutes a crucial aspect in the popularization of science, in dynamic learning, looking for the awareness of the importance of renewable energies and in reducing the environmental impact caused by individuals in the environment. In addition to the study, a didactic model of biodigester was elaborated, and a didactic primer was developed for students of primary education in order to expand and streamline knowledge about alternative sources of energy, in this case, biogas.