Equipment
AD Pumps & Mixers
Pumps and mixers keep an AD plant's biology and material transfer working — selecting and installing them around the actual duty matters as much as choosing the digester.
6 min readRead Guide
Equipment
Pipework for Farm Anaerobic Digestion Plants: What Needs to Be Considered?
Pipework is easy to underrate on paper and expensive to get wrong on site. Here's what actually goes into planning it properly.
5 min read · Reviewed September 2026
Quick Answer
AD pipework needs to move slurry, digestate and other process materials reliably between tanks and equipment. Pipe diameter, material, route, elevation, bends, valves, pumping requirements, protection and future maintenance all need to be considered. The shortest route is not always the best route.
Key Points
- Slurry, digestate, water, gas and drainage may all need their own pipework
- Every bend and fitting adds resistance the pump has to overcome
- Buried and above-ground routes each have trade-offs worth weighing
- Trenches for multiple services should be planned and dug together
What pipework might an AD plant need?
Depending on the system: slurry, digestate, process water, drainage, gas and other services — different duties require different design considerations, not a one-size pipe spec.
Why does route matter, and what about bends?
A route affects pipe length, pumping requirement, number of bends, excavation, crossings and maintenance access. Every bend, fitting and restriction contributes resistance to flow, which affects the pressure the pump must overcome — which is exactly why pump selection and pipework design need to be considered together, not separately.
Buried or above ground?
Both approaches have advantages depending on the service and site. Buried routes can protect services and keep the working farm clear, but need careful planning because future access is more difficult. Above-ground sections can be more accessible but may require protection and supports.
Valves and coordinating trenches
Isolation matters — a system should allow appropriate sections or equipment to be isolated for maintenance without creating unnecessary operational problems. If the site needs slurry pipe, digestate pipe, electrical ducts, control cables and drainage, it's sensible to coordinate all those routes before excavation begins, rather than repeatedly digging across the same working farm.
Maintenance matters more than the installation photo
A neat installation photograph isn't the end goal — the system needs to remain practical for years. Pipework should be designed with inspection, isolation, repair and replacement in mind from day one.
Frequently Asked Questions
Sources
Related AD Guides
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PLANNING AN AD INSTALLATION?
Need help with the practical side of an AD project?
Charlie Bell Building supports farm-scale anaerobic digestion installations from site preparation and groundworks through to equipment installation and commissioning support.