Kingdom of Bahrain

Ministry of Education
The GLOBE program
Sh. Abdul Aziz Bin Mohammed Boys Secondary School

Done by: Salman Abdulhameed Bucheeri

All rights reserved; no part of this production may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system,
transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the publisher
2
 3

Abstract:

Biogas is a flammable gas. It used to heat

and light homes, to cook, and even to fuel buses.
The energy that the bio-gas produces is called bio-
energy.

Biogas is usually produced in mammals as

they digest their food. Biogas is also produced in
bogs and wetlands where large amounts of rotting
vegetation may accumulate.

Biogas consists mostly of a gas called

methane, which is the same as "natural gas",
commonly burned in our furnaces and barbecues.
Biogas can be used instead of natural gas for
heating and cooking, and instead of petrol in some
certain vehicles.

Due to the
importance of the
biogas, humans have
learned to duplicate this
process in large tanks
called biogas generators.
A simple method in
building the biogas
generator will be shown
in this report.
 4

Hypothesis:

Earth needs a new source of energy. People

have been using oil and gas for almost decades, and
since oil and gas need around million of years to
form, the amount of oil and gas is decreasing day
after day.

Ethanol and methanol are alcohols that can

be made from plant fibers. Alcohol is produced by
feeding plant materials into a large heated tank
(Digesters). Inside the digesters, chemicals are
added in order to change the plants materials into
alcohol (ethanol and methanol).

Both ethanol and methanol make excellent

fuels for cars and trucks. In fact ethanol is used in
the engines for Formula 1 racing cars. Ethanol
burns very cleanly and delivers more power than
gasoline.

Another way for

producing a flammable gas is
the mammals, including the
human. Bacteria living in their
digestive system (Escherichia
coli) produce methane as they
break down cellulose present
in the food. The produced gas Escherichia coli
(methane) is called biogas.
 5

Biogas is also produced in bogs and

wetlands where large amounts of rotting vegetation
may accumulate.

Humans have duplicated this process in

large tanks called biogas generator. Plant materials
and animal wastes are mixed with water in the
biogas generator; the plant materials will provide
many kinds of bacteria. The tank is then sealed.
And within days a special kind of bacteria
(methanogenic) will begin to produce biogas
(methane).

Another source of biogas is landfills. At the

landfill site, large mounds of garbage are buried
under the surface. Bacteria break some of the
garbage down and can produce large amounts of
biogas.

Animal waste + Plants = BIOGAS

 6
Research method:

In this project an eighteen liter water

container is used as the digester. A mixture of water
and animal manure will generate the methane,
which will be collected in a plastic balloon. The
eighteen liter water container performs the same
task as the stomach of a livestock animal by
providing the warm, wet conditions favored by the
bacteria that make the methane.

The apparatus:

Materials:
• Eighteen liter water container
• Large Mylar helium balloon
• Copper tubing
• Vinyl tubing
• T connecter
• Ball valve
• 6-8L manure pellets (goat, sheep, llama,
rabbit, or other ruminant)
 7
Preparing the biogas collection system:

• Insert the copper tubing in the Mylar

balloon. Then securely tape the neck of
the balloon to the tube.
• Fix the T connector in the bottle’s cap.
Add few drops of hot glue around the T
connector in order to seal it.
• Cut two sections of vinyl tubing, each
25cm long. Use them to connect the
balloon to the T connector, and to connect
the ball valve to the T connector.
• Assemble the rest of the gas collection
system according to the diagram below.

Preparing the manure mixture:

 8

• Insert the manure in the bottle.

• Add enough water to bring the level close
to the top of the water bottle.
• Use the stick to stir up the manure and
water mixture, releasing any bubbles of air
that might be trapped.

Final set-up:

• Snap the cap onto the top of the

manure-filled 18 liter water bottle.
• Be sure the ball valve is closed, but that
gas moving from the water bottle can
pass freely through the T-adapter to the
balloon.
• Set the biogas generator in a warm
location, such as over a heat register or
radiator or in a sunlit window. If the
biogas generator is placed in a window,
be sure to wrap the outside of the
container in black plastic or
construction paper, to discourage algae
from growing inside the bottle.

Data summary:
 9

For the first few weeks, the biogas

generator will produce mainly carbon dioxide.
When the aerobic bacteria use up all the oxygen
inside the bottle, the anaerobic bacteria, which
make methane, can take over. It can take up to a
month for the generator to start making biogas with
enough methane to be flammable.

Biogas can be easily made, even at one’s

house. One will not need to use natural gas; one
can make one’s own gas in the backyard.

The bigger the generator, the larger the

amount of biogas produced. Therefore, this project
could be practiced on a wide scale in farms, and
produce large amounts of gas.

Bibliography:
 10

• http://www.ees.adelaide.edu.au/ ( Faculty
of Science – School of Earth &
Environmental Sciences)
• http://www.methanol.org/ (Methanol
Institute)
• http://www.greenfuels.org/ (Canadian
Renewable Fuels Association)
• http://www.pembina.org/ (The Pembina
Institute for Appropriate Development)
• http://www.agen.ufl.edu/ (Agricultural &
Biological Engineering)
• http://www.seedtree.org/biogas.html
(Biogas)
• http://web.idrc.ca/panasia/ (Pan Asia
Networking)
• http://www.habmigern2003.info/biogas/bio
gas.html (Biogas in The Modern World)
• http://www.biogas.co.uk/ (Biogas
Technology Ltd)
• http://diggy.ruc.dk/handle/1800/363 (The
Development of Biogas Technology in
Denmark: Achievements & Obstacles)
• http://www.ganesha.co.uk/Articles/Biogas
%20Technology%20in%20India.htm
(Biogas in India)

A special Thanks To:

 11
• H.E.Dr. Majid Bin Ali Al Nuaimi (The
Minister of Education)
• Mrs. Zakeya Ahmed Ali (GLOBE
Bahrain, Regional coordinator)
• Mr. Hassan Taradah (GLOBE head-
teacher in Sh. Abdul Aziz Bin
Mohammed Al-Khalifa Boys Secondary
school)
• My Family and friends.

Yours truly,

Salman Abdulhameed Bucheeri

 12

All rights reserved for Salman Abdulhameed Bucheeri©

GLOBE Bahrain logo designed by Ammar Al Sadiq
2005