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Types of Biogas digesters

SNSCE/ EEE/RES/ UNIT-4/P.SANGEETHA

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Purpose and Outcome

Purpose : To understand the essential of biogas
digesters.

Outcome: Students will understand about the

importance of biogas digesters and its usage.

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BIOGAS PLANT
✔Biogas plant is an airtight container that facilitates
fermentation of material under anaerobic condition.
✔Other names given to this device are ‘Biogas Digester’,
‘Biogas Reactor’, ‘Methane Generator’ and ‘Methane Reactor
✔Recycling and treatment of organic wastes (biodegradable
material) through anaerobic digestion (fermentation)
technology not only provides biogas as a clean and convenient
fuel but also an excellent and enriched bio-manure.
✔The BGP also acts as mini bio-fertilizer factory; hence some
people refer it as ‘Biogas fertilizer plant’ or ‘Bio-manure plant’
✔Anaerobic digestion of organic matter produces a mixture of
methane (CH4) and carbon dioxide (CO2) gas that can be used
as a fuel for cooking, lighting, mechanical power and the
generation of electricity, or a replacement for other fuels.
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CLASSIFICATION
Classification of biogas plants depends upon the plants
design and mode of working. One common way to classify
them is
BIOGAS
PLANT

Batch type plant Continuous type plant

Floating Gas Holder Fixed Dome

Biogas Plant: Biogas
Plant

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BATCH TYPE BIOGAS

PLANT
a) Batch type biogas plants are appropriate where daily
supplies of raw waste materials are difficult to be obtained.
b) Batch type plant is charged at 50-60 day intervals
c) Once charged, it starts supplying the gas after 8-10 days
and continuous to do so for about 40-50 days till the
process of digestion is completed. Afterwards it is emptied
and recharged.
d) Gas production in batch type is uneven.
e) Several digesters occupy more space.
f) This type of plants require large volume of digester,
therefore, initial cost becomes high.
g) Such plants are installed in european countries.
h) Donot suit the conditions in indian rural areas

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CONTINOUS TYPE BIOGASS PLANT

⮚In continuous type biogas plant, the supply of the gas is
continuous and the digester is fed with biomass regularly.
⮚Plant operates continuously and is stopped only for
maintenance or for sludge removal.
⮚The gas produced is stored in the plant or in a separate gas
holder.
⮚The period during which the biomass remains in the digester is
known as The retention period
⮚The thin dry layer often formed at the top of the slurry is
known as scum.
⮚This type of plant are very popular in India and China.

⮚Other features:
I.Retention period is less
II.Less problems as compared to batch type.
III.Small digestionSNSCE/
chambers are required
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OPERATIONAL PARAMETERS OF A
BIOGAS PLANT
Operation of a bio gas plant is affected by a no. of factors::-
A.Temperature
▪ Methane- forming bacteria works best in temp. ranges 20-55 C
▪ Digestion at higher temp. proceeds more rapidly than at lower
temp.
▪ The gas production decreases sharply below 20 C and almost
stops at 10 C
B.Pressure
▪ A minimum pressure of 6-10cm of water column i.e, 1.2 bar is
ideal for proper functioning.
▪ It should never be alllowed to exceed 40-50 cm of water
column.
▪ Excess pressure inhibits release of gas from slurry and leakage
in masonry. SLIDE 7/27
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C.Solid to moisture ratio in the biomass

▪ If water content is too high, the mean slurry temp. and gas
production drops.
▪ If water content is too low, acids accumulate and hinder
fermentation process.

D.pH value
▪ In initial acid forming stage, pH value may be around 6 or less.
▪ During methane forming stage, pH value 6.5 to 7.5 is
maintained.

E. Feeding rate
▪ Faster feeding rate will not help in increase gas production.
▪ At higher feeding rate the retention period will be less and
undigested Slurry may come out.
▪ So optimum feed rate should be maintained.
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F. Carbon to nitrogen ratio

The optimum C/N ratio is 30:1 for maximum microbiological
activity.
G. Seeding of biomass with bacteria
▪ To start and accelerate the fermentation process, a small
amount of
digested slurry containing a methane forming bacteria is added
to the
freshly charged plant. This process is known as seeding.
▪ Seeding helps to accelerate the starting of the digestion
process.
H. Mixing or stirring
Mixing
▪ Maintains uniformity in substrate concentration,temp,other
environmentel factors
▪ Minimises formation of scum
▪ Prevents the deposition of solids at the bottom
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I. Retention time
▪ Retention time should be optimum to obtain 70-80%
complete
Digestion.

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Fixed dome type of biogas plant

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Raw materials required

Forms of biomass listed below may be used along with
water.
• Animal dung
• Poultry wastes
• Plant wastes ( Husk, grass, weeds etc.)
• Human excreta
• Industrial wastes(Saw dust, wastes from food processing
industries)
• Domestic wastes (Vegetable peels, waste food
materials)

Principle
Biogas is produced as a result of anaerobic decomposition
of biomass in the presence of water.

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Construction
The biogas plant is a brick and cement structure having the
following
five sections:
⚫ Mixing tank present above the ground level.

⚫ Inlet chamber: The mixing tank opens underground into a

sloping inlet chamber.
⚫ Digester: The inlet chamber opens from below into the
digester which is a huge tank with a dome like ceiling. The
ceiling of the digester has an outlet with a valve for the
supply of biogas.
⚫ Outlet chamber: The digester opens from below into an
outlet chamber.
⚫ Overflow tank: The outlet chamber opens from the top into
a small over flow tank
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Working
⚫ The various forms of biomass are mixed with an equal
quantity of water in the mixing tank. This forms the slurry.
⚫ The slurry is fed into the digester through the inlet chamber.
⚫ When the digester is partially filled with the slurry, the
introduction of slurry is stopped and the plant is left unused
for about two months.
⚫ During these two months, anaerobic bacteria present in the
slurry decomposes or ferments the biomass in the presence
of water.
⚫ As a result of anaerobic decomposition, biogas is formed,
which starts collecting in the dome of the digester.
⚫ The pressure exerted by the biogas forces the spent slurry
into the outlet chamber.
⚫ From the outlet chamber, the spent slurry overflows into the
overflow tank.
⚫ The spent slurry is manually removed from the overflow
tank and used as manure for plants.
⚫ The gas valve connected to a system of pipelines is opened
when a supplySNSCE/
of EEE/RES/
biogas is required.
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Floating gas holder type of biogas plant

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The raw materials used and the principle involved are

common to both the types of biogas plants.
Construction
⚫ The floating gas holder type of biogas plant has the following
chambers/ sections:
⚫ Mixing Tank - present above the ground level.
⚫ Digester tank - Deep underground well-like structure. It is
divided into two chambers by a partition wall in between.
⚫ It has two long cement pipes:
i) Inlet pipe opening into the inlet chamber for introduction of
slurry.
ii) Outlet pipe opening into the overflow tank for removal of
spent slurry.
⚫ Gas holder - an inverted steel drum resting above the digester.
The drum can move up and down i.e., float over the digester.
The gas holder has an outlet at the top which could be
connected to gas stoves.
⚫ Over flow tankSNSCE/
- Present above the ground level.
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Working
⚫ Slurry (mixture of equal quantities of biomass and water)
is prepared in the mixing tank.
⚫ The prepared slurry is fed into the inlet chamber of the
digester through the inlet pipe.
⚫ The plant is left unused for about two months and
introduction of more slurry is stopped.
⚫ During this period, anaerobic fermentation of biomass
takes place in the presence of water and produces biogas
in the digester.
⚫ Biogas being lighter rises up and starts collecting in the gas
holder. The gas holder now starts moving up.
⚫ The gas holder cannot rise up beyond a certain level. As
more and more gas starts collecting, more pressure begins
to be exerted on the slurry.
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• The spent slurry is now forced into the outlet chamber from
the top of the inlet chamber.
• When the outlet chamber gets filled with the spent slurry, the
excess is forced out through the outlet pipe into the overflow
tank. This is later used as manure for plants.
• The gas valve of the gas outlet is opened to get a supply of
biogas.
• Once the production of biogas begins, a continuous supply of
gas can be ensured by regular removal of spent slurry and
introduction of fresh slurry.

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COMPARISON
SN.
FEATURE FLOATING DRUM FIXED DOME
1. COST More(due to steel drum) Less
2. CORROSION Yes (likely in steel drum) No
3. MAINTENANCE More Less
∙ Drum requires painting ∙ No steel part is used
∙ Flexible gas pipe requires ∙ Gas pipe is fixed type
replacement
4. THERMAL Bad Good(due to underground
INSULATION construction)
5. SCUM Less likely More likely
TROUBLES
6. GAS High Low
PRODUCTION
PER UNIT
VOLUME OF
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7. SCUM BRAKING By rotation of drum External stirrer is

required

8. LEAKAGE Less likely More likely

9. DANGER OF MIXING No More likely

WITH OXYGEN DUE
TO LEAKAGE,CRACKS

10. GAS PRESSURE constant Variable

11. MASONRY Average skill Specialized, skilled

WORKMANSHIP masonry work
required

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THE END

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