5.2 Energy Sources and Power Plant Engineering | PG: 57 BIO-ENERGY > 5.1 “INTRODUCTION - BIOMASS AND BIOGAS : Biomass is re. enerative organic material used for energy (Bio energy) Broduction. Sources of istess Tas] RaTSTe se erate (Bio energy) aquatic (grow in water) vegetation, agricultural and forestry residues and municipal and animal waste. Biomass is produced in nature through Photosynthesis (biological conversion of solar energy into chemical energy) achieved by solar energy. Biomass can be burned directly or converted into gaseous or.liquid fuels Biomass conversion into energy : Direct combustion is the main process used for utilizing biomass eneray In a direct combustion process, the biomass is burned within a boiler The heat energy released is used for cooking, space heating, industrial processes and for generating electrical energy. This method is inefficient with heat transfer losses about 60% Biogas generation : In biological conversion process (anaerobic digestion) biomass is decomposed in the absence of oxygen to produce biogas. This method gives an additional advantage of producing fertiliser as a byproduct 45.1.1 Composition of Biogas : The composition of biogas is given below Methane (CH,) = 55 - 65% Carbondioxide (CO,) = 30-40% Hydrogen sulphide (H,S) = Traces. Biogas is lighter than air and its ignition temperature is 700°C. It is a slow burning gas with clear blue flame similar to that of LPG gas. It has 5.1.2 Properties of Biogas : q | |( power generation. 5.1.4 Advantages and Disadvantages of Bio-energy Systems : Cae : v 1. The initial investment is low. 2. Conversion techniques are simple and can be readily used in the rural areas. 3.» Biogas can be distributed through pipe for domestic use 4, Reduction in CO, level in atmosphere Disadvantages : @ 1. Requires large land areas ee on is high. 2. Cost of energy produc 3. Uneconomical to store and transport * 4, “predate pollution)if not designed properly. ae P > 5.2 BIOMASS CONVERSION : Sal e following techniques. - Biomass energy production uses th ~ (i) Direct combustion of biomass. e (ii). Thermal conversion in which biomass is heated in the presence of “ fe reactive gases to produce fuel gases and oils. e (iii) Biochemical conversion in which microbial processes breakdown the bicmass into simple chemicals such as.alcohols. 0 cho _ 5.2.1 Direct combustion : 3 -omplete combustion, 4 to produce burned to ¢ vy released is use electricity e biomass is mal energ the generation of Ina direct combustion process, th ally within a boiler. The ther for process heating or for S.é eee biomass is reacted in atmosphere containing less pee ie air theoretically required for complete combustion. The product is a gas which contains CO and H, as well as other hydro carbon gases and it has medium heating value. The gas may be used directly as a fuel or may be upgraded to substitute natural gas o Biomass gasification takes places in a1. atmosphere containing 20% to 50% of the oxygen theoretical required for complete combustion. If air is used in the process, the product gas contain H,, CO, CO, and N,, and it has a low heating value. If the process uses oxygen, the product gas does not contain N,, and has a medium heating value. 5.2.3 Biochemical Conversion Processes : See ae Biochemical process include anaerobic digestion and fermentation: Anaerobic digestion employs microbes to decompose biomass in the absence of oxygen to produce a gas with medium heating value. It contains methane (CHy) and carbon dioxide (CO,). Fermentation employs microbes to decompose starches and sugars contained in biomass into ethanol. Ethanol may be directly used as a fuel or it may “be converted into other organic fuels >> 5.3) BIOGAS GENERATION : of 55-65% methane, 30-40% carbon dioxide and other impurities such as H,, H,S and N, and can be produced from the decomposition of animal, plant and human waste. It is a clean but slow burning gas and has a calorific value of 38131 kJ/m’. Cowdung is the major materials F from which biogas (gobargas) is produced. However, pig dung and poultry droppings are effectively used for biogas generation - Biogas is produced by digestion, pyrolysis or hydro-gasification, Digestion piolegical process that takes place in the absence of oxygen and in nce of anaerobic organisms at ambient pressures and temperatures The container used for digestion process is called digester. Biogas consistser 5 || Blo-Energy i BIOGAS PLANTS : The plants used for production of biogas are mainly classified aoa i) Aontinuous and batch type i The dome and drum type’) » > / eomee! li) Different variations in the drum type =. . / 5.4.1 Continuous and Batch Type Biogas Plant : In continuous plant there is a single digester in which the 1#4 materials are charged regularly and the process goes on without inlerrupuo for repair and cleaning. In batch plant the materials are charged between intervals and the plant is emptied once the process of digestion is complete xcept Pp 5.4.2 Dome and Drum Type Biogas Plant The dome and drum type digesters are designed in numerous models. However the following types are most commonly used A (i) The floating gas holder plant, and (ii) Fixed dome digester /54.2.Y/ Floating Type Digester : ss it as Biogas is produced by digestion, which is al biological procesk that occurs In thebsence of oxygen and in the presence of anaerobic organisms al atmospheric pressure and temperature of 35-70°C.,The container in which this di 1 takes place is known as the digester, Fig. 5.1 shows the cross section of\biogas diagestey It consists two main parts li) Digester or pit (ii) Gas dome (gas collector) Ss) 7 ta Digester is a pit, dug below the ground level. The depth of pit varies from 3.5 to 6m and diameter trom 1.5 m to 6 metres. The dimensions of diagester ‘depends on the gas-generating capacity: Partition wall'at the centre divides the pil into two vertical compartments. The bottom atthe pit is finished with cement - concrete basement. There are two slanting cement pipes which enters “nto the pit on either side of the partition. On pipe (inlet pipe) convey the slurry (dung and water in 4:5 ratio) to the botfom 6 the pitand the other ‘ pipe (discharge pipe) discharges the fermented slurry into a outlet chamber The outlet chamber is below the level of the inlet chamber a arenEnergy Sources and Power Plant Engineering As soon as the fermentation of dung picks up, the generation of ga: starts and is accumulated ithe dome which is a hemispherical roof ofthe digester Dome is fabricated from mild steel sheets_When sufficient ges is "accumulated iTcan be > tapped through a pipe provided at the top yp of gas holder (dome) “Biogas finds great applications in cooking and lighting. The use of biogas improves sanilary conditions and also prevent the environment pollution Eons ] INLET TANK ‘ DOME (GAS HOLDER) GROUND LEVEL oumter | S553) TANK er eel Vinge pe eis 9 2:9} CONCRETE BASE PARTITION WALL | fees ies 53 shoes Digester 5a Fined Dome Digester : “In the fixed dome digester, (Fig. 5.2), the gas holder and the digester are combined, It is built below ground level and'is best suited for batch process. | The gas generated is taken out from the top. A movable man hole-cover sealed with clay is provided at the top DISPLACEMENT TANK OUTLET PIPE SLURRY Fig. 5.2 Fixed Dome DigesterBiodigester is commonly known as the biogas plant. The differences between floating drum and fixed dome digesters are given below. 1. Floating drum type digester has constant pressure whereas fixed dome type has variable gas pressure 2. Floating drum type digester has more cost as compared to fixed dome type digester. 3. Floating drum type digester involves corrosion problems while there is no such problems in fixed dome type digester 4. The life of floating drum type digester is less than the life of fixed dome type digester A »> 5.5. _MATERIALS USED FOR BIOGAS GENERATION : The following materials are used for generation of biogas 1. Animal waste such as Cattle dung, poultry droppings, elephant and pig dung Human waste sugar cam trash, bagasse, fruit and vegetable processing waste 3. Agricultural waste which include aquatic and terrestial crop residue, Waste of aquatic origin, and Industrial waste. | : >> 5.6 CAPACITY OF BIOGAS q | s. The optimum Digestion tanks are provided with a cover to retain the ga size of biogas plant depends on > the volume of waste to be digested daily _ { waste available for digestion consistently. the type and amount o' period of digestion climatic conditions of the region _ WV VOV type of the cover, etc. The capacity of the digestion tank may’be expressed as Capacity = [4%] et 3000802828092 897284682808080 080808982838 8 |» Energy Sources and Power Plant Engineering where V.= Volume of raw waste added daily V, = Volume of waste after digestion t = Period of digestion, in days. Der STARTING OF BIOGAS PLANT : When the construction is over, then it is necessary to decide the feed for digester. If wet cattle dung is kept for anaerobic digestion mixing with water ind: {ratio at 37°C, the usual gas pr duction starts on 20th day; but if the influent is mixed with effluent’ slurry then the gas production Starts earlier. The gas. production rate is increased with increasing the quantity of efficient slurry. If the digester is fed with agricultural residues, the gas having more than 50% methane can be obtained only within 2-days of starting the digester. Utilisation of biogas : The main products of the biogas plant are fuel gas and organic manure. Biogas is a flammable gas and it is used for cooking, lighting, operating small engines. The power generated by biogas plant may be used for pumping water.