INTRODUCTION

Traditionally, biomass had been utilized through direct combustion.

Cow dung cake is one of the most important and widely used biomass
for the production of daily energy needs. It has been estimated that 2.5
billion people around the world are not being able to access the modern
fuels. They are highly dependable on locally available wood and cow
dung cakes. About nine-tenth of the rural households in India uses
traditional biomass-wood and dung-as a household fuel annually.
Burning of biomass or cow dung cakes through direct combustion
creates indoor air pollution and ultimately contributing to serious health
problems, particularly cancer and respiratory infections. Approximately
half a million premature deaths and nearly 500 million cases of illness
are estimated to occur annually as a result of exposure to smoke
emissions from biomass use by households in India, making indoor
pollution the third leading health risk factor. Biogas represents
renewable source of energy that derives mainly from decomposition of
organic wastes in the absence of oxygen. In India, biogas mainly
produced from cattle dung. The biogas technology is being promoted by
Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, Govt. of India since 1981-82.
Usually it is difficult to understand about biogas technology at once.
Here some questions and answers are listed that are commonly asked by
a new user in the field of biogas technology. This book also includes
method of economics evaluation, address of Biogas Development and
Training Centres and list of state nodal agency that makes users easy to
approach for getting more information about biogas technology.
WHAT IS BIO-GAS PLANT ?

Biogas is a renewable energy source produced by the breakdown of

organic matter by certain bacteria under anaerobic conditions. It is a
mixture of methane, hydrogen, and carbon dioxide. It can be produced
by agricultural waste, food waste, animal dung, manure, and sewage.
The process of biogas production is also known as anaerobic digestion.

Biogas recycles the waste products naturally and converts them into
useful energy, thereby, preventing any pollution caused by the waste in
the landfills, and cutting down the effect of the toxic chemicals released
from the sewage treatment plants.

Biogas converts the harmful methane gas produced during

decomposition, into less harmful carbon dioxide gas.

The organic material decomposes only in a wet environment. The

organic matter or the waste dissolves in water and forms a sludge which
is rich in nutrients and used as a fertilizer.

BIOGAS PRODUCTION PROCESS

The process of bio-gas production is anaerobic in nature and takes place

in two stages. The two stages have been termed as acid formation stage
and methane formation stage. In the acid formation stage, the bio-
degradable complex organic compounds present in the waste materials
are acted upon by a group of acid forming bacteria present in the dung.
Since the organic acids are the main products in this stage, it is known as
acid forming stage. In the second stage, groups of methanogenic bacteria
act upon the organic acids to produce methane gas.

RAW MATERIAL OF BIOGAS PRODUCTION

Although, cattle dung has been recognized as the chief raw material for
bio-gas plants, other materials like night-soil, poultry litter and
agricultural wastes can also be used.

SITE SELECTION OF BIOGAS PLANT

The land should be levelled and at a higher elevation than the

 surroundings to avoid water stagnation
Open Space Available
Soil should not be too loose and should have a bearing strength of 2
kg/cm2
It should be nearer to the intended place of gas use (eg. home or
farm).
It should also be nearer to the cattle shed/ stable for easy handling of
raw materials.
The water table should not be very high.
Adequate supply of water should be there at the plant site. The plant
should get clear sunshine during most part of the day.
The plant site should be well ventilated.
A minimum distance of 1.5m should be kept between the plant and
any wall or foundation.
It should be away from any tree to prevent root interference.
It should be at least 15m away from any well used for drinking water
purpose.

BIO FUEL
Methanol or methyl alcohol.(CH3OH).
blend petrol up to15%
Coal, municipal solid waste.
Ethanol or ethyl alcohol.(CH5OH).
Up to 15% blend with petrol.
Sugar, Starches, Grain.
Biodiesel
 Vegetable oil & animal fat.
Blend with diesel.
Edible oil,sun flower,soyaben oil.
non edible oil, jatropha,karanja.

Energy Platation
Casuarina
Eucalyptus
Sorghums
other (babool etc.).

COMPONENT OF BIOGAS PLANT

Mixing tank - The feed material (dung) is collected in the mixing

tank. Sufficient water is added and the material is thoroughly
mixed till a homogeneous slurry is formed.
Inlet pipe - The substrate is discharged into the digester through the
inlet pipe/tank.
Digester - The slurry is fermented inside the digester and biogas is
produced through bacterial action.
Gas holder or gas storage dome - The biogas gets collected in the
gas holder, which holds the gas until the time of consumption.
Outlet pipe - The digested slurry is discharged into the outlet tank
either through the outlet pipe or the opening provided in the
digester.
Gas pipeline - The gas pipeline carries the gas to the point of
utilization, such as a stove or lamp.
 Digester design
V= (v1+v2 / 2)t
v1= volume of raw material added daily.
v2= volume of waste after digester.
t = time of digestion days

BIOGAS PLANT
CONSTRUCTION OF BIOGAS PLANT

A biogas plant consists of a wall-shaped underground tank known as

'digester' which is made of bricks and cement and has a dome-shaped
roof 'D'. The dome acts as a storage facility for biogas. On the top of the
dome, there is a gas outlet 'S' that has a valve 'V'. There is a sloping inlet
chamber 'I' which is connected to a mixing tank 'M' on the left side and a
rectangular outlet chamber 'O' is connected to the overflow tank 'F' on
the right side.
WORKING OF BIOGAS PLANT

First of all, a slurry is made by mixing cow dung and water in equal
proportions in the mixing tank 'M'. This slurry is fed into the digester
tank 'T' through the inlet chamber 'I' to fill the tank up to the cylindrical
level, and the dome is left free for the collection of biogas. Then, in 50-
60 days, the cow dung undergoes degradation by anaerobic bacteria, and
the gradual evolution of biogas get collected in the dome. Now, the
collected biogas in the dome exerts pressure on the slurry which forces
the spent slurry to go into the overflow tank 'F' through outlet chamber
O, from where it is removed. Biogas is a mixture of gases, like methane,
carbon dioxide, hydrogen and hydrogen sulphide which is produced by
the anaerobic degradation of biomass (animal and plant wastes) in the
presence of water but in the absence of oxygen.
The major component of biogas is methane, as it contains up to 75%
methane gas.
TYPES OF BIOGAS PLANT

1) CONTINEOUS TYPE :-
Continuous plants are fed and emptied continuously. They
empty automatically through the overflow whenever new material is
filled in. Therefore, the substrate must be fluid and homogeneous.
Continuous plants are suitable for rural households as the necessary
work fits well into the daily routine. Gas production is constant, and
higher than in batch plants. Today, nearly all biogas plants are operating
on a continuous mode.

2) Batch Type Plant :-

Batch plants are filled and then emptied completely after a fixed
retention time. Each design and each fermentation material is suitable
for batch filling, but batch plants require high labor input. As a major
disadvantage, their gas-output is not steady.

3) Floating Drum Plants :-

Floating-drum plants consist of an underground digester and a
moving gas-holder. The gas-holder floats either directly on the
fermentation slurry or in a water jacket of its own. The gas is collected
in the gas drum, which rises or moves down, according to the amount of
gas stored.

4) Fixed Dome Biogas Plants:-

A fixed-dome plant comprises of a closed, dome-shaped digester
with an immovable, rigid gas-holder and a displacement pit, also named
'compensation tank'. The gas is stored in the upper part of the digester.
When gas production commences, the slurry is displaced into the
compensating tank. Gas pressure increases with the volume of gas
stored, i.e. with the height difference between the two slurry levels. If
there is little gas in the gas-holder, the gas pressure is low.

Advantages of Biogas Plant

Biogas is Eco-Friendly. Biogas is a renewable, as well as a

clean, source of energy. ...
Biogas Generation Reduces Soil and Water Pollution. ...
Biogas Generation Produces Organic Fertilizer. ...
It's A Simple and Low-Cost Technology That Encourages A
Circular Economy. ...
Healthy Cooking Alternative.
Disadvantages of Biogas Plant

Few Technological Advancements. An unfortunate

disadvantage of biogas today is that the systems used in the
production of biogas are not efficient.
Contains Impurities.
Effect of Temperature on Biogas Production.
Less Suitable For Dense Metropolitan Areas.

Application of Biogas Plant

Electricity generation
In combined heat and power (CHP) plants
Waste Management in agriculture
Cooking fuel as a sustainable energy source
Injection into a natural gas pipeline
As a Clean Renewable Fuel for Transport Vehicles
In Biogas Fuel Cells..