STUDY OF

BIOGAS PLANTS
Biogas Generation
*Biogas is a clean and efficient fuel.
* It is a mixture of:
• Methane (CH4) 55-70%
• Carbon dioxide (C02) 30-45%
• Hydrogen(H2)
• Hydrogen Sulphide (H2S)
•The chief constituent of biogas is Methane (65%).
(Note: Methane is colorless ,odorless, flammable gas that is the main
component of natural gas. It is also a hydrocarbon and An organic
compound).
* A pH value between 6.5 to 8 is best for fermentation and normal
gas production.
* Biogas is lighter than the air and has an ignition temperature of
approximately 700°C.
* The temperature of the flame is 870°C and its calorific value is
approximately 4713 kcal/m 3 .
*Content of Methane in Bio-gas produced from different feed
stocks
• 1. Cattle Manure 54-56%
• 2. Pig Manure 57%
• 3. Poultry Manure 55%
• 4. Farm yard Manure 55%
• 5. Straw 55%
• 6. Grass 60%
• 7. Leaves 58%
• 8. Kitchen Waste 50-52%
•
COMPARISON OF BIO-GAS WITH OTHER FUELS

Sl.No. Name of fuel and Mode of Burning

Unit

1 Gobar (M3) Standard burner II

.
2 Kerosene (lit) Pressure stove II

.
3 Fire wood (Kg) Open chulha II

.
4 Cow-dung cake (Kg) Open chulha II

.
5. Charcoal (Kg) Open chulha II

6. Butane (LPG) Kg Standard burner

Coal gas (M3) Standard burner
7 1
1

.
8 Electricity (Kwh) Hot plate
.
Organic Anaerobic diges ·on Electricity and heat
1.91astes
Factors affecting generation of Biogas
1) pH or Hydrogen-ion concentration
2) Temperature
3) Total solid content of the feed material
4) Loading rate
5) Seeding
6) Uniform feeding
7) Diameter to depth ratio
8) Carbon to Nitrogen ratio
9) Nutrients
10) Mixing or stirring or agitation of the content of the digester
11) Retention time or rate of feeding
12) Type of feed stocks
13) Toxicity due end product
14) Pressure
15) Acid accumulation inside the digester
16) Cost of installation & maintenance .
SELECTION OF SITE FOR INSTALLATION OF A BIO-
GAS PLANT

* The distance between the plant and site of gas consumption or

kitchen should be less to minimize the cost on gas pipe line and
gas leakage.
* It should be near the cattle-shed to minimize the
distance for carrying cattle dung and transportation cost.
*There should be enough space for storage of digested
slurry or construction of compost pit.
*It is should be 10 to 15 meters away from any drinking water
well to prevent contamination of water.
*The area should be free from roots of trees which likely to
creep into the digester and cause damage.
*It should be open to receive the Sun's rays for most part of the
day and to keep the plant in warm. The sunlight should fall on the
plant as temperature between 15°C to 30°C is essential for gas
generation at good rate.
*It should be on an elevated area so that the plant does not get
submerged during normal rains.
*Sufficient space must be available for day-to-day operation and
maintenance. As a guide line 10 to 12 M2 area is needed per M3 of
the gas.
*Plenty of water must be available as the Cow dung slurry with a
solid concentration of 7% to 9% is used.
CONSTRUCTION MATERIAL FOR BIO-GAS PLANT
Sl.No. Material Quality needed
1. Bricks Good quality bricks preferably Machine made first class bricks with
uniform size and shape.
2. Cement Pure port and land with no impurities packed in Polythene bags.

3. Sand Fine and Coarse with good quality.

4. Steel for Bigger size plant. Standard
5. Concrete Hard with out any impurities
6. Reinforcedconcrete for larger Having good quality composition of cement, sand and water
tank
7. Asbestos - Cement pipes for inlet
Good qualities with no leakage and should have uniform diameter and
and out let.
length as required.
8. Ferro -Cement Having few layers of iron wire Mesh plastered with diameter and
length as required.

9. Bricks Ferro - Cement. Outer wall of brick,inner surface plastered with Ferro-Cement. I
10. Plastic Fiber-glass reinforced plastic PVC
polythene, etc.
 U S ES OF BIOGA S

* Domestic fuel
* For street lighting
* Generation of electricity
* If compressed, it can replace compresse
gas for use in vehicles
PRODUCTION OF BIO-GAS - THE BIOGAS PLANTS

There are two types of biogas plants in usage for the

production of biogas.
These are:
* The fixed-dome type of biogas plant
* The floating gas holder type of biogas plant
Classification of
Biogas Plants
1)Fixed-Dome type
of
Biogas Plant
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)
 CONSTRUCTION

The biogas plant is a brick and cement structure having the

following five sections:
* Mixing tank present above the ground level.
* Inlet tank: 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 tank: The digester opens from below into an outlet chamber.
* Overflow tank: The outlet chamber opens from the top into a small
over flow tank.
WORKING OF FIXED DOME TYPE BIOGAS PLANT
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 fermentation, biogas is formed, which
starts collecting in the dome of the digester.
* As more and more biogas starts collecting, 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 supply of biogas is required.
* To obtain a continuous supply of biogas, a functioning plant can
be fed continuously with the prepared slurry .
,...-- -0 o
no - Blo..g

0 tie Cham er
ADVANTAGES OF FIXED DOME TYPE OF BIOGAS PLANT

* It has low cost compare to floating drum type, as it uses

only cement and no steel.
* It has no corrosion trouble.
* Inexpensive.
* Easy to construct.
* In this type heat insulation is batter as construction is
beneath the ground. Temperature will be constant.
DISADVANTAGES OF FIXED DOME TYPE OF BIOGAS
PLANT

* This type of plant need the service of skilled masons, who

is rather scarce in rural area.
* Gas production per cubic meter of the digester volume is
also less.
* Scum (floating matter) formation is a problem as no stirring
arrangement.
* It has variable gas pressure.
2) Floating Dome type
of
Biogas Plant
 CONS TR UCTION
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 tank - Present above the ground level.
 __ .........--- Outflow for Bio-gas

..,.__ Floating Dome

Slurry of Cattle
Dung & Water

Ground Level
I

lnlet Chamber =----..

Inlet Chamber ,,,,...

Dung & Water

Mixture

Underground
Digester Tank

Floating Dome type Bio-gas Plant

Floating drum biogas plant
 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.
* 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 slur ry and
introduction of fresh slurry.
ADVANTAGES OF FLOATING GAS HOLDER TYPE BIOGAS
PLANT

* It has less scum trouble because solids are constantly submerged.

* No separate pressure equalizing device needed when fresh waste
is added to the tank or digested slurry is withdrawn.
* Higher gas production per cu-m of digester volume is achieved.
* Floating drum has welded braces, which help in breaking the
scum by rotation.
* No problem of gas leakage.
* Constant gas pressure.
 DISADVANTAG ES OF FLOATING GAS HOLDER TYPE
BIOGAS PLANT
* It has higher cost, as cost is dependent on steel and cement.
* Steel drum may rust, it requires painting once or twice a year,
depending on the humidity of the location.
* Heat is lost through the metal gas holder, hence it troubles in
colder regions and periods.
* Flexible pipe joining the gas holder to the main gas pipe
requires regular maintenance as it is damaged by ultraviolet
rays in the sun. It may twisted also, with the rotation of the
drum for mixing or scum removal.
 KVIC- BIOGAS PLANT
(KHADI AND VILLAGE INDUSTRIES COMMISSION)

* The design of KVIC plant was developed and perfected in India

in the year 1945. This was taken up propagation in the villages
in the year 1962, by Khadi and village industries commission,
Bombay. Therefore, it is known as KVIC design.
* The design is available in sizes of 1 cu-m to 140 cu-m gas per day.
In KVIC plant the gas is stored in mild steel drum of storage
capacity of 30-40 percent of plant size at a pressure of about 10cm
of water column. This is sufficient to carry it up to a length of 20
meters to 100 meters, depending on the size of the plant.
* The Floating gas holder Digester
developed in India is of Masonry
Construction with gas holder made
of M.S.Plates.The drum in the KVIC
Model is the costliest component and
its life is comparatively less
* The plant consists of two parts. The
digester, which is well containing the
animal waste in the form of a slurry,
and the dome which floats on the
slurry and serves as the gas holder.
* The digester is normally below ground level and two pipe lines lead to
its bottom. One for feeding the animal waste slurry and the other for
spent slurry called sludge to come out after it has under gone
fermentation.
* It is worth noting that the sludge to come out retains all the
nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium and in an excellent fertilizer.
A vertical partition wall divides it into two equal parts and serves to
direct the flow of the slurry.
* The gas generation process occurs in two stages. In the first stage, the
complex organic substance contained in the waste are acted upon
by a certain kind of bacteria called acid formers and are broken up into
small chain simple acids. In the second stage, these acids are acted upon
by another kind of bacteria which produces Methane and Carbon
dioxide.
* The calorific value of bio gas ranges from 1600 to 2500 KJ/m3• It is
an excellent fuel for cooking and lighting. When compared with diesel
it is also be a very good fuel for compression, ignition engines and can
save 70 to 80 percent of diesel.
 PRAGATHI DESIGN BIO GAS PLANT
o The design has been
developed by United Socio­
Econoinic Developinent and
Research Prograllline
(UNDAR P) Pune, in
to have a order cheaper
druin bio gas plant floating
. In this .
I
I
Oi9 •tr
designthe depth of pit is
:'.:

'
less
than beK.V.I.C
can constructed insohilly
that andit
plant water table areas. The
high
cost of Pragathi plant is 20%
less than KVIC plant.
o The foundation of this plant is of conical shape, with
difference of one feet between outer periphery and its center
so as to reduce the earth and digester wall work. It is
constructed at the base of the pit with cement, sand and
concrete, keeping the site conditions in view so it can bear the
load due to weight of slurry in the digester.
o The digester of Pragathi design plant start from the
foundation in dome thereby reducing the
shape constructional area, for digester volume, thus
same
reducing the cost of construction of the
plant. The wall thickness of digester is kept 75mm only.
o Dome shape construction takes place up to a collar base, where a
central guide frame is provided. The digester wall above
guide-frame is constructed in cylindrical shape, Partition
wall is constructed in the digester for 4cum and bigger sizes
so as to control the flow of slurry inside the digester It
divides digester in two parts separating inlet and outlet.
o The inlet is through pipe, placed while construction digester
wall. It is used for feeding daily slurry in to the digester and is
generally of lOOmm diameter. The out let pipe is also
lOOmm in diameter, and fixed while constructing digester
wall. The asbestos cement pipe can be used for inlet and out
let.
o The guide frame is made of angle iron and steel pipe, is
embedded in the digester wall at top of spherical
portion of digester. The central guide pipe holds gas holder
which is also made of M.S sheet and angle iron. It floats up
and down along pipe depending on the quantity of gas in
the drum.
 JANATA BIO GAS PLANT

o This was first developed by the planning, Research

and Action division, Lucknow, in 1978. It is an improved
version of the Chinese fixed dome bio gas plant . The
foundation of Janata Bio gas plant is laid at the base of the
under ground pit on a leveled ground bear the load of the
slurry as well as digester walls.
o Digester is cylindrical in shape constructed with bricks and
cements, kept the dung slurry for a retention time, so that
the bio gas is produced from the slurry in the digester. It
should be noted that the diameter and height ratio of the
digester is kept 1.75:1.
o The gas is stored in gas
portion which is an
integral part of plant,
between dome and
digester. Where the GAS PIPE

usable gas is stored, the Gos volv v.. Ou tl c.t

CO\
L OOSE

heights of the gas

portion is above the inlet
and outlet openings DtSPLACE:._,n
beginning
to the of TAN
f>U ll ET PlPE

and is equal dome,

maximum volume of the to
gas to stored (30-40
be of plant
Percent and equal
Capacity) slurry to to
volume in inlet and be

of
o Dome is constructed over the gas portion, with volume
of 60 percent of the plant capacity. It Inust
constructed be very carefully
digester and gas portion so that no leakage
integrated it of gas
withcan take
place. The gas out let pipe is fixed at the top of dome for laying
the line.
o Inlet and outlet portions are constructed for putting the fresh
slurry in side the plant and to take the digested slurry out.
The inlet and outlet are of larger sizes. Provided on each
side of the digester, facing each other. The opening to the
digester for feeding the waste material and effluent out let
from it are also of large sizes. The discharge of slurry out of
the plant is due to pressure of the gas in the plant. Over the
inlet portion an inlet Mixing tank is also constructed to mix the
dung and water.
 DEENBANDHU BIO GAS PLANT

o This is also a fixed donie plant developnient by action

for food production, New Delhi, which is a allow cost bio
gas plant. The principle of working of this plant is same as
that of Janata model, except configuration of inlet entrance
and digester.
Dung Mix ng Tank

- GI$ Outt.t PJfM

Earth Fllllng
Dome
Ground Level

' ·------- -----

Gas Holder Outtot
Chamber

iOIGESTER
o The foundation of the plant is constructed in the
segment of spherical shape on the outer periphery of
this foundations the dome shaped digester is
constructed with same base diameter. In this way the
digester, gas portion and dome look as a single unit. The surface
area of biogas plant is reduced with same digester
volume, reducing the earth work and cost of construction
without sacrificing the efficiency.
o The higher compressive strength of the brick masonary and
concreate makes it a safe structure as the plant is always
under compression. A spherical, Structure loaded from
the convex side will be under compression and therefore,
the internal load will not have any residual effect on the
structure.
o At the top of the foundation a window opening is kept
(outlet portion) for the out ward movement of the
digested slurry. The asbestos cement pipe of 15cm
diameter is used for inlet instead of separate opening. The
pipe is embedded in the digester wall at a fixed position,
just opposite to out let opening, to avoid short circuiting of
fresh material and digested slurry.
o The volume of the outlet is increased to produce
requisite gas pressure through the weight of the
displaced slurry. At the top of the dome a gas outlet pipe is
fixed as in case of Janata plant.
ADVANTAGES OF BIOGAS PLANTS

o Reduces burden on forests and fossil fuels

o Produces a clean fuel - helps in controlling air pollution
o Provides nutrient rich (N & P) manure for plants
o Controls water pollution by decomposing sewage, animal
dung and human excreta.

•
-
LIMITATIONS OF BIOGA S PLANTS

o Initial cost of installation of the plant is high.

o Number of cattle owned by an average family of
farmers is inadequate to feed a biogas plant.
 -
Biogas is a clean source of energy. Biogas plants have
been in operation for a long period of time, especially in
rural
-
areas around the globe. The research
organizations should focus on newer efficient low cost
designs. The governments can play important role by
introducing different legal frameworks, education
schemes and the availability technology and
of simultaneously creating more awareness and
providing more subsidies.
ADVANTAGES OF BIOGAS AS A FUEL

•
,
oHigh calorific value
o Clean fuel
• ·. . ""
.

oNo residue produced o

No smoke produced o
..,;
Non polluting
o Economical
.
. '
o Can be supplied through pipe lines • I

o Burns readily - has a convenient ignition

temperature
 APPLICA TIONS

A biogas bus, Sweden The Biogas Train "Amanda"

Sweden