Proceedings of the World Congress on Engineering and Computer Science 2014 Vol II

WCECS 2014, 22-24 October, 2014, San Francisco, USA

Design of the Bio-digester for Biogas

Production: A Review
Ishmael M Ramatsa, Esther T. Akinlabi, Daniel M. Madyira, Robert Huberts

 conditions, i.e. oxygen deficient environment, biogas is

Abstract: This review is a summary of different aspects of produced. Biogas is a combustible gas consisting mainly of
the design and operation of biogas digesters. Three types methane and carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide being one of the
of digesters were reviewed, that is, the plug flow, floating principal greenhouse gases, its concentration in the
drum and the fixed dome digester. Biogas is one of the atmosphere is increasing expeditiously since the advent of
products formed during the anaerobic digestion process. industrialization [2]. The aim of this paper is to review the
Anaerobic digestion is dependent on several factors such design and the use of the most popular bio-digesters for the
as the pH value, feeding material, temperature, pressure, production of biogas. Reviewing the popular bio-digester is
organic loading rate, retention time and the Carbon-to- meant to get in-depth knowledge on bio-digester technology
Nitrogen (C/N) ratio. The shape of the digester and the
currently in use. This understanding is necessary for the
material for construction are also considered important
development of biogas based renewable energy sources in the
during design stage.
future.
Keywords: Biogas, construction material, plug flow, fixed dome and
floating drum digester. II. BIOGAS
The term “biogas” is commonly used to refer to a gas which
I. INTRODUCTION has been produced by the biological breakdown of organic
The development of new methods of production and use of matter in the absence of oxygen. Biogas is one of the products
renewable energy sources that suit the economic and the formed during the anaerobic digestion process, and consists of
geographical conditions of the developing countries will be CO2, CH4, H2S, H2, H2O and some traces of other substances
required in order to solve the problems of energy crisis and depending on the composition of the substrate
climate change. Today, climate change is everyone’s concern
and is among the leading problems if not the only one linking A. Methane formation pathways
the international community and drawing much attention. The anaerobic digestion is characterized by a series of
Fossil resources were given much attention in the past before biochemical transformations caused by the degradation of
climate change became a major concern. The time has come, organic matter. The whole process involves several distinct
and the time is now where attention should now be shifted stages. i.e., hydrolysis, acidogenesis, acetogenesis and the
from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources. The anaerobic final stage methanogenesis (Figure 1). In stage 1, fats,
bio digester process is not a new technique of converting complex carbohydrate and proteins are hydrolysed to their
waste material into usable product. However, there is a need monomeric form by enzymes. In stage 2, the monomers are
for further investigation to improve the process especially in further degraded into short chain acids and these short chain
this era of climate change. Conventionally, the anaerobic acids are converted to hydrogen, carbon dioxide and acetate
digestion (AD) process should occur in a strict anaerobic and in the final stage which is stage 3, the intermediate
environment with no free available oxygen. Such aerobic products are converted to methane and carbon dioxide by
(oxygen presence) invasions can or may deteriorate the methanogerns [3].
performance of the digestive system [1]. Under these

Mr I. M. Ramatsa is a Lecturer in the Department of Chemical

Engineering, University of Johannesburg, Doornfontein, Johannesburg, South
Africa, 2006. Phone: +2711-559-6724; e-mail: [email protected]).
Dr E. T. Akinlabi is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Mechanical
Engineering Science, University of Johannesburg, Auckland Park, South
Africa, 2006. (Phone: +2711-559-2137; e-mail: [email protected]).
Mr. D.M. Madyira is a Lecturer in the Department of Mechanical
Engineering Science, University of Johannesburg, Auckland Park, South
Africa, 2006, (Phone: +2711-559-4030; e-mail: [email protected])
Dr. R Huberts is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Chemical
Engineering University of Johannesburg, Doornfontein, Johannesburg, South
Africa, 2006. Phone: +2711-559-6517; e-mail [email protected]).

Figure 1: Anaerobic digestion pathways of organic degradable substrate [4].

ISBN: 978-988-19253-7-4 WCECS 2014

ISSN: 2078-0958 (Print); ISSN: 2078-0966 (Online)
Proceedings of the World Congress on Engineering and Computer Science 2014 Vol II
WCECS 2014, 22-24 October, 2014, San Francisco, USA

B. Factors for optimum performance D. Fixed dome digesters

Anaerobic digester is a promising technology for treating A well and a dome are made out of cement concrete. Fixed
waste and producing energy at the same time. Digestion is dome Chinese model biogas plant (also called drumless
dependent on several factors for the well-being of a stable digester) was built in China as early as 1936 [11]. Fixed dome
digester. Factors such as pH, temperature, organic loading digesters are usually built underground [12]. The dome is
rate, hydraulic retention time and carbon-to-nitrogen (C/N) fixed and hence the name given to this type of plant is fixed
ratio play a significant role during the bio-degradation of the dome type of biogas plant. The function of the modified fixed
solid material. There are three temperature region in which dome digester plant is similar to the floating holder type
anaerobic digestion can be conducted, pychrophilic (10-20°C), biogas plant as shown in Figure 3, the only difference is the
mesophilic (20-45°C) and thermophilic (45-68°C). The most fixed top part of the digester. The used slurry expands and
common temperature ranges used to run anaerobic digesters overflows into the overflow tank [13]. Disadvantages of fixed-
are either mesophilic (with an optimum at 35°C) or dome digesters are that special sealants are required, high
thermophilic (with an optimum at 55°C) [5]. technical skills are required for construction, and gas pressures
fluctuate, which causes complication of gas use [11]. The
difference between Figure 3 and 4 is that, in Figure 3 the
III. TYPES OF DIGESTERS upper part of the digester is fixed, i.e., it does not experience
any movement on the upper side when the gas starts to fill up
C. Plug flow digesters
the available empty space as compared to the floating tank
This is a type of anaerobic digester that uses a long, narrow type digester.
horizontal tank in which a material (manure) is added at a
constant rate and that force other material to move through the
tank and be digested Figure 2. Typically, a plug flow digester
vessel is five times longer than it is wide, is insulated and
heated, and is made or reinforced concrete, steel or fiberglass.
A plug flow digester has no means of agitation. The term
"plug flow" derives from the fact that the manure in principle
flows through the digester vessel as a "plug," gradually being
pushed toward the outlet as new material is added. In fact, the
situation is more complicated and some parts of the manure
travel faster than others on their way through the vessel, or
may even settle or float and remain in the digester [7]. The
first documented use of this type of design was in South
Africa in 1957 [8]. The main advantage of the plug-flow
design is that it is simple and economical to install and
operate. However, it is not as efficient or as consistent as the Figure 3: Schematic representation of a fixed dome digester [10].
completely mixed design. Plug-flow units are limited to
applications with low amounts of sand, dirt, or grit, because E. Floating drum digesters
these substances will tend to stratify and settle out inside the
An experiment on biogas technology in India began in 1937
digester, requiring significant effort to clean out [9]. Complete
[14]. In 1956, Jashu Bhai J Patel [14], developed a design of
mix units are more expensive to install and operate than plug-
floating drum biogas plant popularly known as Gobar Gas
flow units, because they require both the capital equipment plant. In 1962, Patel's design was approved by the Khadi and
and the energy for mixing [9]. Village Industries Commission (KVIC) of India and this
design soon became popular in India and the world [15]. It is
divided into two parts. One side has the inlet, from where
slurry is fed to the tank as shown in Figure 4. The tank has a
cylindrical dome made of stainless steel that floats on the
slurry and collects the gas generated. Hence the name given to
this type of plant is floating gas holder type of biogas plant.
The slurry is made to ferment for about 50 days. More gas is
made by the bacterial fermentation, leading to the pressure
inside the gas collecting dome to increase. The gas can be
taken out through an outlet pipe. The decomposed matter
expands and overflows into the next small holding tank [13].

Figure 2: Schematic representation of a plug flow digester [10] .

ISBN: 978-988-19253-7-4 WCECS 2014

ISSN: 2078-0958 (Print); ISSN: 2078-0966 (Online)
Proceedings of the World Congress on Engineering and Computer Science 2014 Vol II
WCECS 2014, 22-24 October, 2014, San Francisco, USA

Figure 4: Schematic representation of a floating drum digester [10].

Figure 5: Schematic representation of a digester for the current study

The shortcomings of these digesters discussed above
relative to this research is that the pressure cannot be
manipulated or maintained to a specific value for a certain V. CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS
period of time in order to observe the effect it has on the
composition of the gas and on the activity of the bacteria. The High investment costs are normally required to build a proper
digester design for this particular research will take into working structure of a digester, and with the increase in
account the accommodation of pressure manipulation. technological advances, different materials with improved
properties and lower cost have been introduced in the market
in recent years. Digester construction materials are dependent
IV. DESIGN FOR THE CURRENT STUDY on the geological, local condition and available materials for
construction [16]. Different construction materials such as
As mentioned above that the shape and the material of Poly Vinyl Chloride (PVC), Polyethylene (PE) have been
construction plays a role during the design phase, as such, the used, but some of these materials have a short life span [17] -
current design shape considered will take a cylindrical shape [19], again in another digester design the steel drum has been
and will be made of stainless steel to avoid it reacting with the used and it was found to be susceptible to corrosion over a
contents of the digester. The digester will be fitted with an certain period of time during. [15].
electronic relief valve to enable the monitoring of the effect of
pressure on the composition of the biogas and the activity of
the micro-organism during anaerobic digestion, the electronic VI. CONCLUSION
valve will be adjusted every-time when a new pressure will be
investigated and it will also be used to regulate the internal
The design and use of common biogas digesters have been
pressure of the digester, and the following pressure will be
reviewed and presented in this paper. A limitation with respect
tested (101.321kPa to 101321.5kPa). The impeller will be
to regulating the internal pressure to increase yield has also
used to mix the contents of the digester. The heating coils with
been highlighted. Choosing a relevant digester in practical
thermostat will be used to heat-up the contents of the digester,
application is a very important decision to make during the
and temperature range (32- 45 o C) will be tested. The
design stage. In this stage, factors such as solid material that
operating principles are similar to that of the floating drum
need to be digested, the geological conditions, the shape of the
digester, the only difference is that the current design will
digester, the yield and the availability of the construction
monitor pressure by using relief valve Figure 5, which will
material should be evaluated before the design is done.
allow the monitoring of the internal pressure of the digester
Materials for construction are also very important as they
over a range of constant pressures. Grass and garden wastes
determine the life span of the digester.
will be used as feeding material.

ISBN: 978-988-19253-7-4 WCECS 2014

ISSN: 2078-0958 (Print); ISSN: 2078-0966 (Online)
Proceedings of the World Congress on Engineering and Computer Science 2014 Vol II
WCECS 2014, 22-24 October, 2014, San Francisco, USA

ACKNOWLEDGMENT
The authors appreciate the support received from the
Department of Chemical Engineering and Mechanical
Engineering Science of the University of Johannesburg. The
financial support of the National Research Foundation (NRF)
of South Africa for bursary awarded to the main author is also
appreciated.
.

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ISBN: 978-988-19253-7-4 WCECS 2014

ISSN: 2078-0958 (Print); ISSN: 2078-0966 (Online)