Bio Gas Plants and Their

Operations
Biomass
• Biomass is organic matter from plants, animals and micro-organism grown on
land, water and their derivatives
• Energy obtained from biomass is called biomass energy
• Biomass is considered as a renewable sources of energy
• Biomass resources are classified in three groups
• Biomass from cultivated fields, crops, forests (by burning directly converted
into energy)
• Biomass derived from wastes like municipal waste, animal dung etc (biomass
is fermented anaerobically aerobically to obtain gaseous fuel).
• Biomass converted into liquid fuels (converted into ethanol and methanol
used as liquid fuels in engines).
Biomass Conversion Process
• Direct Combustion: Process of burning in presence of oxygen to produce heat,
light, and byproducts. Complete combustion to ashes is called incineration. It is
applicable to solid, liquid, and gaseous fuels.

• Thermochemical conversion: It converts the biomass and its residue to fuels,

chemicals and power using gasification and pyrolysis process. In gasification
process one third oxygen is required for complete combustion and produces
syngas (CO+H2).
Biomass + O2 heat CO + H2 +Heat
Biomass +H2O CO +H2
In pyrolysis process, organic materials are converted to gases, solids, and liquids
by heating 500oC to 900oC in absence of oxygen.
 Contd..
Biochemical Conversion: Biomass converts to biofuels by micro-organism at low
temperature. The principle conversion process is fermentation (decomposition of
organic matter by micro-organism). For example: decomposition of sugar in
ethanol and carbon dioxide by yeast.
Anaerobic digestion is also biochemical conversion, process and end products
depend upon the micro-organism cultivated, and culture conditions.
Biogas and Biogas Plant
 Biogas plant is a device for conversion of fermentable organic matter,
in particular cattle dung into combustible gas and fully matured
organic manure
 Bacteria can be divided into two groups based on their oxygen
recruitment
 Aerobic: Those which grow in presence of oxygen
 Anaerobic: Those which grow in absence of oxygen
 Bio-gas: Mixture of gases produced from anaerobic digestion of
fermentable organic material
 It is a continuous operation
 Materials which are used for production of biogas, is called Biomass
Example: Animal dung, Poultry wastes, Plant waste, domestic waste etc
Materials for Biogas Production
1.Animal wastes: Cattle dung,
urine, poultry droppings, fish
wastes, slaughter house waste,
piggery waste etc.
2.Human waste: Faeces, urine
etc.
3.Agriculture waste: Sugarcane
trash, bagasse, tobacco wastes,
oilcake, fruit and vegetable
wastes etc.
4.Industrial wastes: Sugar-
factory, tannery, paper etc.
Bio-gas Properties and its Composition
Lighter than air
Ignition temperature is approximately 700oC ( Diesel oil 350oC ;
petrol and propane about 500°C)
Temperature of flame is 870oC
Components Percentage (%)
Methane, CH4 55-70 %
Carbon dioxide, CO2 25-40 %
Nitrogen, N2 0-2 %
Hydrogen Sulfide, H2S 0-3 %
Hydrogen, H2 0-2 %
Oxygen, O2 0-2 %
Production of Biogas from Fermentable Material
Classification of Biogas Plant
Biogas plants are classified depending upon plant design and mode of
working
Biogas Plant

Continuous Dome and

and batch type drum type

Floating
Single Stage Double Stage Fixed Dome
Drum
Ex. Khadi village Ex. Deenbandhu
industries commission model
Batch Type Biogas Plant
In case of batch type plants, the biomass feeding is done in the batches
with large time interval between the two consecutive batches. A
digester is loaded with feed and given sufficient time (30-45 days) for
digestion of biomass. After completion of digestion, the residue is
emptied and it is again charged with the next batch of feed.
Therefore in batch type of biogas plants the rate of production of
biogas is uneven. To overcome this difficulty several digesters are used
which are fed and emptied in sequential manner. Thus, it maintains the
regular supply of gas.
Salient Features of Batch Biogas Plant
i. Gas Production in Batch type is uneven.
ii. Needs several digesters for continuous supply of gas
iii. The cost and space requirement is high
iv. Needs addition of fermented slurry to start the anaerobic fermentation
v. These plants have longer digestion period, thus they are suitable for
hard fibrous materials
vi. Have operational and maintenance problem.
Continuous Type Biogas Plant
In continuous biogas plant, biomass is fed regularly , delivers the gas
continuously. Continuous biogas plant are two type :
1. Single stage continuous: Digestion of waste material/biomass in a single
digester, single stage process. Acidogenic (production of acid) and
methanogenic (biomethanation formation) processes take place in same
digester. These are preferred for small and medium size biogas plants. Simple
in construction, easy to operate and control
2. Double stage continuous: Digestion process of biomass occurs in two digesters.
Acidogenic and methanogenic are physically separated in two different
chambers. These are preferred for large gas production. It requires small size of
digester and less period for digestion.
Salient Features of Continuous Biogas Plant
i. Gas production is continuous
ii. Retention period is less
iii.Less problem as compared to batch reactor
iv.Small digestion chambers are required
Working of Fixed Dome 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 plant is left unused for about
two months
• During these two months, anaerobic bacteria present in the slurry
decomposes or ferments the biomass in presence of water
• As a result of anaerobic fermentation, biogas is formed which
starts collecting in the dome of digester
 Contd..
• As more and more biogas starts collecting, the pressure exerted by
biogas forces the spent slurry into 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.
Working of Floating Dome Biogas Plant
• 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.
 Contd..
• The gas holder can not 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 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 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 spend slurry and introduction of
fresh slurry.
Comparison Fixed Dome and Floating Dome Plant
Comparison factor Fixed dome type plant Floating dome type plant
System Regular filling and irregular Regular filling and regular
discharge discharge
Material used Bricks, cement, sand, steel, lime- Concrete, bricks, sand, lime,
cement steel
Maincost factor Bricks and cement Bricks, cement, and steel
Thermal insulation aspects Due to underground construction Digester heat is lost through
the temperature and heat gasholder, therefore, less
insulation is uniform suitable for colder region.
Gas-tightness Gas storage dome is required to No such problems
be given special treatment for gas
tightness and painted periodically.
Digestion period 30-60 days 40-60 days
Cost Less costlier More costly due to steel
Feedstock Agriculture waste, other organic animal and human faeces
matter, animal and human faeces Chopped agriculture wastes as
additive
Factors Affecting Generation of Biogas
1. Temperature of substrate: ~ 55oC to 60oC (thermophylic range)
2. Loading rate: weight of volatile solid fed in digester per day, for constant
capacity of digester, if loading rate is increased then retention period decreased
3. Solid Concentration: 7-9% concentration (ideal slurry) otherwise fermentation
is retarded, for 8% concentration ( 4 parts of cattle dung and 5 parts of water)
4. pH value: ~ 4-6 (acidic), ~ 9-10 (alkaline) ~7-8(optimum) below this gas
production will be stopped
5. Retention Period: Retention period is the time for which fermentable material
reside inside the digester, this period is ranging 30-55 days depending upon
climate conditions, Size of digester retention time
Cow and buffalo dung: 50days
Pig dung: 20 days
Poultry droppings: 20 days
6. Nutrient concentration: Major nutrients required by the bacteria in digester are
C, H2, N2, O2, P and S. for maximum gas production fermentable material should be
N2 and P rich.
7. Toxic substance: if digested slurry is allowed to remain in digester beyond a
certain time, becomes toxic to micro-organism, might cause fall in fermentation
rate. Production of biogas is reduced when calcium, magnesium, and potassium etc
are present in higher concentrations.
8. Digester size and shape: Diameter to depth ratio of digester should be between
0.66 to 1 for maximum production of biogas. Digester size depends upon desired
rate of biogas production.
Biogas Production: Time vs Gas amount
Different Biogas Plant in India

1. Deenbandhu Biogas Plant 2. Gayatri Model

5. Mud Jar Biogas Plant

3. Manipal Model
4. Spherical Biogas plant
Biogas Production
A water pump consumes the entire daily gas production in a few hours.
The gasholder must every day collect the entire daytime and night-time
production and compensate for daily production fluctuations
Biogas Production
A refrigerator operating round the clock consumes
all the gas produced on a given day. The gas holder
merely has to compensate for fluctuations in the,
daily volume of gas produced.
Wind Energy
Wind is simple air in motion
It’s caused by the uneven heating of earth’s surface by Sun. Since
earth’s surface is made of very different types of land and water, it
absorbs the Sun’s heat at different rates
Tamil Nadu, Andhra, and Gujrat are considered suitable for power
generation
Location of wind turbines is very important factor, which influences
the performance of machine
Wind power potential of country is estimated as 20,000 MW, and
Now, India has 4th rank in world for wind energy generation
Wind Energy: energy from wind
During the day, air above land
heats up faster than air above
water. Warm air over the land
expands and rises due to less
density. At same time, heavier
cooler air rushes into take its
place, creating winds.
At night, the winds are
reversed because air cools
more rapidly over the land than
water
Wind Energy: The history
Since ancient times, people have harnessed wind energy
Over 5,000 years ago, the ancient Egyptians used wind to sail ships on
the Nile River
Later, people built windmills to grind wheat and other grains
In Holland, wind mills were used to pump water from low lying areas
American colonists used windmills to grind wheat and corn, to pump
water, and to cut wood at sawmills
As late as the 1920s, Americans used small windmills to generate
electricity in rural areas without electric service
When power lines began to transport electricity to rural areas in the
1930s, local windmills were used less and less
Working Principle of Wind Machine (turbine)
Wind turbine turns wind energy to electricity using aerodynamic force
from the rotor blades, which work like airplane wing
When wind flows across the blade, air pressure on one side of blade
decreases. Difference in air pressure across both side of blade creates
both lifting and drag. The force of lift is stronger than drag and this
cause rotor to spin. Rotor connects to the generator that produces
electricity.
It converts wind’s kinetic energy to electrical energy
Power in Wind Machines
Velocity of wind should lie
in range of 5-25 m/sec

For maximum power

1
𝑉𝑒𝑥𝑖𝑡, 𝑜𝑝𝑡 = ∗ 𝑉𝑖𝑛𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑎𝑙
3

𝑃𝑚𝑎𝑥 = 8/27ρ𝐴 𝑉𝑖𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑎𝑙 3

Wind power is proportional to intercept area. Thus , wind mill with large swept area has high
power, Normally area is circular in diameter, D. thus
 contd..
 Maximum efficiency: It is ratio of maximum power to total power, also called power
coefficient  It is clear that maximum efficiency of propeller
type turbine is 59%. The factor 59 is Betz limit
 Actual efficiency is 50-70% of maximum
efficiency

 Forces on blade and torque of windmill:

The torque or circumferential force
causing the rotation of wind turbine shafts
depends on the turbine rated power
output and rotor angular velocity. Thus
 The value of torque will be maximum at
maximum efficiency

 Axial force is given by given equation

Where Vi: initial velocity
Ve: exit velocity

 Maximum axial force will occur at maximum

efficiency. The condition for maximum efficiency is
Types of Wind Turbine
Based on direction of rotating shaft wind machines (turbines) are two types
 Most wind machines being used today are horizontal-axis type
 Horizontal-axis wind machines have blades like airplane
propellers.
 It stands as tall as a 20-story building and has three blades that
span 200 feet across.
 The largest wind machines in the world have blades longer than a
football field.
 Wind machines stand tall and wide to capture more wind.
Horizontal-axis wind turbine
 It’s blades move from top to bottom
 Most common type is Darrieus wind turbine
 Vertical wind machine typically stands 100
feet tall and 50 feet wide
 A very small percentage of wind machine is
used Vertical-axis wind turbine