Biogas Plant for the Treatment of Organic Waste and Cattle Slurry Aim:

The aim of the project is to establish a biogas plant which can treat organic industrial refuse, household waste sorted at source and slurry from cattle. The use of organic waste with slurry ensures that the mixture can be handled easily (pumping and spraying), so that the process operates smoothly with improved biogas productivity and better economic results than pure slurry plants.

Introduction:
In 1991 a feasibility study was carried out concerning the anaerobic digestion of organic industrial waste and household waste with cattle slurry. The purpose was to demonstrate that it is technically viable and economically profitable to replace land filling or incineration (the combustion of organic substances contained in waste materials) of organic waste with a process which would transform the waste into an energy source and soil conditioner. Before talking about biogas and anaerobic digestion there are a few things I would like to discuss. Anaerobic digestion is a waste conversion process - it is not a waste disposal process. In fact there will be little reduction in volume of waste but the treated waste will be less smelly, contain less pathogen and be better as a plant fertilizer than untreated waste. You will also have the benefit of renewable energy released during the pollution reduction process. The waste is mixed with the cattle slurry and digested under anaerobic conditions at 55C in a reactor tank. The gas produced is used for a cogeneration plant and the degassed and hygienized biomass is returned to the farmers' fields as fertilizer

Biogas:
Biogas is a mixture of gas produced by methanogenic bacteria while acting upon biodegradable materials in an anaerobic condition. Biogas is mainly composed of 50 to 70 percent methane, 30 to 40 percent carbon dioxide (CO2) and low amount of other gases. Biogas is an odorless and colorless gas that burns with clear blue flame similar to that of LPG gas. (OR) Biogas is generated when bacteria degrade biological material in the absence of oxygen, in a process known as anaerobic digestion. Since biogas is a mixture of methane (also known as marsh gas or natural gas, CH4) and carbon dioxide (CO2) it is a renewable fuel produced from waste treatment.

PROPERTIES:
50-70% methane; 30-40% carbon dioxide; Insignificant amounts of oxygen and hydrogen sulfide (H2S). Biogas burns without soot or ash being produced Methane is a combustible gas Biogas is not poisonous. The only danger is from explosion if it is mixed with air and lit by fire.

Sources of methane emissions in the agricultural field:

The amount of worldwide methane emissions from agricultural production comprises about 33 % of the global anthropogenic methane release. Animal husbandry alone comprises 16%, followed by rice fields with 12 % and animal manure with 5 % . While methane released through digestion of ruminants (about 80 Mil t CH4 per year) can rarely be reduced, methane emissions from animal waste can be captured and energetically used through anaerobic treatment. The amount of methane emission mainly depends on fodder, animal type and animal waste systems. For example: the methane emission potential from dairy cattle in industrialized countries is about 0,24 m 3 CH4/kg volatile solids (influence of fodder), in developing countries it is only about 0,13 m3 CH4/kg volatile solids.

Selecting a biogas plant size:

A biogas plant of specific capacity can be selected based on the daily availability of cattle dung and water requirements and on the cooking energy demands. Family size biogas plant Plant size No of cattles Dung & Water mixture/day Food prepared for persons/day 1 m3 2-3 25 kg x 25 L 3-4 2 m3 4-6 50 kg x 50 L 5-8 3 3m 7-9 75 kg x 75 L 8-12 4 m3 10-12 100 kg x 100 L 12-16

Components of a biogas plant: Foundation:

The foundation of the plant is bowl shaped with a collar around the circumference. The construction of the digester dome is based on this collar. The foundation of the plant is bowl shaped with a collar around the circumference. The construction of the digester dome is based on this collar.

Dome is divided in 2 parts, Digester & Gas storage. Digester: The bottom part is called the digester, where the mixture of dung and water decomposes to produces gas due to bacterial activity. Gas storage: gas produced by the bacterial activity is stored in the upper part of the digester dome called gas storage.

Gas outlet pipe:

A nipple is fitted on the top of the dome, which is connected to a GI pipe. The gas reaches the kitchen through this pipe.

Inlet:
The pipe through which fresh dung and water enters the plant is called Inlet pipe and is connected to a small tank for mixing dung and water.

Outlet:
The portion of the plant where the slurry accumulates after coming out of the digester is called outlet tank.

Temperature & pH criteria;

The biogas production rate is affected by three parameters, namely digester temperature, pH value of feed material and on the concentration of the input. For maximum gas production a temperature of 350 C and pH value in the range of 6 to 7 is ideal.

BENEFITS; Energy benefits

Provides cooking and heating fuel (stoves and burners 55 % efficient) Lighting fuel (biogas lamps with mantles)

Environmental and social benefits

Significantly reduce carbon dioxide emission and reduces fuel wood pressure. Biogas is a clean source of energy (no smoke and soot during combustion); Produce a pathogen free nutrient rich fertilizer.

Economic benefits
Cheaper source of cooking energy (a 2 cubic meter biogas plant can replace, in a month, fuel equivalent to 26kg of LPG, or 37 liters of kerosene, or 88kg of charcoal, or 210kg of firewood) Jobs are created (builders and technicians)

Reliability:
On-site fuel, decreases impact of power outages.

Security:
Renewable fuel, increases national energy security.

Environmental Performance:
The plant produces 9,000 m3 biogas /day or 3,285,000 m3 biogas/year. 980,000 m is used in the on-site CHP plant. Heat from the CHP plant is used for the biogas process and the electricity is sold to the grid.
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