What is biogas?

Gas produced by the anaerobic digestion or fermentation of organic

matter under anaerobic conditions.

Biogas = CH4 + CO2 + H2S + N2 + H2 etc

Typical biogas composition:

Methane, CH4 : 55-70%

Carbon dioxide, CO2 : 25-40%
Nitrogen, N2 : 0-2 %
Hydrogen Sulphide, H2S : 0-3 %
Hydrogen, H2 : 0-2 %
Oxygen, O2 : 0-2 %

• pH-value : 6.5 to 7.5

• Due Point : < - 80° C
 Anaerobic Digestion
Complex Organic Carbon
Hydrolysis
Monomers & Oligomers

Acidogenesis
Organic Acids

Acetogenesis
Acetate – H2 / CO2
Methanogenesis

CH4 + CO2
 LIQUEFACTION GASIFICATION
PHASE PHASE

COMPLEX
SIMPLE ACETATE
ORGANIC
ORGANICS H2 / CO2
MATTER

ACIDOGENS METHANOGENS

METHANE and CARBON DIOXIDE

LOW ODOR EFFLUENT

Biogas Cycle Solar energy

Biomethane production Photosynthesis

Animal husbandry
Crop harvesting
Industrial processing CO2
H2O
Human consumption
Energy Biofertilizer
crops Electrical and/or
thermal energy

Biogas Natural gas

Organic Anaerobic
wastes digestion pipeline

CO2 Cleaning &

Upgrading
Energy crops
 Factors affecting Biogas generation
1. pH 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 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.
 Biogas potential in India

• The annual estimated biogas generation

potential based on available cattle dung is
about 17,340 million m3.
 Biogas plants in India

• Potential -12 million family type biogas plants

• Achieved - 4.12 million family type biogas plants -
34% of the potential.
• Functionality of the biogas plants is about 95.80%
• Domestic biogas plants can supply few hours of
electricity for domestic needs .i.e. More beneficial in
rural areas.
• Electricity can simply be produced by using Biogas
generators of few kW capacity.

*APITCO Survey
 Experimentally introduced in the 1930's.
 First research on Sewage Purification Station at
Dadar in Bombay, undertaken by S.V. Desai and
N.V. Joshi of the Soil Chemistry Division, Indian
Agriculture Research Institute, New Delhi.
 The early plants were very expensive, not cost
effective, and not producing enough gas.
 Some of the early models were also prone to burst,
so the technology was not viable for dissemination.
 In 1956, Jashu Bhai J Patel developed a design of
floating drum biogas plant popularly known as Gobar
Gas plant.
 In 1961, Khadi and Village Industry Commission (KVIC)
promoted Jashbhai Patel's design, which was later
known as KVIC model.
 Planning Research and Action Division (PRAD) based in
Uttar Pradesh developed the 'Janata' fixed-dome plant -
a modified chinese design.
 Janata system is about 30% cheaper than a KVIC
model.
 1984 - Action for Food Production (AFPRO), New Delhi
developed Deenbandhu model (an improved version of
Janata model).
 30 percent cheaper than Janata Model and 45 percent
cheaper than KVIC model.
 Presently, designs and models are galore in market.
 Classification of biogas plant

Biogas plants may be classified in several ways:

• Continous, semi-continuous and batch types (as per the

process)
• The dome and the drum type
• Depend on shape of the digester (Horizontal or Vertical)
• Depend on loading rate
• Depend on HRT
• Depend on construction material
• Depend on feed material
 Biogas Digesters

Biogas Digesters

Conventional Biogas High Rate

Plants Digesters

For For
Insoluble wastes Soluble wastes
(also called as High-strength wastes) (also called as low-strength wastes)
 Conventional biogas plants in India

1. Fixed dome type • Deenbandhu model with brick masonry

• Deenbandhu ferrocement model
2. Floating drum type • Pre-fabricated RCC fixed-dome
3. Bag type • Janta biogas plant

KVIC floating metal drum type

Flexi Model KVIC type plant with ferrocement digester and fibre
glass reinforced plastic gas holder
Pragati model
Characteristics of floating drum type

 Consists of a deep well, and a floating drum

(usually made of mild steel).
 Drum rises as gas collects.
 Constant gas pressure due to the drum weight.
(The pressure is equivalent to the weight of
gasholder over unit area)
 Inlet is higher than the outlet tank, creating
hydrostatic pressure which helps slurry to move
through the system.
 Maxing gas pressure attained - 8-10 cm water
column.
 Characteristics of fixed dome type

 Invented in China in 1930’s.

 Underground brick masonry compartment
(fermentation chamber) with a dome on the top for gas
at the storage.
 Fermentation chamber and gas holder are combined
as one unit.
 Movement and weight of digested the slurry decides
the gas pressure.
 Variable gas pressure (0-90 cm water column)
 Less expensive and requires less maintenance than
floating drum type.
 Components of biogas plant

Inlet pipe: The slurry is moved into the digester through the inlet pipe/tank.

Mixing tank: The feed material like dung is gathered in the mixing tank.
Using sufficient water, the material is thoroughly mixed till a homogeneous
slurry is formed.
Digester: Inside the digester, the slurry is fermented. Biogas is produced
through bacterial action.

Gas holder or gas storage dome: The biogas thus formed gets collected in
the gas holder. It holds the gas till the time it is transported for consumption.

Outlet pipe: The slurry is discharged into the outlet tank. This is done
through the outlet pipe or the opening in the digester.

Gas Pipeline: The gas pipeline carries the gas to the utilization point like a
stove or lamp
Fixed dome type biogas plant
( Janta biogas plant)
 Deenbandhu biogas plant

 Approved by GOI in 1986.

 Design consists of two spheres of different
diameters, joined at their bases.
 Sphere shaped design - reduce the surface area of
biogas plant - reduce cost.
 The curvature in the bottom of the digester - nullify
the earth pressure.
 Structural strength of spherical structure is more than
a rectangular structure.
 Outlet Tank
Mixing Gas outlet pipe
tank Outlet tank cover

Plinth level

Slurry
Discharge
Hole

Displacement Chamber
Inlet Pipe Initial slurry level

Gas storage Area

Outlet gate
Digester

Foundation

Deenbandhu biogas plant

 Method of Emptying Deenbandhu

Open Gate Valve

Open Gate Valve
P.L
P.L
G.L

First step First step

Second step
Second step
Stage I
Stage II
 Contd..
Open Gate Valve
Open Gate Valve

P.L P.L

First step First

step

Second step Second

step
Stage III
Stage IV
 KVIC Vs Deenbandhu
Sr.
No KVIC type Deenbandhu model

1. This is floating gas holder type This is fixed dome type

masonry structure
2. It is made above the ground It is under ground masonry
level structure
3. Space above ground is used for The space above ground can
fitting of movable drum be used other beneficial
purpose
4. Initial investment is low. Initial investment is high.
5. It requires some cost of No. cost of maintenance
maintenance to maintain the
steel structure.
6. Effect of low temperature during Effect of low temperature is less
winter is more.
Contd..
Sr. KVIC type Deenbandhu model
No
7 Gas is always produced at Gas pressure is variable.
constant pressure.
8 Required less excavation Required more excavation
comparatively.
9 Any skilled mason can construct It requires specially trained
the plant. mason to construct the plant
10 Well suitable for plain as well as Suitable for plain area
for hilly areas where
temperature variation goes to
very low level.
11 Suitable for Rocky area also. It is not suitable for Rocky and
hard soil area.
 Biogas Plant models available in India
Sr.
no Biogas Fixed dome Digester Flexible
Plants with type and gas bag plant
movable gas holder
holder separate
1 KVIC Design Sichuan Model Sulabh Model Neoprene
Bag Model
2. IARI Design Shanghai Model Bardoli Model Swasrik
Biogas Plant
3. PRAI design Janata (Brick PAU Model Red Mud
(Two Masonry) Plastic
Chambers) Model
4. Kamdhanu Bhagya Laxmi Sangli Model
(baked clay)
model
Contd…
Sr. Biogas Plants Fixed dome type Digester and
No
with movable gas holder
gas holder separate
5. ASTRA Model Kalinga (RCC) CV Krishna
Model(FRP Fixed
Dome)
6. JWALA Model ASTRA (Chinese type)

7. Ganesh Model GAIC/ATRC (RCC

segment) Model
8. Khira model AFPRO (Horizontal RCC
pipe ) model
9. FRP Model Deen Bandhu Model

10 Ferrocement Bharat Model

Digester Model,
SERC Model,
SPRERI Model.
 Flexible Balloon Digester

 Originated in Taiwan, China, in the 1960s.

 Rectify - problems experienced with brick and metal
digesters.
 Material - Neoprene coated nylon
- PVC
- RMP – Red mud plastic (produced from the
residue from aluminum refineries)
 The membrane digester is extremely light
 Can be installed easily by excavating a shallow trench,
slightly deeper than the radius of the digester.
 Simple construction, prefabricated, digester cost is low.
Flexible balloon biogas plant
What is meant by High rate digesters?

1. Refer to bioreactors in which the SRT (time for sludge biomass

solids to pass through system) is separated from the HRT (time for
liquid to pass through system).
2. Slow growing anaerobes can be maintained in the reactor at high
concentrations, enabling high volumetric conversion rates.
3. Widely used for wastewater treatment
4. Retaining sludge in the reactor is immobilization onto support
material (microorganisms sticking to surfaces, eg. filter material in
the "anaerobic filter") or self-aggregation into pellets
(microorganisms sticking to each other, eg. sludge granules).
Contd…
 Anaerobic fixed-film (sludge blankets) systems hold the bacteria in
the digester for relatively long periods and provide for long SRTs
and short HRTs.
 The bacteria grow as fixed films of dendritic or “stringlike” masses
on the supportive media or as clumps of solids within the openings
or voids of the supportive media (such as gravel, plastic, and rock).
 The openings make up approximately 50% or more of the media.
 Soluble organic compounds are absorbed (diffuse into) by the
bacteria, whereas insoluble organic compounds are adsorbed
(attach) to the surface of the bacteria.
 The flow of wastewater through fixed-film systems may be from the
bottom to the top (upflow) or from the top to the bottom (downflow).
Types of High rate digesters (Fixed-film)

 Baffled reactor
 Expanded bed
 Expanded granular sludge bed (EGSB)
 Continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR)
 Fluidized-bed reactor
 Fully packed upflow
 Hybrid flow
 Rotating biological contactor
 Thin-film bioreactor
 Upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB)
 What are sludge granules?

At the core of UASB and EGSB technology.

A sludge granule is an aggregate of microorganisms forming during
wastewater treatment due to constant upflow hydraulic regime.
The flow conditions creates a selective environment in which only
those microorganisms, capable of attaching to each other, survive
and proliferate.
Eventually the aggregates form into dense compact biofilms referred
to as "granules“.
Due to their large particle size (generally ranging from 0.5 to 2 mm
in diameter) , the granules resist washout from the reactor,
permitting high hydraulic loads.
Contd..

Biofilms are compact allowing for high concentrations of active

microorganisms i.e. high organic space loadings.
One gram of granular sludge organic matter (dry weight) can
catalyze the conversion of 0.5 to 1 g of COD per day to methane.
i.e. on a daily basis granular sludge can process its own body
weight of wastewater substrate.
Anaerobic sludge granules from a UASB reactor treating
effluent
 Granular Sludge

Granular sludge (1-3 mm)

 Pellet formation
Floccule ("spaghetti balls")
formation via
entanglement

disperse Mature granules, with

methanogens attachment of other
anaerobic
microorganisms onto
the pellet.

The spaghetti theory of granulation

Inside a granule
 Top applications of high rate anaerobic
reactor systems
 Breweries and beverage industry
 Distilleries and fermentation industry
 Food Industry
 Pulp and paper.
Other Applications of high rate digesters

 Sulfate reduction for the removal and recovery of heavy

metals and sulfur
 Denitrification for the removal of nitrates
 Bioremediation for the breakdown of toxic priority
pollutants to harmless products
 USAB
Upflow anaerobic sludge blanket
• Developed by Dr. Gatze Lettinga & colleagues in1970's at the
Wageningen University (The Netherlands).

Working :
 Feed passes upwards through an anaerobic sludge bed where
the microorganisms in the sludge come into contact with
substrates.
 Sludge bed is composed of microorganisms that naturally form
granules (pellets) of 0.5 to 2 mm diameter
 Sludge bed have a high sedimentation velocity i.e. resist wash-
out from the system even at high hydraulic loads.
 Resulting anaerobic degradation process is responsible for
production of biogas.
Contd..

 Upward motion of released gas bubbles causes hydraulic turbulence

provides reactor mixing without any mechanical parts.
 At the top of the reactor, the water phase is separated from sludge
solids and gas in a three-phase separator (also known the gas-
liquid-solids separator).
 Three-phase-separator is commonly a gas cap with a settler situated
above it.
 Baffles are used to deflect gas to the gas-cap opening.
UASB reactor
Process flow diagram of UASB
UASB reactor
Expanded Granular Sludge Bed (EGSB) reactor

Variant UASB concept

Distinguishing feature - faster rate of upward-flow velocity
Increased flux permits partial expansion (fluidization) of the granular
sludge bed, improving wastewater-sludge contact & enhancing
segregation of small inactive suspended particle from the sludge
bed.
Increased flow velocity is either accomplished by utilizing tall
reactors, or by incorporating an effluent recycle (or both).
Appropriate for low strength soluble wastewaters (less than 1 to 2 g
soluble COD/l) or for wastewaters that contain inert or poorly
biodegradable suspended particles which should not be allowed to
accumulate in the sludge bed.
Schematic diagram of EGSB reactor
EGSB
 EGSB reactor
Sludge storage

Buffer tank

Conditioning tank EGSB reactor

 CSTR
Continuous Stirred Tank Reactor

• Also known as vat- or backmix reactor.

• One or more fluid reagents are introduced into a tank reactor
equipped with an impeller while the reactor effluent is removed.
• Impeller stirs the reagents to ensure proper mixing.
• Simply dividing the volume of the tank by the average volumetric
flow rate through the tank gives the residence time, or the average
amount of time a discrete quantity of reagent spends inside the tank.
Contd..

• Behavior of a CSTR is often approximated or modeled by that of a

Continuous Ideally Stirred-Tank Reactor (CISTR).
• Run at steady state with continuous flow of reactants and products;
• Feed assumes a uniform composition throughout the reactor.
• Exit stream has the same composition as in the tank.
CSTR
CSRT
Inside view of CSTR
Baffled Anaerobic digester
Sr. Conventional biogas plants High rate anaerobic digesters
No
1. Suitable for Insoluble wastes (such Suitable for treatment of soluble
as particulate and colloidal organics) wastewater. Also called low-strength
Also called high-strength wastes. wastes
2. Require lengthy digestion periods for Wastewaters do not require hydrolysis
and solubilization
hydrolysis and solubilization.
3. HRT of at least 10–20 days Much faster rates of treatment are
obtained. Have retention time of less
than 8 hours.
4. Suspended growth systems are Fixed-film systems are being used for
being used for treatment. treatment.

5. SRT is the same as the HRT Minimal HRT to reduce digester volume
and capital costs. Maximal SRT is
desired to achieve process stability and
minimal sludge production.
One m3 of biogas is equivalent to

0.7 m3 of natural gas,

0.7 kg of fuel oil,
0.6 kg of kerosene,
0.4 kg of benzene,
3.5 kg of firewood,
12 kg of manure
4 kWh of electric energy,
1.5 kg of coal,
0.433 kg of LPG
1.6 kg of CO2
 Size of plants, requirement of cattle dung
and estimated cost
Size of plant Quantity of No. of cattle Estimated cost*
cattle dung heads required
required daily
1 Cubic metre 25 2-3 Rs. 7000/-
2 cubic metre 50 4-6 Rs. 9000/-

3 cubic metre 75 7-9 Rs. 10,500/-

4 cubic metre 100 10-12 Rs. 12,500/-

*The cost is higher by 30 per cent and 50 per cent in hilly areas and North Eastern Region
States, respectively.
MNRE
Biogas consumed for different applications
Use Specification Quantity of gas
consumed (m3 /hr)
2" burner 0.33

4" burner 0.47

Cooking 6" burner 0.64

per person per day 0.24 m3/day

Gas lighting 100 Candle Power 0.13

mantle lamp of
Duel fuel engine 75-80% replacement 0.50
of diesel oil per B.H.P.
Electricity 1 kWh 0.21