An explanation of Biogas

What is Biogas?

Every nation and community should be looking for alternatives to turn around the energy crisis, and biogas might just be the answer to the ongoing fuel shortages. Biogas has many popular uses and can be cheaply produced and provided to communities that are without fuel.

Biogas is a gas which is produced through the process of fermentation (the break down) of organic matter. Organic matter can consist of sewage, municipal waste, manure and any other type of biodegradable feedstock. Biogas mostly consists of methane and carbon dioxide. As the biogas can be produced through the fermentation of organic matter, it is a renewable resource that can be created again and again as needed. The name of the gas will change depending on where the gas will be produced. Biogas can also be known as digester gas, landfill gas, swamp gas or marsh gas. The great thing about biogas is that it can be used to create fuel for vehicles or to even generate electricity. Biogas is also commonly used as a fuel for heating, lighting, and cooking.

How biogas is made

Biogas, as already mentioned, is the result of fermentation of organic matter. In order for the process to be successful it has to be completed at a temperature of around 38 – 55 degrees Celsius. Roughly half of the gas produced is going to be carbon dioxide while the other half will be methane.

When the heat is used in conjunction with the facilities that a power plant can provide, the methane gas can be transformed into power and heat which can in turn be delivered into homes and businesses. Because biogas is created from natural matter, the gas is 100% environmentally friendly and the carbon dioxide can be absorbed into the plants during photosynthesis.

Manure and food waste generate the most amounts of gas, and as these products are in an almost never ending supply, the production of biogas will be almost never ending.

The biogas creation process and machinery important to the process

A slurry tank will serve as an interim storage container for the liquid fertilizer. When the organic matter breaks down in the heat, and broken down by the processes that are involved with the creation of the biogas, the matter can become liquefied. Slurry tanks are ideal as any heavy products that are within the organic matter that is to be broken down can now settle at the bottom of the tank. The tank will need to have around 2 to 3 days’ worth of manure. The slurry is then mixed together and any floating layers are then mixed away.

The biofeeder can then come into play, depending on the first phase of the biomass and the material is then passed through the screw system. The biofeeder has an open container and it can transport the material using a walking floor. The material will then pass through milling drums.

The fermenter is the next part of the process and it is the part of the process that is at the heart of the plant. It is at this part of process that the actual conversion of the matter takes place and it is converted into the biogas. Using a number of techniques as well as microorganisms, the final conversion to extract the methane gas that is so important to biogas, will be completed. The full process will take place in one container while the temperature is between 35 and 45 degrees Celsius.

The fermenter receives a continuous amount of feed from the slurry which can be converted into gas, this means that there is a never ending supply of matter that is going to be converted into biogas. What is very important to the process is the mixer which is designed to continuously keep the matter moving. The mixer needs to keep moving in order to ensure that there is no floating matter on top and no solid particles in the middle. Substrate keeps moving through the machine to ensure the continuous production of biogas.

The conclusion

It might sound like a rather confusing process but it is a process that is worthwhile. The benefits of biogas production and its many uses outweigh the traditional fossil fuels that are commonly used around the world. Biogas fuels are not only a whole lot cheaper to manufacture but they are also cleaner. Biogas is able to provide a continuous stream of uninterrupted energy that is not going to affect the environment. The industry is also able to create jobs in all communities, making it a really wonderful option.

Biogas is part of our future and now is the time to embrace it.