VISVESVARAYA TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY

Jnana sangama, Macche, Belagavi, Karnataka-590018

Technical Seminar
on

“ENERGY ENGINEERING (18ME81)”

“BIOMASS ENERGY”

Under the guidance of

Dr. Ravikumar B N
Assistant Professor
Department of Mechanical Engineering

DAYANANDA SAGAR ACADEMY OF TECHNOLOGY &

MANAGEMENT
Department of Mechanical Engineering
Udayapura, Opp. Art of living, Kanakapura Road, Bengaluru – 560082.

2021-2022
 Submitted By

1. Sachin B (1DT18ME065)
2. Sanjeev K S (1DT18ME069)
3. Sandeep K H (1DT18ME068)
4. Rohan R M (1DT18ME061)
5. Sahana Vasanthkumar Biradar (1DT18ME067)
6. P N Tilak (1DT19ME420)
7. Santhosh H P (1DT19ME423)
8. Vineet (1DT19ME430)
9. Thippesh S V (1DT19ME429)
10. Prashanth S Gupta (1DT19ME421)
 INTRODUCTION ON BIOMASS ENERGY
People have used biomass energy—energy from living things—since the earliest “cave men” first
made wood fires for cooking or keeping warm.

Biomass is organic, meaning it is made of material that comes from living organisms, such as
plants and animals. The most common biomass materials used for energy are plants, wood, and
waste. These are called biomass feed stocks. Biomass energy can also be a non-renewable
energy source.

Biomass contains energy first derived from the sun: Plants absorb the sun’s energy through
photosynthesis, and convert carbon dioxide and water into nutrients (carbohydrates).

The energy from these organisms can be transformed into usable energy through direct and
indirect means. Biomass can be burned to create heat (direct), converted into electricity (direct),
or processed into biofuel (indirect).
 Photosynthesis

• Photosynthesis, the process by which green plants and certain other organisms transform
light energy into chemical energy.
• During photosynthesis in green plants, light energy is captured and used to convert water,
carbon dioxide, and minerals into oxygen and energy-rich organic compounds.
• It would be impossible to overestimate the importance of photosynthesis in the
maintenance of life on Earth. If photosynthesis ceased, there would soon be little food or
other organic matter on Earth. Most organisms would disappear, and in time Earth’s
atmosphere would become nearly devoid of gaseous oxygen. The only organisms able to
exist under such conditions would be the chemosynthetic bacteria, which can utilize the
chemical energy of certain inorganic compounds and thus are not dependent on the
conversion of light energy.

Fig 1: Photosynthesis process

• Chlorophyll Inside the plant cell are small organelles called chloroplasts, which store the
energy of sunlight. The chloroplast is a light-absorbing pigment called chlorophyll, which
is responsible for giving the plant its green color. During photosynthesis, chlorophyll
absorbs energy from blue- and red-light waves, and reflects green-light waves, making
the plant appear green.
• During photosynthesis, plants take in carbon dioxide (CO2) and water (H2O) from the air
and soil. Within the plant cell, the water is oxidized, meaning it loses electrons, while the
carbon dioxide is reduced, meaning it gains electrons. This transforms the water into
oxygen and the carbon dioxide into glucose.
 Photosynthetic oxygen production
• During photosynthesis plants take in carbon dioxide (C02) and water (H20) from the air
and soil. Within the plant cell, the water is oxidized, meaning it loses electrons, while the
carbon dioxide is reduced, meaning it gains electrons. This transforms the water into
oxygen and the carbon dioxide into glucose. The plant then releases the oxygen back into
the air, and store energy within the glucose molecules.

• 6CO2 + 6H20 + (energy) → C6H12O6 + 6O2

• This means that the reactants, six carbon dioxide molecules and six water molecules, are
converted by light energy captured by chlorophyll (implied by the arrow) into a sugar
molecule and six oxygen molecules, the products.

Experiment to Demonstrate Oxygen is produced during

photosynthesis.
• Fill the beaker with the water and take Hydrilla or any aquatic plant, in the beaker.
• Cut the bases of the plants, tie them with a thread and cover them with an inverted funnel
in such a fashion that the cut ends of plants are towards the neck of the funnel.
• Fill a test tube with the water and reverse it on the upper end of the funnel.
• Keep the whole equipment in daylight and monitor for some time.
• From the cut ends of the plant some bubbles are coming out constantly and they are
collected at the top of the test tube by displacing the water. On testing this gas it is found
that it is oxygen. A bubble of gas is noticed in the experiment.
• After sometimes it will be seen that bubbles are coming out from the Hydrilla plant and
are accumulating in the test tube. After the accumulation of some gas, the test tube should
be taken out carefully and a glowing splinter of wood be thrust into the test tube, it will
burst into flame.

Fig 2: Photosynthetic oxygen production

 Energy Plantation
Technically speaking, energy plantation means growing select species of trees and shrubs which
are harvestable in a comparably shorter time and are specifically meant for fuel. The fuel wood
may be used either directly in wood burning stoves and boilers or processed into methanol,
ethanol and producer gas. These plantations help provide wood either for cooking in homes or
for industrial use, so as to satisfy local energy needs in a decentralized manner. The energy
plantations provide almost inexhaustible renewable sources (with total time constant of 3-8 years
only for each cycle) of energy which are essentially local and independent of unreliable and finite
sources of fuel. The attractive features of energy plantations are: (a) heat content of wood is
similar to that of Indian coal, (b) wood is low in sulphur and not likely to pollute the atmosphere,
(c) ash from burnt wood is a valuable fertilizer, (d) utilization of erosion prone land for raising
these plantations helps to reduce wind and water erosion, thereby minimizing hazards from
floods, siltation, and loss of nitrogen and minerals from soil and (e) help in rural employment
generation - it is estimated that an hectare of energy plantation is estimated to provide
employment for at least seven persons regularly. Selection of multipurpose species provides a
number of by-products like oils, organic compounds, fruits, edible leaves, forage for livestock,
etc. Data collected from Forest Department reveals that annual woody biomass available is in the
range 11.9 to 21 t/ha/yr. An energy forest raised at Hosalli village in Tumkur district to support
a wood gasifier plant has annual yield of 6 t/ha/yr.

Fig 3: Energy plantation

 Biogas production from organic wastes by anaerobic
fermentation
What is biogas and how is it produced?

● Biogas is an environmentally friendly renewable energy source.

● It is produced when organic matter, such as food or animal waste is broken down by
microorganisms in the absence of oxygen, in a process called anaerobic digestion.
● Animal manure, municipal waste, plant material, food waste can all be the organic matter
from which biogas can be extracted. ● Biogas consists of Methane + CO2.

Stages in Biogas production

• Biowaste is crushed into smaller pieces and slurrified to prepare it for the anaerobic
digestion. Slurrifying means adding liquid to the biowaste to make it easier to process.

• Microbes need warm conditions, so the biowaste is heated to 37⁰C.

• The actual production takes place through anaerobic digestion in large tanks for 3 weeks
In the final stage the gas is purified by removing impurities.

• The Degestate is used as fertilizers

Fig 4: Biogas Plant

 KVIC Bio Gas Plant

Fig 5: KVIC Bio Gas Plant

These plants are commonly known as KVIC (Khadi Village and Industrial Commission)
plants and were developed in 1954 and standardized in 1962 and are used widely even now.
The main components of KVIC biogas plants are Mixing tank, Underground digester tank,
Overflow tank, Floating gas-holder and pipe connections. These plants have an underground
well-shaped digester having inlet and outlet connections through pipes located at its bottom on
either side of a partition wall. An inverted drum (gas holder) made of mild steel is placed in the
digester which rests on the wedge shaped support and the guide frame at the level of the
partition wall and moves up and down along a guide pipe with the accumulation and use of gas.
The weight of the drum applies pressure on the gas to make it flow through the pipelines to the
points of use. The simple diagram of KVIC Bio Gas Plant is also known Floating gasholder
type bio-gas plant as shown in the above Fig 5.
The gasholder alone is the costliest component which accounts for about 40% of the total installation
cost of biogas plant. It also needs to be painted regularly for protecting it against corrosion. These
plants can be of any size to cater the needs of the users.

Advantages of KVIC Bio Gas Plant

• Biogas is eco-friendly.
• Biogas generation reduces soil and water pollution.
• Biogas generation produces organic fertilizer.
• It’s a simple and low-cost technology that encourages a circular economy.
• Healthy cooking alternative for developing areas.

Disadvantages of KVIC Bio Gas Plant

• Few technological advancements.
• Contains impurities.
• Effect of temperature on biogas production. Less suitable for dense metropolitan areas.

Applications of KVIC Bio Gas Plant

• Biogas is used as cooking fuel.

• Biogas is mental light gas burner for lighting purpose.
• Biogas is used for water heating.
• It is used as fuel in I.C. Engine.
• It is used as fuel to run agricultural machineries.
• It is used to run diesel engine generator set to produce electricity.
• Heat of biogas is utilized in the dryer for drying the agricultural products.
• Heat of biogas is used to heat ammonia of refrigerating plant.
• It is used for running pumps for irrigation purpose.
• Methane and carbon dioxide are used as raw chemical feed stock to manufacture
various chemicals.
 Janata biogas plant
The design of this plant is of Chinese origin but it has been introduced under the name “Janata biogas
plant” by Gobar Gas Research Station, Ajitmal in view of its reduced cost. This is a plant where no
steel is used, there is no moving part in it and maintenance cost is low. The plant can be constructed
by village mason taking some pre-explained precautions and using all the indigenously available
building materials. Good quality of bricks and cement should be used to avoid the afterward structural
problems like cracking of the dome and leakage of gas. This model have a higher capacity when
compared with KVIC model, hence it can be used as a community biogas plant. This design has longer
life than KVIC models. Substrates other than cattle dung such as municipal waste and plant residues
can also be used in janata type plants. The plant consists of an underground well sort of digester made
of bricks and cement having a dome shaped roof which remains below the ground level is shown in
figure. At almost middle of the digester, there are two rectangular openings facing each other and
coming up to a little above the ground level, act as an inlet and outlet of the plant. Dome shaped roof
is fitted with a pipe at its top which is the gas outlet of the plant. The principle of gas production is
same as that of KVIC model. The biogas is collected in the restricted space of the fixed dome, hence
the pressure of gas is much higher, which is around 90 cm of water column.

Fig 6: Janata biogas plant

 Dheenbhandhu Biogas Plant

Deenbandhu model biogas plant was developed by AFPRO (Action for Food Production, New
Delhi) in 1984. The world Deenbandhu is meant as the friend of the poor. This plant is designed
on the principle that the surface area of biogas plants is reduced (minimized) to reduce their
installation cost without sacrificing the efficiency, of the plant. The design consists of segments of
two spheres of different diameters, joined at their bases. The structure thus formed act as the
digester as fermentation chamber as well as the gas storage chamber. The higher compressive
strength of the brick masonry and concrete makes it preferable to go in for a structure which could
always be kept under compression. A spherical structure loaded from the convex side will be under
compression and therefore, the internal load will not have any residual effect on the structure.

The digester is connected with the inlet pipe and the outlet tank. The upper part above the normal
slurry level of the outlet tank is designed to accommodate the slurry to be displaced out of the
digester with the generation and accumulation of biogas and is called outlet displacement chamber.
The size of these plants is recommended up to 6 m 3 par day. The different components of
Deenbandhu Model Biogas Plant are show in the Fig.
Initially the digester is filled with a uniformly premixed mixture of dung and water (1:1 ratio) and
the digester may be filled in three or four days or more time depending upon the availability of the
dung. In order to facilitate gas production, addition of 5 to 10% inoculums, taken from a running
biogas plant, will hasten the process by three to four days. In case no inoculums are available,
sewage sludge can also be added. The first two or three installments of gas will not burn because
of excessive CO2.
When the cattle dung is used as feed stock, the biogas plant is to be filled with homogenous slurry
made from a fresh dung and water in a ratio of 1:1 up to the level of the second step in the outlet
chamber.

As the gas generates and accumulates in the empty portion of dome of the biogas plant, it presses
down the slurry of the digester and displaces it into the outlet chamber. The slurry level in the
digester falls, whereas in the outlet chamber, it starts rising with the formation of gas. This fall
and rise continues till the level in the digester reaches the upper end of the outlet opening, and at
this stage, the slurry level in the outlet chamber will be at the slurry outlet. Any gas produced
after this stage will escape through the outlet chamber till the gas is not used. When the gas is
used, the slurry which was earlier displaced out of digester and stored in the outlet chamber
begins to return into the digester. The difference in levels of slurry in digester and the outlet
chamber exerts pressure on the gas which makes it flow through the gas outlet pipe to the points
of utilization of biogas.

Fig 7: Deenbandhu Biogas Plant

 FACTORS AFFECTING BIOGAS GENERATION
1. Effect of Agitation on Biogas Yield
2. Effect of pH of Digester Contents on Biogas Yield
3. Effect of C: N Ratio on Biogas Production
4. Effect of Loading Rate on Biogas Yield
5. Effect of Salinity on Biogas Yield

Effect of Agitation on Biogas Yield

Mixing greatly helps to ensure intimate contact between micro-organisms which leads to improved
fermentation efficiency. Mixing can be carried out in a number of ways.
For instance, if slurry is fed every day instead of feeding periodically at a certain interval, it causes
more frequent contact between micro-organisms thus giving desired mixing effect. It can also be
achieved by carrying out certain alterations in inlet and outlet pipes of a plant.

Effect of pH of Digester Contents on Biogas Yield

Biogas production is greatly influenced by pH of digester contents. It is essentially a measure of
acidity and alkalinity of a solution. A pH value of 7 is regarded as neutral, less than 7 as acidic and
greater than 7 as alkaline.
During anaerobic fermentation, micro-organisms require, a neutral or mildly alkaline environment
for efficient gas production. A too acidic or too alkaline environment is viewed as detrimental for
bacterial activity. A pH between 7 and 8.5 is optimum range for increased gas yield.
The pH of digester contents is mainly affected by the amount of carbon dioxide and volatile fatty
acids produced in digester as intermediate products during fermentation.

Effect of C:N Ratio on Biogas Production

For efficient plant operation it is necessary to maintain proper composition of feedstock so that ratio
of carbon to nitrogen in feed remains within the desired range. Both carbon and nitrogen provide
requisite nutrients for efficient functioning of anaerobic bacteria.
Carbon provides necessary energy to microorganisms for their sustenance whereas nitrogen helps
in building their cell structures. Depending upon relative richness in carbon or nitrogen content,
feed materials can be classified as nitrogen-rich or carbon-rich materials. It is generally found that
during digestion micro-organisms utilise carbon 25 to 30 times faster than nitrogen which in other
words means that carbon content in feedstock should be 25 to 30 times more than nitrogen. To
meet this requirement constituents of feedstock are kept in a manner so as to ensure a C : N ratio
of 25 to 30 : 1, and concentration of dry matter as 7 to 10 per cent.

Effect of Loading Rate on Biogas Yield

Loading rate normally expressed as amount of waste materials fed per unit volume of
digester capacity is an important parameter that affects gas yield. Gas output is
commonly expressed as m3 of gas produced per kg of volatile solids destroyed. A number
of studies have been carried out to analyse the impact of varying loading rate on gas
yield. It is not practically possible to describe them individually and only some
representative results are included here.
Based on results of experiments carried out, usually prescribed loading rate for plants
working on municipal wastes ranges from 0.03 to 0.1 lb of volatile solids per ft3 of
digester capacity (or equivalently 0.48 to 1.6 kg of volatile solids per m3 of digester
capacity) for a retention period ranging between 30 to 90 days.

Effect of Salinity on Biogas Yield

Salinity on biogas yield which was found, to have negative impact on gas output. Tap water,
brackish water (1 per cent sulphur) and sea water (3.5 per cent sulphur) were used for the
preparation of cowdung slurry. Biogas output was found to be inversely related to the salinity of
cow manure slurries prepared with tap water, brackish water and seawater. Addition of sea mud was
found to have no significant impact on biogas yield from saline slurries.
 THERMAL GASIFICATION OF BIOMASS
Gasification is a complete thermal breakdown of the biomass particles into a combustible gas,
volatiles and ash in an enclosed reactor (gasifier) in the presence of any externally supplied
oxidizing agent (air, O2, H2O, CO2, etc.). Biomass gasification fuels may be able to use the
existing natural gas distribution network and, with minor equipment modifications, biomass fuel
gases could be readily used in most of the present natural gas energy conversion devices.
Gasification of biomass produces a clean burning fuel gas in boilers to produce heat and steam, or
in gas and Stirling engines to produce electricity in the 20-30% efficiency range. Pressurized
gasification with close coupled gas turbines offers the capability to produce electricity at 40% or
higher efficiency.

Fig 9: Thermal Gasification Of Biomass

Updraft and Downdraft gasifies.

The gasification of biomass takes place in four stages:
1. Drying: water vapour is driven off the biomass.
2. Pyrolysis: as the temperature increases the dry biomass decomposes into
organic vapours, gases, carbon (char) and tars.
3. Reduction: water vapour reacts with carbon, producing hydrogen, carbon
monoxide and methane. Carbon dioxide reacts with carbon to produce more
carbon monoxide.
 4. Combustion: some of the char and tars burn with oxygen from air to give
heat and carbon dioxide, this heat enables the other stages of the gasification
process to take place.

Fig 10: Updraft and Downdraft gasifies

Updraft gasifier

• In updraft gasifier, fuel moves upward and gas move downward.

• Updraft fixed bed gasifier consist of fixed bed of carbonaceous fuel through which the
“Gasification agent” (steam, oxygen and/or air) flows in counter- current configuration
• Thermal efficiency is high as the gas exit temperatures are relatively low. The updraft gasifier
has been the standard of coal gasification for 150 years and it's also popular in biomass cook
stoves.

Downdraft gasifier

• In Downdraft gasifier, both fuel and gas move downward.

• A downdraft gasifier is the typical configuration used for bioenergy production.
• This well-established technology allows the production of syngas with low tar, due to the
Syngas passes through the combustion zone at high temperature and the subsequent
dimensioning which in turn leads to the thermal cracking of tars.
Thankyou,

Regards
Sachin B (1DT18ME065)
Sanjeev K S (1DT18ME069)
Sandeep K H (1DT18ME068)
Rohan R M (1DT18ME061)
Sahana Vasanthkumar Biradar (1DT18ME067)
P N Tilak (1DT19ME420)
Santhosh H P (1DT19ME423)
Vineet (1DT19ME430)
Thippesh S V (1DT19ME429)
Prashanth S Gupta (1DT19ME421)