Small-Scale Biogas Technology

Authors: Tynan Larson-Caldwell, Anaisabel Crespo Leiva, Eric Dyck

April 14, 2017

Niagara College
ENVR 1441
 Small-Scale Biogas Technology

INTRODUCTION

As alternative forms of renewable energy are becoming increasingly more ubiquitous,

demand for renewable fuels such as biogas are also higher. Renewable fuels such as
biogas are efficient and economical ways of turning organic waste into energy through
the process of anaerobic digestion. Biogas production has increased over the years for
industrial usage, however research into small-scale biogas production remains minimal.
The main focus of our study was to determine the ideal composition for biogas
production at a small scale that would produce a moderately high volume of methane.

We created three small-scale biodigesters in order to determine the ideal organic waste
composition for methane and CO2 production. The three biodigesters each contained
different mixtures in order to determine the most ideal composition for methane
production. The first biodigester contained only manure, the second contained a 50:50
ratio of manure to food scraps, and the final biodigester consisted solely of food scraps.
The biodigesters were monitored over a period of four weeks and measured for pH,
conductivity and effluent volume to assess the levels of anaerobic digestion and final
methane production.

PROJECT OBJECTIVE Commented [1]: Final Report Evalutation Outline

https://niagara.blackboard.com/bbcswebdav/pid-
2691042-dt-content-rid-
Our project objective is to evaluate the biomass composition that will result in a high 8338999_1/courses/1171_ENVR1441_AA/ENVR1441_
FinalReportOutline_18-Apr-17.pdf
volume of biogas production. We developed a hypothesis in order to test our questions
regarding the ideal biomass composition for an effective yield of methane production.
What percentage of feed to food scraps would cause ideal production of methane within
an anaerobic digester? We propose that a higher manure feed would reduce fluctuations
in methane production.

Background Study

Biogas is mainly composed of 55% - 75% methane, 24% - 44% carbon dioxide, and 1% of
other trace gases, such as hydrogen sulfide ("Biomass to Biogas—Anaerobic Digestion",
2013). It is a source of renewable energy because the gas composition (carbon dioxide,
methane, and hydrogen) reacts with oxygen to release energy, and can be used as a
source of fuel. Biogas is created through the various processes involved in anaerobic
digestion.

The process of anaerobic digestion involves microorganisms decomposing organic

1
 Small-Scale Biogas Technology

matter, through several stages such as hydrolysis, acidogenesis, acetogenesis and

methanogenesis (Marek & Härdtle, 2011). The process of anaerobic digestion, can only
occur in an oxygen free environment, and also utilizes hydrogen and carbon dioxide to
produce methane ("Economic analysis of small-scale agricultural digesters in the United
States", 2013).

Numerous studies have been conducted on the necessary requirements of biomass

composition for methane production. The majority of studies focus on the applicability
of small-scale biogas technology for agricultural or household usage. These studies have
shown that the volume of biogas production is affected by the composition of the
biomass used within the digesters. The ratio of carbon to nitrogen within the biomass is
crucial to efficient anaerobic digestion ("Biogas from Manure", 2013).

A higher carbon to nitrogen ratio will result in nitrogen exhaustion before the carbon
can be digested by the bacteria. In contrast, a low carbon to nitrogen ratio will result in
high acidity and ammonium concentration which may result in the death of the required
anaerobic bacteria for digestion. As a result, biomass with a moderate carbon to nitrogen
ratio such as cow manure or horse manure are favored for anaerobic digestion.
However, because manure alone may not fulfill the required carbon to nitrogen ratio
additional material such as food waste may increase the potential for anaerobic
digestion.

Hydrolysis
The primary stage of anaerobic digestion is hydrolysis. During hydrolysis
microorganisms begin to break down the organic material into amino acids,
monosaccharides and fatty acids, as the glucose molecules in carbohydrates and fats
react with water (Jolly, Belshaw and Telfer 459-472).

Acidogenesis
In the secondary stage of anaerobic digestion, the products of hydrolysis are converted
into hydrogen, carbon dioxide, ketones and alcohols (Marek & Härdtle, 2011). The end
products of acidogenesis are volatile acids such as propionic acid, butyric acid, and acetic
acid.

Acetogenesis
During the process of acetogenesis, acetate - a byproduct of acetic acid, is created from
the products of acidogenesis by microorganisms called acetogens ("Biomass to Biogas—
Anaerobic Digestion", 2013). Acetogens further convert organic material into energy via

2
 Small-Scale Biogas Technology

the use of carbon and hydrogen, until it can finally lead to methane.

Methanogenesis
Methanogenesis is the final stage of aerobic digestion. During this stage organisms called
methanogens use the products of previous stages including hydrogen and carbon dioxide
to produce methane and other trace gases.

METHODOLOGY

To show the differences in methane production yield using different forms of biomass,
we created three biodigesters utilizing differing mixtures of the most common types of
organic material used for biogas production - horse manure and food waste. The first
biodigester consisted of solely manure, the second a 50/50 mixture of food scraps and
manure, and the third contained only food scraps.

The digesters were made from 3 five gallon orange coloured homedepot buckets with
lids.The lids were drilled with 3 inch holes in center to fit snugly a 3 inch diameter sewer
pipe. Sewer pipe was cut on 45 degree angle at bottom and 14 inches long. Sewer pipe
was fitted and caulked for good seal. A ⅜ inch barbed connector was attached 1 inch
from the sewer feed pipe for gas collection also caulked.(Appendix C, Figure 4) The
effluent pipe was constructed of 1-6inch ¾ inch pipe, 1-1inch 3/4 inch pipe 1 elbow and 1
tee connector at 10 ½ inches from the bottom from the bucket. (Appendix C, Figure 5) Lid
and effluent pipe attached and caulked to ensure proper seal. Sewer pipe lids were
loosely dry fitted to allow removing and feeding.

Gas collection system was built of caped sewer pipe in a water. This had a vinyl tubing,
attached to the digesters running under the water under the open side of the pipe to
collect gasses. This was later revised to a balloon system due to the effluent design not
allowing enough pressure to build up for the gas to be released into the gas collection
unit. (Figure 2)

Materials
● 250ml Beaker
● 3 Biodigester
● Balloons
● pH Meter
● TDS Meter
● 1000ml Graduated Cylinder

3
 Small-Scale Biogas Technology

● Weigh Scale
● MultiRae Meter w/ Methane sensor

The initial design of the biodigesters were based off of a biogas system tutorial created
by Solar Cities (Culhane, 2015). However, due to safety issues about the potential
explosive nature of the buildup of methane and CO2, the gas valves present in the Solar
Cities design were not used for our biodigester setups. As a result, pressure built up in
the biodigesters, which forced out waste instead of collecting the biogas. So modifications
were made to the gas collection system, during week 2. Instead of gas collections tanks,
we used balloons to collect and monitor the gas production in the biodigesters.

Figure 1. From left to right, biodigester #1 - manure, biodigester #2 50/50 manure and food scraps,
biodigester #3, food scraps only. The initial gas collection tanks are also included.

Figure 2. The final balloon gas collection setup for the biodigesters.

The amount of feed weight required for each biodigester was calculated by weighing the

4
 Small-Scale Biogas Technology

amount of manure required to loosely fill a biodigester and dividing that weight by the
25 day retention time. The same was done with the volume. The material necessary for
feeding the biodigesters was obtained from the school’s food waste, while the horse
manure was obtained from our project advisor Martin Smith. The following procedure
was used during the four week feeding schedule with a few deviations that are discussed
later in this report:

Feeding

1. Weigh out 68 grams of feed (manure/ 50%manure to food scraps/ food scraps)
2. Put through a food processor to break down larger pieces
3. Remove feeding tube cap and insert feed
4. Add 660 ml of water

The total retention day period of the digesters lasted for 25 days. During the retention
period the biodigesters underwent the various stages of anaerobic digestion. The pH,
conductivity and total effluent volume of each biodigester were tested each day to
monitor for anaerobic digestion.

RESULTS

DATA ANALYSIS

● #1 Manure produced 9%-25% methane.

● #2 Manure/Food produced between 2%-32% methane.
● #3 Food produced between 4%-6% methane.
VOCS
● #1 366 - 400ppm
● #2 96.1 - 102ppm
● #3 12 - 190ppm

Over the course of the retention period, the effluent from each digester had significant
differences. The waste from the manure digester produced a dark brown effluent,
indicating the successful breakdown of the manure biomass. (Appendix C, Figure 6) The
second digester consisting of manure and food scraps produced a dark yellow waste that
gradually lightened over time.(Appendix C, Figure 7) The third biodigester which
contained only food scraps, produced a an acidic, light pink effluent that gradually faded
into a dull yellow. (Appendix C, Figure 8 & 9)The third biodigester had the highest

5
 Small-Scale Biogas Technology

acidity of all the biodigesters and took a long time for the pH to increase enough for the
acetogenesis stage to occur.

Figure 3. Ph Chart of each digester and trendlines

Gas production began on the second week of feeding for all three biodigesters, and
continued throughout the retention period. The gas production had several indicators
such as the volume of balloon inflation, the change in pH levels, and the color and
volume of the effluent produced. The final methane in the biodigesters indicated that the
second biodigester had the highest overall methane production of approximately 32%.
The first biodigester had a slightly lower overall methane production of approximately,
25%. The third biodigester consisting solely produced a very low amount of methane of
between 4% - 6%. These results indicate that the food scraps did not contain an
appropriate carbon to nitrogen ratio for a high volume of methane production to occur.
In addition, the food scraps may have also lacked the necessary acid and methane
forming bacteria required for anaerobic digestion.

DISCUSSION

There were several issues during the course of our project, that may have led to flawed
results. One of the main issues was that there was an issue with the initial biodigester
design. The digesters weren’t able to push the gas into the collection tubes but instead
the pressure was being relieved out of the effluent tube - e.g hydraulic pressure
variance. The gas wasn’t going into the gas collection as predicted, instead it was pushing

6
 Small-Scale Biogas Technology

out the effluent. To remedy this problem in the future, having the effluent tube placed
higher on the feeding tube and apparatus, should lead to more gas pressure buildup. Or
an alternative would be to place a valve on the effluent tube to control the gas release.

During the second week of feeding, biodigester #1 was accidentally contaminated with 34
grams of food scraps. The contamination was a concern because biodigester #1 was
supposed to consist solely of manure. However, because the contamination happened
early on in the feeding process, it may have not had a significant impact on the results.
Another issue was that using the balloons may have caused air infiltration issues. When
we switched to the gas collection unit to the balloons, it may have caused additional air
to enter the biodigesters. However, despite these issues all three of the digesters
underwent anaerobic digestion and produced methane. The design issues may have
instead led to a reduction in the amount of methane produced.

CONCLUSION

Despite the difficulties with the biodigesters, we were able to prove our hypothesis.
According to our results, a 50:50 ratio of food scraps to manure was the most ideal
mixture for methane production. The manure contained more of the appropriate
bacteria that was necessary for methanogenesis to occur. Anaerobic bacteria produce a
higher amount of biogas when fed organic matter with a carbon to nitrogen ratio that is
compatible with their metabolic requirements ("Biogas from Manure", 2013). As a result,
organic materials such as manure are more suitable than food scraps, as source of
energy for the process of anaerobic digestion. In contrast to the high amounts of
methane produced in biodigester 1 & 2, the biodigester that consisted solely of food
scraps produced the lowest amount of methane. As a result, we have concluded that a
food scraps only mixture may be inadequate for consistently high volumes of methane
production.

7
 Small-Scale Biogas Technology

REFERENCES
"Anaerobic Digesters And Biogas Safety - Extension". Articles.extension.org. N.p., 2017.
Web. 23 Jan. 2017.

Biomass to Biogas—Anaerobic Digestion. (2013). E-inst.com. Retrieved 10 April 2017,

from http://www.e-inst.com/biomass-to-biogas/

Biogas from Manure. (2013). Extension.psu.edu. Retrieved 16 April 2017, from

http://extension.psu.edu/natural-resources/energy/waste-to-

energy/resources/biogas/projects/biogas-from-manure

"Chemical Of The Week -- Methane". Scifun.chem.wisc.edu. N.p., 2017. Web. 23 Jan.

2017.

Culhane, T. (2015). Solar CITIES IBC Biogas System Tutorial Complete. Retrieved from

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cwm5Rm8uIsk

8
 Small-Scale Biogas Technology

Jolly, M., Belshaw, D., & Telfer, J. (2014). The biochemical relationships in anaerobic

digestion after thermal hydrolysis at Davyhulme. Water And Environment Journal, 28(4),

459-472. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/wej.12093

Small-Scale Biogas Technology. (2013). Center for Sustaining Agriculture and Natural

Resources. Retrieved 13 March 2017, from http://csanr.wsu.edu/anaerobic-

digestion/small-scale-biogas-technology/

Economic analysis of small-scale agricultural digesters in the United States. (2013).

Digitalcommons.unl.edu. Retrieved 13 March 2017, from

http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2164&context=usdaarsfacpub

Marek, K. & Härdtle, G. (2011). Anaerobic Digestion Process. Wtert.eu. Retrieved 13

March 2017, from http://www.wtert.eu/default.asp?Menue=13&ShowDok=12

“Methane Safety”. Www1.agric.gov.ab.ca. N.p., 2013. Web. 24 Jan. 2017.

"OSH Answers Fact Sheets". CCOHS. N.p., 2016. Web. 23 Jan. 2017

Appendix A: Gantt Chart

9
 Small-Scale Biogas Technology

Appendix B: Calculations

10
 Small-Scale Biogas Technology

11
 Small-Scale Biogas Technology

Figure 4. Calculations for Feeding

Appendix C: Additional Photos

Figure 5. Digester Design Figure 6. Digester Design

12
 Small-Scale Biogas Technology

Figure 7. Reactor #1 Effluent

Figure 8. Reactor #2 Effluent

13
 Small-Scale Biogas Technology

Figure 9. Reactor #3 Effluent

Figure 10. Changes in Reactor #3 Effluent

14
 Small-Scale Biogas Technology

Figure 11. Manure and Food Waste Containers for Feeding

Appendix D: Health and Safety Plan

Activity: Building the Biogas Digesters

Hazards & Conditions: Equipment such as drills and other power tools may pose a potential
safety hazard.
Controls: Instructions in how to handle the power tools safely, and checking them before use in
order to ensure that the equipment is in working order. Personal protective equipment will be
worn at all times while handling power tools.
Personal Protective Equipment: Safety goggles, work gloves and steel toe shoes if necessary.
First aid kit will be readily available in case of an accident.

Activity: Collecting Feed & Waste

Hazards & Conditions: Disease. Animal manure contains bacteria, viruses, and potential
pathogenic bacteria. Direct contact may be result in disease transmission ("Anaerobic Digesters
And Biogas Safety - Extension").
Controls: General caution will be exercised: personal protective equipment worn when handling
manure or fertilizer, including gloves, eyewear and lab coat. In addition, personal hygiene such

15
 Small-Scale Biogas Technology

as washing hands after working with the feed and waste materials will be completed. All work
surfaces involved in the feed and waste will be cleaned and disinfected after each use.
Personal Protective Equipment: Lab coat, gloves, eyewear, disinfectant.

Activity: Biogas Collection and Methane Gas Measurement

Hazards & Conditions: Fire/Explosion
Methane is combustible and mixtures of more than 5 to 15% may be explosive ("Chemical Of
The Week -- Methane"). Methane can also readily form explosive mixture with air at room
temperature ("OSH Answers Fact Sheets").
Controls: Steps will be taken to remove sources of ignition from the area before building the
biogas digesters. Sources of ignition that will be removed include: static electricity, sparks, and
open fire sources.
Personal Protective Equipment: Face Protection: including chemical safety goggles and face
shield if contact is possible.
Methods for Containment and Clean-up: The leak will be stopped or reduced if it is safe to do
so. Any leaks in the system will be plugged and sealed off. Daily monitoring of biogas digesters
will be performed to identify any warning signs of gas leak including hydrogen sulfide ‘rotten
eggs’ smell and samples taken to test for methane. The area would also be continuously
ventilated to prevent the gas from accumulating in a confined space.
Hazards & Conditions: Asphyxiation
If large amounts of methane are produced the methane displaces air so that, in a confined space,
it creates an oxygen-deficient atmosphere ("Anaerobic Digesters And Biogas Safety -
Extension"). Methane can produce suffocation by reducing the concentration of oxygen inhaled,
if adequate ventilation is not present. Methane is also an odorless gas, which can make leak
detection difficult (“Methane Safety, Government of Alberta”).

Controls: The biogas digesters will be stored in a facility with proper ventilation and
temperature controlled – the E305 lab. If any gas leaks are identified, steps will be taken to
ensure the system is immediately sealed off. Gas detection instruments will used to measure the
amount of methane produced by the biogas digesters. The National Institute for Occupational
Safety and Health's (NIOSH) guidelines for methane exposure will taken into account, to
determine safe methane concentration limits.

Table 1. Methane exposure levels and effects

Exposure level (ppm) Effect or symptom
1000 NIOSH 8-hours TLV*
50,000 to 150,000 Potentially explosive
500,000 Asphyxiation
* TLV = Threshold Limit Value

16
 Small-Scale Biogas Technology

Appendix E: Results & Charts, accompanied excel file

17