Determination of the quality of biogas by ame

temperature measurement
T. Mandal
a,
*, Babu A. Kiran
a
, N.K. Mandal
b
a
Engineering Technology Group, Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani, 333 031, Rajasthan, India
b
All India Council for Technical Education, Indira Gandhi Sports Complex, I.P. Estate, New Delhi, 110 002, India
Received 25 March 1998; accepted 10 December 1998
Abstract
A prototype experimental setup has been developed to nd the quality of biogas produced by
cowdung by measuring its ame temperature. The variation of ame temperature of the sample of
biogas collected from a laboratory scale anaerobic digester in each week has been studied to nd the
change in quality of the same throughout the retention period. The result has been veried by
determining the change of percentage of methane in the biogas. # 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights
reserved.
Keywords: Anearobic digester; Biogas; Methane content; Quality; Flame temperature
1. Introduction
The quality of biogas generated by waste materials does not remain constant but varies with
the period of digestion [1,2]. The quality of biogas depends mainly on the presence of methane
in it. A good quality biogas has high caloric value and burns in air with a blue ame. This is
due to the presence of a high percentage of methane in it. The percentage of methane in the
biogas is generally determined by the Orsat apparatus, gas-chromatograph etc. [3]. These are
not absolutely required. The ame temperature of the fuel is proportional to its caloric value.
Again, the quality of the fuel is proportional to its caloric value [4]. Hence, the ame
temperature of biogas indicates its quality, i.e. the percentage of methane in it.
Energy Conversion & Management 40 (1999) 12251228
0196-8904/99/$ - see front matter # 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
PII: S0196- 8904( 99) 00009- 6
* Corresponding author.
In this paper, an attempt has been made to present the results for experiments conducted to
nd the change in quality of biogas produced by cowdung during its digestion period.
2. Materials and methods
2.1. Experimental method
The major components of the experimental setup, as shown in Fig. 1, are comprised of a gas
sampler cum burner (G), an analog temperature indicator (I), a thermocouple probe (T) and a
control bulb containing acid water (B).
The biogas sample, for which ame temperature is to be measured, is collected every week
from the biogas collector (aspirator bottle) by the water displacement method. The percentage
of methane in each of the above samples is determined using a gas chromatograph. 200 cm
3
of
the same sample is taken in a modied gas sampler having a nozzle attached at one end so that
it can also be used as a gas burner. By opening the control valve (V), the biogas is allowed to
escape through the nozzle and is ignited in air. The steady state ame temperature is measured
by a temperature measurement system consisting of a thermocouple probe and an analog
temperature indicator. The reading of the analog temperature indicator gives the direct value
of ame temperature (8C) of the biogas burned.
Fig. 1. Schematic diagram of the experimental setup for ame temperature determination of biogas.
T. Mandal et al. / Energy Conversion & Management 40 (1999) 12251228 1226
3. Results and discussions
The results obtained for the experiments as described in the previous section can be used to
analyze the quality of biogas as a function of its ame temperature.
Figure 2 shows the variation of ame temperature of the biogas collected at dierent weeks
of the retention period. It can be seen that the ame temperature of the gas sample gradually
increases after the second week and then reaches a maximum value at the middle of the
retention period, falling thereafter. This is due to the fact that the percentage of methane in the
biogas varies with the retention period. It can also be observed that, due to no production of
Fig. 2. Variation of ame temperature of the biogas collected in dierent weeks of the retention time.
Fig. 3. Variation of ame temperature of biogas with % of CH
4
in it.
T. Mandal et al. / Energy Conversion & Management 40 (1999) 12251228 1227
biogas or a very negligible percentage of methane in the samples of biogas before the second
week and after 12 weeks, the ame temperature is either zero or does not burn at all.
Figure 3 shows the variation of ame temperature with the percentage of methane present in
the biogas. It can be seen that the ame temperature of the biogas increases with the increase
in the percentage of methane content in the biogas. It is due to the obvious reason that the
biogas having high caloric value (or high percentage of methane) produces high temperature
when it is burnt.
4. Conclusion
1. This method is simpler than other conventional methods, and this experimental setup is
cheaper than others. The time taken for the experiment is also shorter.
2. For the experiment, biogas is collected from a laboratory scale batch mode digester.
However, the results may vary if the gas is collected for the experiment from a community
biogas or continuous mode biogas plant.
3. A simple and prototype burner is used for the experiment. However, results may vary if an
actual burner is used.
References
[1] Khandewal KC, Mahdi SS. In: Biogas technology: practical handbook. New Delhi: Tata McGrawHill, 1986. p.
512.
[2] Mandal T Ph.D. thesis, Birla Institute of Technology & Science, Pilani (Rajasthan), India, 1996.
[3] Holman JP. In: Experimental methods for engineers, 6th ed. New Delhi: Tata McGrawHill, 1995. p. 53943.
[4] Shah AK. In: Combustion engineering and fuel technology. Oxford: IBM, 1974. p. 4612.
T. Mandal et al. / Energy Conversion & Management 40 (1999) 12251228 1228