Projct Report Revised v2.0

CARMEL POLYTECHNIC
ELECTRICAL & ELECTRONICS ENGINEERING
PROJECT REPORT
BIO-ELECTRICITY
GUIDE:
Mr. SREEKANTAN
ACHU B. 88030141
NAIR ALEX T. KARIYIL 88030145
HARIKRISHNAN K. S. 88030161
NIDHEESH M. N. 88030175
NITHIN GOPAL 88030176
PRAVEESH A. P. 88030179
TONY THOMAS 88030201
VIMAL THOMAS 88030204
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ELECTRICITY
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
This project was a mammoth task to accomplish and would not have been possible
without the support of friends and teachers and continuous encouragement from well-wishers
in general. I gratefully acknowledge Rev. Fr. Cyriac Kurian, Principal, Carmel Polytechnic and
Smt. LIzz Joseph, Head of the Department, Electrical and electronics engineering for providing
the finest facilities for the successful completion of this endeavour.
I am deeply indebted to Mr. S. Sreekantan Nair, who guided me along the course of this
project sharing his valuable time, skill and wisdom. He was the prime source of inspiration
behind this idea and the motivation factor at moments of despair.
I would like to thank profusely Mr. Biju, for the necessary technical assistance he gave.
The enthusiasm he showed and the willingness to bear with me during the impatient hours on
the outcome of this project was remarkable. I am grateful to Fr. Josekutty Chacko, hostel
warden, for the kindness he showed in allowing free access to the hostel biogas units.
Finally the constant support and encouragement of Carmel Polytechnic College,

especially, the staff members of the Department of EEE, workshop instructors, and friends alike,
should not go unmentioned. This project is the result of the hard work and prayers of a lot of
people and I see the opportunity to be involved in this activity as a blessing of Almighty himself.
ACHU B. 88030141
ALEX T. KARIYIL 88030145
HARIKRISHNAN K. S. 88030161
NIDHEESH M. N. 88030175
NITHIN GOPAL 88030176
PRAVEESH A. P. 88030179
TONY THOMAS 88030201
VIMAL THOMAS 88030204
CARMEL POLYTECHNIC | ELECTRICAL &

ELECTRONICS
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CONTENTS
 CERTIFICATE - 1
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT - 3
 INTRODUCTION - 5
 ENERGY FROM BIOGAS
 What is biogas? - 6
 The technology - 7
 PREPARATION OF BIOGAS - 9
 PROPERTIES OF BIOGAS
 Composition of Biogas - 13
 Purification of Biogas - 14
 Properties of Biogas - 17
 Advantages of Biogas - 19
 Potential benefits of Biogas - 20
 GENERATION OF ELECTRICIY FROM BIOGAS - 21

 Biogas in IC engines - 23
 Practical Difficulties - 25
 Performance - 26
 Exhaust Emissions - 26

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 Methane vs. Petrol - 28

 The main parts of a waste-to-electricity plant - 28
 IMPLEMENTATION - 29
 Biogas plant - 30
 Silica gel chamber - 31
 Surge absorber - 32
 LPG - 32
 IC engine - 33
 Performance & operational parameters - 39
 Alternator - 40
 PARAMETERS AFFECTING SYSTEM PERFORMANCE

 Technical parameters - 42
 Economic parameters - 43
 MARKETING POSSIBLITIES
 BIOTECH - 44
 Others - 45
 CONCLUSION - 46
 PROJECT ESTIMATE - 48
 REFERENCE - 49

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INTRODUCTION
Energy resources of a nation form the backbone of its
development. Industrial growth, agricultural sector and the
standard of life in general depend upon energy. But, today, the
world is passing through a phase of energy shortage. The increase
in population and the over-exploitation of the conventional
resources, mainly oil reserves, are pointed out as the chief
reasons for this situation.
In a nation like India, who is striving to become a

superpower in the coming years, the importance of energy
demands cannot be underestimated. The specter of economy ruin
due to depleted oil reserves has changed the interest of scientist
and research work towards alternative sources of energy.
The serious hazards created by environmental pollution,

also, should not be neglected. Measures to monitor, control and
reduce pollution are of prime importance.
This project is an attempt to offer a creative solution for the

problems mentioned above. I believe that the challenges posed by
energy shortage and pollution issues can be tackled, at least on a
small scale, from the outcome of this research.
“Bio-Electricity” uses a biogas plant and an engine-generator

set. The biogas produced in the plant is used to drive an IC engine
which is coupled to an alternator, thus, giving electrical energy.

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ENERGY FROM BIOGAS

What is Biogas?
Biogas typically refers to a gas produced by the biological
breakdown of organic matter in the absence of oxygen. Biogas
originates from biogenic material and is a type of biofuel. Biogas is
produced by anaerobic digestion or fermentation of
biodegradable materials such as biomass, manure, sewage,
municipal waste, green waste, plant material and energy crops.
This type of biogas comprises primarily methane and carbon
dioxide. Other type of gas generated by use of biomass is wood
gas, which is created by gasification of wood or other biomass.
This type of gas consists primarily of nitrogen, hydrogen, and
carbon monoxide, with trace amounts of methane.
The gases methane, hydrogen and carbon monoxide can be

combusted or oxidized with oxygen. Air contains 21% oxygen. This
energy release allows biogas to be used as a fuel. Biogas can be
used as a low-cost fuel in any country for any heating purpose,
such as cooking. It can also be used in modern waste
management facilities where it can be used to run any type of
heat engine, to generate either mechanical or electrical power.
Biogas can be compressed, much like natural gas, and used to
power motor vehicles and in the UK for example is estimated to
have the potential to replace around 17% of vehicle fuel. Biogas is
a renewable fuel, so it qualifies for renewable energy subsidies in
some parts of the world.

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The Technology
Biogas dates as far back as the 16th century, when it was
used for heating bath-water in Persia. It has been used in India for
almost a hundred years (Sampat, 1995). The Indian government
introduced large-scale biogas production in 1981 through the
National Project on Biogas Development. Biogas is produced by
extracting chemical energy from organic materials in a sealed
container called a digester. 2 million biogas plants were in
operation in 1995, and about 10 million rural Indians were
benefiting from the electric power and cooking fuel the gas
provided, and also from the rich agricultural fertilizer the plant
produces as a byproduct.
Central to the generation of biogas is the concept of

anaerobic digestion, also called biological gasification. It is a
naturally occurring, microbial process that converts organic
matter to methane and carbon dioxide. The chemical reaction
takes place in the presence of methanogenic bacteria with water
an essential medium. The anaerobic digestion process, as the
name states, is one that functions without molecular oxygen.
Ideally, in a biogas plant there should be no oxygen within the
digester. However, efforts to completely remove it will be
prohibitively expensive. Oxygen therefore exists in the digester,
dissolved mainly in water. Fortuitously, some microbes within the
digester are facultative anaerobes, i.e. they utilize oxygen and
lower the dissolved oxygen concentration to levels suitable for
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other anaerobic microbes to perform their chemical reactions.

Oxygen removal from the digester is important for two main
reasons. The presence of oxygen leads to the creation of water,
not methane. Also, oxygen is a contaminant in biogas and also a
potential safety hazard. Due to presence of oxygen, calorific value
of biogas becomes low.
First, cow dung, the primary raw input for almost all
operating biogas plants is widespread and easily available. India
has more cattle than any other country (450 million head, 19% of
the world population).
Second, the cow is held in religious veneration and its

products are considered purifying agents. Hence, there is a
universal acceptance of even its dung, which otherwise would
instinctively be thought of as repulsive. Dung (or gobar in Hindi) is
widely used in India for house construction (as an infill material
and external plaster), in religious rituals, as composted fertilizer
and as a cooking fuel (dung cakes). Dung accounts for over 21
percent of total rural energy use in India, and as much as 40
percent in certain states of the country.
Third, only 27% of rural India has access to electricity

supplied by the national grid (ostensibly, 84% of all villages are
connected). Localized biogas plants obviate the dependency on
the grid by producing energy from a locally controlled and easily
accessible raw material.

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PREPARATION OF
BIOGAS
A biogas plant is the name often given to an anaerobic
digester that treats farm wastes or energy crops.
Biogas can be produced utilizing anaerobic digesters. These

plants can be fed with energy crops such as maize silage or
biodegradable wastes including sewage sludge and food waste.
During the process, an air-tight tank transforms biomass waste
into methane producing renewable energy that can be used for
heating, electricity, and many other operations that use any
variation of an internal combustion engine.

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Landfill gas is produced by wet organic waste decomposing

under anaerobic conditions in a landfill. The waste is covered and
mechanically compressed by the weight of the material that is
deposited from above. This material prevents oxygen exposure
thus allowing anaerobic microbes to thrive. This gas builds up and
is slowly released into the atmosphere if the landfill site has not
been engineered to capture the gas.

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 Micro Organisms And Mechanism Of

Biogas Production
a. Micro Organisms-
An organic waste consist of many organisms but the organisms
useful for biogas production are
i. Aerobic.
ii. Anaerobic.
b. Constituents of Organic Waste?

The organic waste contains many constituents such as
cellulose, Hemicelluloses, lignin, proteins, and starch, water-
soluble, fats, Soluble etc.
c. Mechanism of biogas production: -

Stage 1 It involves the decomposition of cellulose, hemicellulos
Lignin, starch, protein, fats etc. Into simpler organic
compounds like acids, alcohols and gases like CO2, H2, and
NH3, H2S etc. by aerobic and anaerobic Micro-organisms.
Stage 2: - The anaerobic organism or methane bacteria utilize
simple carbon compounds available from first stage and
produce methane.
This is biogas production.

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 Bio-gas plants
There are two types of plants-
i. Fixed dome type
ii. Floating gas holder type

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PROPERTIES OF BIOGAS
Composition of Biogas
The biogas from a biogas plant is a mixture of several gases.
The composition of biogas varies depending upon the origin of the
anaerobic digestion process. Landfill gas typically has methane
concentrations around 50%. Advanced waste treatment
technologies can produce biogas with 55–75% CH4 or higher using
in situ purification techniques. As-produced, biogas also contains
water vapor, with the fractional water vapor volume a function of
biogas temperature; correction of measured volume for water
vapor content and thermal expansion is easily done via algorithm.

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Methane (CH4) - 50-68%

Carbon monoxide (CO2) - 25-35%
Hydrogen (H2) - 1- 5%
Nitrogen (N2) - 2- 7%
Oxygen (O2) - 0- .1%
Hydrogen Sulphide (H2S) - Rare
Out of these CO2 does not help in combustion process but

reduce the calorific value of biogas. H2S is in minor quantity but it
has corrosive action on combustion chamber and also reduces
calorific value of biogas. Also traces of moisture are to be
removed for better thermal efficiency. So harmful gradients are
removed and use only methane as a fuel.
Purification of Biogas
Raw biogas produced from digestion is roughly 60%
methane and 29% CO2 with trace elements of H2S, and is not high
quality enough if the owner was planning on selling this gas or
using it as fuel gas for machinery. The corrosive nature of H 2S
alone is enough to destroy the internals of an expensive plant.

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The solution is the use of a biogas upgrading or purification

process whereby contaminants in the raw biogas stream are
absorbed or scrubbed, leaving 98% methane per unit volume of
gas. There are four main methods of biogas upgrading, these
include water washing, pressure swing absorption, selexol
absorption and chemical treatment. The most prevalent method
is water washing where high pressure gas flows into a column
where the carbon dioxide and other trace elements are scrubbed
by cascading water running counter-flow to the gas. This
arrangement can deliver 98% methane with manufacturers
guaranteeing maximum 2% methane loss in the system. It takes
roughly between 3-6% of the total energy output in gas to run a
biogas upgrading system.
 Removal of H 2 S
The gas coming out of system is heated to 1500 C
and over ZnO bed, maintained at 1800 C leaving process gas
free of H2S.
ZnO + H2S = ZnS + H2O.
ZnSO4 + 2NaOH = Zn (OH) 2 + Na2SO4
 Removal of CO 2
CO2 is high corrosive when wet and it has no combustion
value so its removal is must to improve the biogas quality.
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The processes to remove CO2 are as follows

a) Caustic solution, NaOH - 40%
NaOH + CO2 = NaHCO3
b) Renfield process K2CO3 - 30 %
K2CO3 + CO2 = 2KCO3
 Removal of NH 3
The chemical reaction is:
NH3 + HCL =NH4Cl
 Removal of H 2 O
For the removal of moisture, the gas, from above reaction, is
passed through the crystals of white silica gel.

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Properties of Biogas
In its pure state, it is color less, odorless, tasteless. For safety
reason, an odorant is added so that any leak can be easily
detected because of typical smell.
The composition of bio gas is never constant. Methane is by

far the largest component, its presence accounting for about 95%
of the total volume. Methane is a simple hydrocarbon, a
substance consisting of carbon & hydrogen. There are many of
these compounds each has its own carbon & hydrogen atoms
joined together to for a particular hydrocarbon gas as fuel gas.
Methane is very light fuel gas. If we increase the number of
hydrogen & carbon atoms, we have got progressively heavier
gases, releasing more heat, therefore more energy, when ignited.
Specific gravity of methane is .55 which is less than petrol & LPG.
This means that biogas will rise if escaping, thus dissipating from
the site of a leak. This important characteristic makes biogas safer
than other fuels. It does not contain any toxic component;
therefore there is no health hazard in handling of fuel.
The air to biogas (stoichiometric) ratio by volume for

complete combustion is 9.5:1 to 10:1.
Biogas has a very slow flame velocity, only .290 m/s. at its highest.
The range of flammability is 4 to 14% which can give good
combustion efficiency.
Biogas has very high octane number approximately 130. By

comparison, gasoline is 90 to 94 & alcohol 105 at best. This means
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that a higher compression ratio engine can be used with biogas

than petrol. Hence, cylinder head of the engine is faced so that
clearance volume will be reduced & compression ratio can
sufficiently increase. Thus volumetric efficiency & power output
are increased. Because of its high octane value the detonation
occur however high the compression may be. The Boiling point of
biogas is above 300 degree Celsius while the calorific value is
35.390 MJ/m3.
One of the promising renewable energy sources is biogas,

which is compound gas consisting mainly of methane (CH4) and
carbon dioxide (CO2). It is normally formed with the
decomposition of organic substances. Because of its low energy
density, the gas is generally stored in high-pressure gas bomb. To
store it in a condition of high density, it is also attempted to store
methane in the form of clathrate. The clathration of methane
requires normally high pressure and low temperature. If the
clathration of biogas and methane could be achieved under the
normal pressure and temperature, this would make the gases a
very useful energy source.

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Advantages of Biogas
 It is light fuel gas.
 It mixes easily with the air.
 It is highly resistant to knocking.
 Due to uniform distribution, thermal efficiency is higher.
 Biogas has a high octane number.
 It reduces pollution.
 Higher compression ratio can be used with biogas.
 Plants capital cost is low.
 Domestic fuels for burners used in kitchen.
 Not toxic to skin.
Potential benefits of Biogas

Biogas consists primarily of methane and is given off in
places where decaying organic material is found. One of the
primary benefits of capturing biogas generated at landfill sites,
sewage waste treatment plants, and animal feedlots would be a
substantial reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. Capturing and
burning biogas would provide significant reductions in toxic
emissions and ozone forming pollutants, and lower particulate
emissions in the case of heavy-duty vehicles. In addition, water
quality could be improved as a result of reduced waste runoff
near sites where biogas is captured.
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The potential reductions of greenhouse gas emissions are

staggering. Much of this benefit is derived from capturing and
burning methane emissions that currently are released into the
atmosphere. An NGV using fuel derived from biogas that
otherwise would have been vented provides as much benefit as
removing six petroleum-fueled vehicles from the nation's
highways. Stated differently, use of biogas in NGVs would produce
600 percent less greenhouse gas emissions when compared with
using petroleum as a motor fuel.
Using biogas that currently is flared instead of vented would

provide about a 100% net reduction in greenhouse gas emissions
when compared with burning petroleum motor fuel in a similar
vehicle. Utilization of available supplies of biogas could potentially
reduce the motor vehicle-related greenhouse gas emission by
more than 340 million tons - a 23% reduction in overall emissions
of motor vehicle greenhouse gas emissions.

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GENERATION OF
ELECTRICIY FROM
BIOGAS
The main advantage of the waste-to-electricity project is
that no external power is required for the operation of the plant.
The power generated in the treatment plant can be utilized to
meet the in-house requirement completely. Excess quantity can
be utilized for any type of application, including street lighting,
providing lights to the markets, and the likes.
Generally, 1.5 KW (kilowatt) of electricity can be produced

from one cubic meter of biogas. Depending upon the percentage
of methane content in biogas, the power generation may vary
slightly. The size of the generator can be fixed depending upon
the availability and the quantity of gas and the duration for the
requirement of power. The gas can be utilized as the operation
fuel in generators. Before feeding biogas as the fuel in generator,
the gas has to be passed through a gas scrubber to remove
unwanted particles, gases, moisture, and so on.

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A biogas plant with associated generator unit installed by BIOTECH
Two types of generators are used for generating electricity

from biogas. One is the dual fuel model and the other is the 100%
biogas model. Dual fuel models are basically diesel generator sets.
In this system, the biogas is connected to the generator through
air mix. Once the biogas is passed through the generator, the
consumption requirement of the diesel is automatically reduced.
Usually, dual fuel generators work in 80%–20% mode. In the 100%
biogas engines, no other fuel is required either for starting or for
operating them. Any type of petrol engine can be modified for
operating the same, using biogas as the operation fuel. The
imported models of 100% biogas engines are very costly and the
maintenance of such systems is also very expensive. BIOTECH, a
Kerala based non-governmental organization, has developed
100% biogas engines, which have been installed in various
projects. And the performance of all of them has been very good.

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Biogas in Internal Combustion

Engines
 S. I. Engines: -
The only adoption for a spark ignition engine is a gas
(not gasoline!) carburetor to work at the supply pressure
(just like an LPG conversion, but an evaporator would not be
needed as the storage pressure is low). It is also a good idea
to scrub the H2S (as it causes corrosion) and to derate the
engine (unless you want to replace it each year if operating
continuously).
Modification of S.I. Engine -:

S.I. engines can run completely on biogas, however,
the engines are required to be started on petrol at the
beginning, conversion of S.I. engine for the entry of biogas,
throttling of intake air & advancing the ignition timing.
Biogas can be admitted to S.I. engine through the intake
manifold & air flow control valve can be provided on the air
cleaner pipe connecting air cleaner & carburetor for
throttling the intake air.

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 C.I. Engine:-
Diesel engines also need a gas carburetor and
scrubbing, but require at least 10% diesel via the injectors
for ignition (and cooling). The initial starting of diesel engine
is done on pure diesel.
Modification of C.I. Engine:

C.I. engine can operate on dual fuel & the necessary
engine modification include provision for the entry of biogas
with intake air, provision of carburetor & system to reduce
diesel supply, advanced injection timing. The entry of biogas
and mixing of gas with intake air can be achieved by
providing the mixing chamber below the air cleaner which
facilitate through mixing of biogas with air before entering
into the cylinder. The capacity of mixing chamber may be
kept equal to the engine displacement volume. The pilot
injection of cycle is required to be advanced for smooth and
efficient running of engine on dual fuel. The admittance of
biogas into the engine at the initial stage increases engine
speed and therefore a suitable system reduces the diesel
supply by actuating the control rack needs to be
incorporated.

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There is a wide range of thoughts on what treatments

should these biogases be subjected to before being used as fuel.
Most operators simply remove the water present in the biogas,
leaving it to the engine manufacturers to design engines which
will cope with the impurities inevitably included in the biogas
(significant maintenance costs); other Operators are seriously
evaluating maintenance costs against initial investments in biogas
clean up technologies.
Practical Difficulties
To use the biogas as a fuel in SI engine there are some
practical difficulties. It is not possible to compress the methane,
separated from biogas by available method, because the gas
could be liquefied through chilling below -161 0C.
This process is adapted by installing the units required when

there use of methane separated from biogas as a fuel. Since gas
cannot be compressed it requires large space for storage.

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Performance
 In purification method, by reducing CO2 and moisture along
H2S impurities in biogas, the engine performance is
improved.
 Effect of spark timing:-
Biogas is slow burning fuel. Hence in order to get optimum
engine performance, spark timing does not advance, and
then combustion continues in major part of the expansion
stroke. This reduces effective work done. By advancing,
spark timing power is improved on low speed at partial
throttle condition as well as high speed at full throttle
condition.
Exhaust Emissions
The exhaust emission contains three specific substances
which contribute the air pollution, hydrocarbon, carbon monoxide
&oxides of nitrogen. Hydrocarbons are the unburned fuel vapor
coming out with the exhaust due to incomplete combustion.
Hydrocarbons also occur in crankcase by fuel evaporation. The
emission of hydrocarbon is closely related to many design &
operating factors like induction system, combustion chamber
design, air fuel ratio, speed, load. Lean mixture lower
hydrocarbon emission.

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Carbon monoxide occurs only in engine exhaust. It is the

product of incomplete combustion due to insufficient amount of
air in air- fuel mixture. Some amount of CO is always present in
the exhaust even at lean mixture. When the throttle is closed to
reduce air supply at the time of starting the vehicle, maximum
amount of CO is produced.
Oxides of nitrogen are the combination of nitric oxide &
nitrogen oxide & availability of oxygen are the two main reasons
for the formation of oxides of nitrogen. The spark advance means
lower peak combustion temperature. It causes high NO
concentration in the exhaust. With biogas, CO emission levels are
low than that of gasoline.

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Methane vs. Petrol

Power Reduction 11%
CO Reduction 99%
HC Reduction 99%
NO Reduction 59%
The main parts of a waste-to-

electricity plant
Digester, gas collector, anaerobic predigester, slurry loop
system, 100% biogas generator, standby generator, biogas
scrubber, dehumidifier, control panel, power distribution system,
and Exes Gas reservoir.
Biogas generator unit

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IMPLEMENTATION
The experiment was conducted on a Birla Yamaha
generator. A 2 stroke SI engine acts as the prime mover of the
alternator in the generator set. The engine is modified to run on
gaseous fuels.
Before biogas is injected into the engine it is passed through

a chamber filled with silica gel to de-moisturize the gas (biogas
has high moisture content. Therefore, the engine cannot run on
biogas taken directly from the plant outlet).
The engine is started from LPG. Then it is switched to biogas

after cutting-off the LPG supply.
A surge-absorber can be used to absorb variations in gas

pressure. It is a simple arrangement consisting of a cylinder filled
with biogas connected between the plant and the engine.
Pressure gauges can be used at the inlet of the engine to

constantly monitor gas pressure.

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BIOGAS
LPG For starting
PLANT
VALVE VALVE
Moist gas
SILICA GEL ENGINE-ALTERNATOR ELECTRICAL

CHAMBER SET ENERGY
SURGE
ABSO-
RBER
Biogas plant
The method of preparation of preparation of biogas and the
types of plants used for this purpose have been discussed earlier.
This experiment was conducted on both fixed dome and floating
gas holder type plants successfully. The engine provided best
performance when tested on gobar gas.

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Silica gel chamber

Biogas coming from the biogas plant has high moisture
content. If fed directly to the engine it will not ignite and also can
be harmful for the engine. In order to de-moisturize the gas it is
passed through a chamber filled with silica gel. Calcium oxide can
also be used, but with additional arrangement for dissipating the
heat released when it absorbs water.
White silica gel is recommended over blue crystals. But the

latter was used in this experiment due to economic reasons.
About 100 gm silica gel is used for each run. It is to be ensured
that enough space is left for accommodating the expansion of the
gel after absorption. The silica gel should be replaced when it
turns dark implying that it has absorbed water up to saturation
point.

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Surge absorber
The gas injected in to the engine should be of constant
pressure. But the gas pressure at the outlet of the plant may vary
due to different factors. A surge absorber is used to neutralize the
variations of gas pressure. It is basically a cylinder filled with
biogas connected between the plant and the engine. When
pressure tends to decrease with the decrease in gas availability,
the surge absorber supplies additional gas, thus bringing back the
pressure to normal. Similarly, when pressure increases it takes in
more gas neutralizing the variation. This arrangement has been
excluded from the experiment as it is not inevitable for short runs
of the engine.
The capacity of the cylinder is an important specification to

be considered while designing a surge absorber. Pressure gauges
can also be attached to constantly monitor the pressure.
LPG
LPG is used to start the engine as it cannot be started on
biogas. The LPG supply is cut-off after the engine runs at rated
speed. Valves or regulators are used to prevent the mixing-up of
fuels. It can also be used as a back-up supply.

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IC Engine
As said earlier the experiment was conducted on a single
cylinder 2-stroke spark ignition engine (3000 rpm). A brief
description on the working of a 2-stroke engine is given below.
Working of a 2 Stroke Spark Ignition (SI) engine:
In two strokes SI engine a cycle is completed in two stroke of

a piston or one complete revolution (360º) of a crankshaft. In this

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engine the suction stroke and exhaust strokes are eliminated and
ports are used instead of valves. Petrol is used in this type of
engine.
When the piston moves from bottom dead centre to top

dead centre, the fresh air and fuel mixture enters the crank
chamber through the valve. The mixture enters due to the
pressure difference between the crank chamber and outer
atmosphere. At the same time the fuel-air mixture above the
piton is compressed.
Ignition with the help of spark plug takes place at the end
of stroke. Due to the explosion of the gases, the piston moves
downward. When the piston moves downwards the valve
closes and the fuel-air mixture inside the crank chamber is
compressed. When the piston is at the bottom dead centre, the
burnt gases escape from the exhaust port.
At the same time the transfer port is uncovered and the

compressed charge from the crank chamber enters into the
combustion chamber through transfer port. This fresh charge is
deflected upwards by a hump provided on the top of the piston.
This fresh charge removes the exhaust gases from the combustion
chamber.
Again the piston moves from bottom dead centre to top
dead centre and the fuel-air mixture gets compressed when the
both the Exhaust port and Transfer ports are covered. The cycle is
repeated.

ELECTRONICS
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ELECTRICITY
The major components of a four stroke spark Ignition engine are.
Cylinder: It is a cylindrical vessel in which a piston makes up and

down motion.
Piston: It is a cylindrical component making up and down

movement in the cylinder.
Combustion Chamber: It is the portion above the cylinder in

which the combustion of the Fuel-air mixture takes place.
Inlet and Exhaust ports: The inlet port allows the fresh fuel-air
mixture to enter the combustion chamber and the exhaust port
discharges the products of combustion.
Crank Shaft: It is a shaft which converts the reciprocating motion

of piston into the rotary motion.
Connecting Rod: The connecting rod connects the Piston with

the crankshaft.
Cam shaft: The cam shaft controls the opening and closing of
inlet and Exhaust valves.
Spark Plug: It is located at the cylinder head. It is used to initiate

the combustion process.

ELECTRONICS
BIO- 37
ELECTRICITY
Carburetor
The carburetor in an
internal combustion engine
is used to regulate and
maintain the correct
mixture of air and fuel in
relation to the engine's
load. When an internal
combustion engine ignites
its fuel, it creates a high amount of energy in the form of
expanding gas and transfers that energy to its specific purpose.
Because an internal combustion engine functions by igniting fuel,
the correct combination of air and fuel is necessary to create the
proper amount of combustion.
The carburetor performs multiple tasks at the same time. It

filters the air intake, calculates the necessary ratio of air to fuel
based on the engine's load, and distributes the proper amount of
fuel to the air stream feeding the engine. By means of a part
called the venturi, the carburetor creates an area of lower
pressure than atmospheric pressure – commonly known as a
vacuum – and uses that pressure differential to meter the fuel
into the engine. The carburetor must be designed to negotiate a
number of variables, such as the temperature of both the air and

ELECTRONICS
BIO- 38
ELECTRICITY
the engine, the changes of acceleration, and the difference

between operating with a partly open throttle and a fully open
throttle.
Vaporiser
The Vaporiser (also known
as converter) is a device
designed to change the fuel
from a pressurised liquid to a
vapor at around atmospheric
pressure for delivery to the mixer or vapor phase injectors.
Because of the refrigerant characteristic of the fuel, heat must be
put into the fuel by the converter. This is usually achieved by
having engine coolant circulated through a heat exchanger that
transfers heat from that coolant to the gaseous fuel.
The Gas Air Mixer is mounted in between the Air Cleaner
and the Throttle body and is made up of aluminium. This has a
venturi inside which transfers the vacuum signal from the engine
to vaporizer. Due to this vacuum the gaseous fuel is delivered to
throttle valve inlet where it is mixed with incoming air flow from
the air cleaner and delivered to Engine.

ELECTRONICS
BIO- 39
ELECTRICITY
Therefore, modifications on the engine can be summarized

as follows;
 The air intake of the carburetor is reduced so as to allow

more fuel to be injected.
 A vaporizer is mounted on the engine so that it can run on
gaseous fuels. It is designed to change the fuel from a
pressurized liquid to a vapor at around atmospheric
pressure for delivery to the mixer or vapor phase injectors.
The mixer is the device that mixes the fuel into the air
flowing to the engine.
 The engine control is performed by the variation of the
mixture supply, i.e. the throttle valve position as has been
the case with petrol fuel.
 The adjustment of the point of ignition in relation to the
slow burning velocity of biogas imposes no specific problem
as a standard ignition system provides for adjustments in a
sufficiently wide range. Engines which cannot operate on
unleaded fuel will miss the lubrication effect of condensing
lead especially on their exhaust valves. They are therefore
subjected to increased wear and tear in gas operation.

ELECTRONICS
BIO- 40
ELECTRICITY
Performance and Operational Parameters

Gas Otto engines when modified from Otto engines using
petrol are found to produce less power than in the petrol version.
The reason is the decrease in volumetric efficiency as a gaseous
fuel occupies a larger portion of the mixture's volume sucked into
the engine than liquid fuel and displaces air accordingly. The liquid
fuel has a higher volumetric energy content than gas and also
cools the air/fuel mixture when evaporating in the intake
manifold. The cooling effects an increase in density, and hence
the amount of air/fuel mixture actually sucked into the engine on
a mass basis is higher.
A gas engine, especially when operating on biogas with a
large proportion of useless carbon dioxide, can suck a reduced
amount of air only to allow room for the necessary amount of fuel
gas. With the decrease in the maximum possible supply of fuel
energy or the energy density of the mixture (mixture heating
value) the maximum power output consequently decreases in the
same proportion. The main effect of the reduction of power is
that it needs to be well considered when selecting the power class
of an appropriate engine for a given application with a specified
power demand. The engine's power and speed control is
performed by a variation of the supply of the air/fuel mixture to
the engine. This is achieved by the operation of a butterfly valve
situated between the actual mixing device and the engine inlet.
The mixing device has to ensure the provision of a constant
air/fuel ratio irrespective of the actual amount sucked into the
engine, i.e. irrespective of the butterfly valve position. This is
achieved by adequate design of the mixing device.

ELECTRONICS
BIO- 41
ELECTRICITY
Alternator
Volt ampere - 400 VA
Max output - 500 VA
a.c. voltage - 230 V
Phase - single
Frequency - 50 Hz
Speed - 3000 rpm
The alternator uses an engine as the prime mover. When the

engine is run, it drives the alternator which generates electricity.

ELECTRONICS
BIO- 42
ELECTRICITY
It should be noted that the system can give a better

performance if a 4 stroke engine was used as the prime mover.
The additional requirement of oil supply for lubrication by a 2
stoke engine is highly inconvenient which is eliminated in a 4
stroke engine. 2 stroke engines are comparatively cheap but low
in efficiency.
The arrangement discussed in this project cannot be

implemented in practice. Biogas has only been de-moisturized
and is not free of components like sulphides which can harm the
machine components on the long run. Therefore, provisions for
the complete purification of the gas are to be added to the
current system before it can be practiced.
Generally, biogas consumption of an engine per unit of

mechanical power produced, i.e. the specific fuel consumption
ranges from 0.5 – 1.0 m³/kWh and is largely dependent on
gas quality, temperature, pressure as well as the engine's own
efficiency and point of operation.

ELECTRONICS
BIO- 43
ELECTRICITY
PARAMETERS
AFFECTING SYSTEM
PERFORMANCE
The following parameters have an influence on the system's
performance:
1)Technical Parameters
 Biogas production in the biogas plant under consideration of
the plant's size, inputs and operation as well as the reliability
of the gas supply system.
 Power demand of the driven equipment with regard to its
anticipated fluctuation or the anticipated point of
continuous operation.
 Daily schedule of operation with regard to biogas
consumption, plant size and necessary gas storage capacity.
 Speed or speed range of the driven machine and the engine.
 Mode of control, manual or automatic.
 Local availability of engine service, spare parts, technical
expertise and sufficiently competent operating personnel.
 Anticipated development of energy supply and demand in
the future.

ELECTRONICS
BIO- 44
ELECTRICITY
2) Economic Parameters
 Price of biogas plant cum ancillaries.
 Price of engine cum modification.
 Price of driven machine and energy distribution system
(electrical wiring, water system, etc.) unless already existing.
 Operational cost of biogas system, i.e. plant, engine and
driven machine.
 Cost of the system's service and maintenance.
 Capital costs (interest rates, pay back periods, etc.).
 Expected revenue from provision of selling energy or
services, including the use of the engine's waste heat.
 Savings by the omission of cost for other fuels or forms of
energy.
 Anticipated development of economic parameters (inflation,
laws, regulations, fuel taxes, etc.).

ELECTRONICS
BIO- 45
ELECTRICITY
MARKETING
POSSIBLITIES
BIOTECH
BIOTECH–Kerala is a registered non-governmental
organization that started functioning from 1994. The main
activities of BIOTECH, from its very inception, include promotion,
implementation, training, research and development, and
creation of awareness among the people in the field of creation of
renewable energy by waste management. Different models of
plants for the treatment of waste, according to the requirement
of the consumers and the nature of waste, have been developed
by BIOTECH..
Kerala’s first biowaste treatment power generation plant
was installed eight years ago at Pathanapuram Gram
Panchayat in the Kollam District. This plant treats 250 kg of
organic waste and
generates 3 KW of
electric power every
day. After the successful
completion of this
project, 42 Gram
Panchayats in Kerala
came forward for the
installation of such
plants. BIOTECH has
completed the
installation of the power generation projects using
ELECTRONICS
BIO- 46
ELECTRICITY
market/slaughter house waste with power generation capacities

ranging between 3 KW
and 10 KW. The power generated from these projects is being

utilized to meet the energy requirements of the concerned
markets and the in-house requirement of the plant.
OTHERS
Attempts to commercialize the possibilities offered by biogas
electricity generation are being made worldwide. The portable
biogas generator or portagas was developed by a group of
researchers from the Bureau of Soils and Water Management
(BSWM) lead by Dr. Rogelio Concepcion and Dr. Gina Nilo with
Mr. Alan Anida, Mr. Carlos Serrano, Ms. Leonora de Leon, and Mr.
Victorcito Babiera. The feasibility and development of the
portagas were undertaken for five years, from 2001 to 2006.
Similarly, leading establishments including Guascor power,

Cat, Siemens, Honda etc. have also started the commercial
production of gas generators.

ELECTRONICS
BIO- 47
ELECTRICITY
Biogas generator
CONCLUSION
Biogas is a promising alternative fuel, economic and eco-
friendly at the same time. The installation of decentralized biogas
plants all over the country would be helpful for the production of
biogas, biomanure, electricity apart from the treatment and
disposal of waste materials. The importance on the research on
alternative fuels has been discussed earlier in this paper. Biogas
plants are ideal for this nation and have a lot of potential in
energy production which is still untapped. It involves less capital
in comparison with other energy projects and the capital can be
recovered within a few months of plant installation. Therefore, it
is important to spread awareness on the potential benefits of
biogas plants among the common people. It is high time that the

ELECTRONICS
BIO- 48
ELECTRICITY
installation of biogas plants is made mandatory for households,

hotels and agricultural fields.
“Project Bioelectricity” has been a wonderful experience.

The opportunity to interact and learn from experts is invaluable
education that transcends the boundaries of a classroom. The
exposure and confidence that one gains from such an activity is
unmatched. This project, though far from perfect, is as dear to me
as a first-born to his mother. The experiences that I went through
during the course of its completion have been at times tough and
frustrating, but memorable. It was not only a forum for the
application of academic knowledge, but also a test of qualities like
patience and perseverance.
I conclude that Bioelectricity is a revolutionary concept

offering wide scope for research and it should be looked upon as
the need of the hour.

ELECTRONICS
BIO- 49
ELECTRICITY
PROJECT ESTIMATE
S.N. PARTICULARS AMOUNT
1 Birla Yamaha Generator 7500
2 Vapouriser 800
3 Silica Gel 350
4 Generator accessories 840
5 LPG rent 150
6 Biogas rent 150
7 Gas tubes 100
8 Spark plug 60
9 Petrol 150
10 Transport 400
11 Labour cost 1500
12 Mischellaneous expenses 900
TOTAL 12900

ELECTRONICS
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ELECTRICITY
REFERENCE
 GENERATION OF ELECTRICITY & BIOMANURE by A.
Sajidas,Director,BIOTECH
 BIOGAS FUEL FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES by N.
Mustafi, R. R. Raine and P. K. Bansal
Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of
Auckland
 WATER SCRUBBING: A BETTER OPTION FOR BIOGAS
PURIFICATION FOR EFFECTIVE STORAGE by C. Ofori-Boateng
and E.M. Kwofie
 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/biogas
 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internal_combustion_engine
 http://www.seminarprojects.com/Thread-bio-gas-as-
alternative-fuel-in-ic-engines
 www.ias.ac.in/currsci/jul10/articles13.htm
 https://sites.google.com/site/engineeringmbaproject/projec
t-report-on-bio-gas-as-alternate-fuel-in-ic-engine
 http://link.aip.org/link/abstract/ASMECP/v2004/i37475/p55
5/s1

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CARMEL POLYTECHNIC

ELECTRICAL & ELECTRONICS ENGINEERING

Finally the constant support and encouragement of Carmel Polytechnic College,

ALEX T. KARIYIL 88030145

NITHIN GOPAL 88030176

TONY THOMAS 88030201

VIMAL THOMAS 88030204

CARMEL POLYTECHNIC | ELECTRICAL &

 Potential benefits of Biogas - 20

 GENERATION OF ELECTRICIY FROM BIOGAS - 21

CARMEL POLYTECHNIC | ELECTRICAL &

 Methane vs. Petrol - 28

 PARAMETERS AFFECTING SYSTEM PERFORMANCE

CARMEL POLYTECHNIC | ELECTRICAL &

CARMEL POLYTECHNIC | ELECTRICAL &

In a nation like India, who is striving to become a

The serious hazards created by environmental pollution,

This project is an attempt to offer a creative solution for the

“Bio-Electricity” uses a biogas plant and an engine-generator

CARMEL POLYTECHNIC | ELECTRICAL &

ENERGY FROM BIOGAS

The gases methane, hydrogen and carbon monoxide can be

CARMEL POLYTECHNIC | ELECTRICAL &

Central to the generation of biogas is the concept of

other anaerobic microbes to perform their chemical reactions.

Second, the cow is held in religious veneration and its

Third, only 27% of rural India has access to electricity

CARMEL POLYTECHNIC | ELECTRICAL &

Biogas can be produced utilizing anaerobic digesters. These

CARMEL POLYTECHNIC | ELECTRICAL &

Landfill gas is produced by wet organic waste decomposing

CARMEL POLYTECHNIC | ELECTRICAL &

 Micro Organisms And Mechanism Of

b. Constituents of Organic Waste?

c. Mechanism of biogas production: -

CARMEL POLYTECHNIC | ELECTRICAL &

i. Fixed dome type

ii. Floating gas holder type

CARMEL POLYTECHNIC | ELECTRICAL &

CARMEL POLYTECHNIC | ELECTRICAL &

Methane (CH4) - 50-68%

Out of these CO2 does not help in combustion process but

CARMEL POLYTECHNIC | ELECTRICAL &

The solution is the use of a biogas upgrading or purification

The processes to remove CO2 are as follows

CARMEL POLYTECHNIC | ELECTRICAL &

The composition of bio gas is never constant. Methane is by

The air to biogas (stoichiometric) ratio by volume for

Biogas has very high octane number approximately 130. By

that a higher compression ratio engine can be used with biogas

One of the promising renewable energy sources is biogas,

CARMEL POLYTECHNIC | ELECTRICAL &

Potential benefits of Biogas

The potential reductions of greenhouse gas emissions are

Using biogas that currently is flared instead of vented would

CARMEL POLYTECHNIC | ELECTRICAL &

Generally, 1.5 KW (kilowatt) of electricity can be produced

CARMEL POLYTECHNIC | ELECTRICAL &

A biogas plant with associated generator unit installed by BIOTECH

Two types of generators are used for generating electricity

CARMEL POLYTECHNIC | ELECTRICAL &

Biogas in Internal Combustion

Modification of S.I. Engine -: