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MINI BIO-GAS PLANT USING

FOOD WASTE, DECOMPOSABLE
ORGANIC MATERIAL AND
KITCHEN WASTE
WorkshopEnergy by antonirajFollow

985,177

735
1,774

Posted Sep. 26, 2012

Introduction: Mini Bio-gas Plant Using Food

Waste, Decomposable Organic Material and
Kitchen Waste

First Prize in the

3rd Annual Make It Stick Contest
View Contest

Finalist in the
Hands-on Learning Contest
View Contest

I have been searching for some method of using the food

waste, decomposable organic material and kitchen
waste efficiently, and came across information on
producing bio-gas from organic waste.

The bio-gas produced from food waste, decomposable

organic material and kitchen waste, consisting of
methane and a little amount of carbon di oxide is an
alternative fuel for cooking gas (LPG). Also, the
waste materials can be disposed off efficiently without
any odor or flies and the digested slurry from the bio-gas
unit can be used as an organic manure in the garden.

Components of the Bio-gas Plant

The major components of the bio-gas plant are a

digester tank, an inlet for feeding the kitchen waste, gas
holder tank, an outlet for the digested slurry and the gas
delivery system for taking out and utilizing the produced
gas.

This project is also useful for students to have a hands-

on learning experience in constructing a Mini Bio-Gas
Plant, using locally available material.
Material Required:

1. Empty PVC can 50 ltrs capacity: 1 No. (to be used as

Digester Tank)
2. Empty PVC can 40 ltrs capacity: 1 no. (to be used as
Gas Holder Tank) (Make sure the smaller can fits inside
larger one and moves freely)
3. 64 mm dia pvc pipe: about 40 cm long (to be used for
feeding waste material)
4. 32 mm dia pvc pipe: about 50 cm long (fixed inside
gas holder tank as a guide pipe)
5. 25 mm dia pvc pipe: about 75 cm long (fixed inside the
digester tank as a guide pipe)
6. 32 mm dia pvc pipe: about 25 cm long (fixed on
digester tank to act as outlet for digested slurry)
7. M-seal or any water-proof adeshive
8. Gas outlet system: Please see Step 4 below for
required materials and construction

Tools required
Do not require many tools here. A hack saw blade for
cutting the cans & pipes and a sharp knife for cutting
holes on the cans are all the tools we need.

Additional accessories

A single burner bio-gas stove or a Bunsen Burner used

in school laboratories
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Step 1:

Bought this 50 ltrs capacity PVC can, which will act as

the digester unit and removed the top portion of the can,
by cutting it with a hack saw blade:
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Step 2:
 The smaller white can, which will act as the gas holder
fits inside the red one. Here, again removed the top of
the white can, also with the help of a hack saw blade:
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Step 3:

64 mm, 32 mm and 25 mm dia PVC pipes which will be

used for feeding the kitchen waste, guide pipe for the
gas holder and guide pipe fixed with the digestion
chamber respectively. A small piece of 32 mm dia pipe
will be used as outlet for the slurry:
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Step 4:

1. items required for the gas delivery system: got these

items from a hardware store

1. Ball valve : one no ( to adjust the gas flow)

2. 'T' joint : one no ( to connect the gas holder and the
ball valve)
3. Cap to block one end of 'T' joint : one no
4. Coupling or Adapter : one no (to connect vertical end
of 'T' in to the gas collector)
5. Nipple: one no (added to the coupling in to the gas
collector)
6. Gas pipe (flexible) : two meters
7. Barb : one no (fitted with the gas pipe, to join with the
Ball valve)
8. Clip : one no (used for crimping the barb with the gas
pipe and make it leak-proof)
9. Teflon tape : one roll (used as thread tape in all joints)
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Step 5:

Here I have marked the cuts to be made in the bottom of

the gas collection tank. The smaller hole on the left for
gas delivery system, center hole for fixing the 32 mm
guide pipe and 64 mm hole for fixing the waste feeding
pipe on the right side. Made these holes with the help of
a sharp knife and hack saw blade.

The next image is Inside of the gas holder showing the

32 mm guide pipe (center) and the 64 mm feeding pipe
fixed with M-seal
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Step 6:

Top view of the gas holder showing the feeding pipe,

central guide pipe and the gas delivery system: I have
closed the feeding pipe withe an old lid (red one). This
will facilitate opening the feed pipe only during feeding
the system.
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Step 7:

Digestion tank fitted with the central guide pipe and the
outlet pipe for the slurry:
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Step 8:
Completed unit. I have removed the gas pipe, so that the
joints will get cured without any stress:

Wait for a day or two before feeding the system, allowing

all joints to get cured and become leak-proof.

Initially, cow-dung mixed with water will be fed in to the

system, which will start the gas formation process.
Subsequently, food waste, decomposable organic
material and kitchen waste will be diluted with water and
used to feed the system. The gas holder will rise along
the guide pipes based on the amount of gas produced.
We can add some weight on top of the gas holder to
increase the gas pressure. When we feed the system,
the excess digested slurry will fall out through the outlet
pipe, which can be collected, diluted and used as organic
manure.

Initial production of gas will consist of oxygen, methane,

carbon di oxide and some other gases and will not burn.
These gases can be released to the atmosphere by
opening the ball valve at least three / four times.

Subsequent gas will consist of about 70 to 80 percent

methane and the rest carbon di oxide, which can be
used in a single bio-gas burning stove or a Bunsen
burner.

Total cost of this proto-type system is about one

thousand Indian Rupees (about 20 dollars)

This is a basic prototype of a Bio-gas system using the

food waste, decomposable organic material and kitchen
waste to produce gas. An one thousand litre capacity
Digestion tank will be sufficient for a small household for
daily cooking purpose. The bigger commercial models
provide a water seal between the digestion tank and gas
holder tank.

You can get further information on kitchen waste based

mini Bio-gas plant at the following links:
http://e-biogas.blogspot.in/

http://www.samuchit.com/index.php?option=com_conten
t&view=article&id=8&Itemid=10
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Step 9:

Charged the digester tank with cow dung diluted with

water. Placed the gas holder tank and left it for two three
days. The cow dung slurry started the process of gas
forming.

Gas formation started and the gas holder tank gets lifted
up. I have placed two bricks on top of the gas holder to
get more gas pressure.
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Step 10:
 Note for students who are doing this as their School
Project:

1. Take guidance from your teacher while using the gas

in a stove or Bunsen burner.
2. Collect surplus food and wastage during lunch, dilute
and feed the system.
3. Fruit peels, extracted tea powder, waste milk and milk
products can also be used for feeding the system.
4. DO NOT USE eggshells, Onion peels or left-over
bones in this system as they will affect the efficient
functioning of the system
5. Plant some seedling
6. while feeding, collect the slurry from the outlet, feed
the seedlings and watch them grow
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Add TipAsk QuestionPost Comment

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Please be positive and constructive.
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 2 Questions
Asked by RaiRen5 4 weeks ago
Answer
I'm a student and I have a deadline in 2 weeks, and I'll need to do some
testing even before. What can I do to speed up the process? Hoping for at
least less than a week....
Asked by NicoleP134 4 weeks ago
Answer
Hello, Sir! In our first attempt it did not work due to leaks. We have already
sealed everything, there is still no gas formation. What do we need to do?
Thanks and hoping for a reply ASAP
Ask Question

1739 Comments
RaiRen5 4 weeks ago
Reply

Sir suppose that I only need the biogas part and not the slurry part for our
school project, and that I only need a one time biogas amount (as in, I will
not have to continuously put waste and just need to produce biogas once)
what design modifications should I do? And would it take less time to
produce biogas?
antoniraj 4 weeks agoin reply to RaiRen5
Reply

For a school project it is better to present the entire set up including the
digester and gas holder. In case you want to show how biogas burns then you
can collect the gas in a car tyre tube and carry to school
There is no such thing as less time to produce Biogas. Have patience and wait
RaiRen5 4 weeks agoin reply to antoniraj
Reply

I will try to do this with the process above, but I have a few questions if you
don't mind:
1. Is it alright if the cow dung used is air-dried?
2. Will Biogas still be produced with smaller digester and gas tanks?
3. How much cow dung would be needed, and how much water do I add for
the initial cow dung slurry?
4. I am looking into using rotten vegetables to put in here, would that be
okay? and how do we put it in? Do we just insert it or do we have to do
something to them?
5. Do you think combustible biogas will be made here in a span of 10 days?

antoniraj 27 days agoin reply to RaiRen5

Reply

1. use fresh cow dung only for starting gas formation

2. Yes, biogas will be produced in smaller models also
3. for a 1000 ltr volume digester use 5 kilograms of cow dung. Mix with
water at 1:20 ratio (1 cow dung and 20 water)
4. Once gas formation starts, you can feed rotten vegetables also. You should
have some short of arrangement as I have shown for feeding the waste
material without gas leakage
5. Yes, in 10 days time you will have combustible Biogas
antoniraj 4 weeks agoin reply to
Reply

Do not add anything other than cow dung slurry and organic waste. You have
got enough time. Once gas formation starts, then you can feed organic waste
in small quantities. Make sure there is no leakage

Initial gas produced will not burn. Release the gas 2/3 times before testing.
Use a Bunsen burner to test and DO NOT use a lighted match stick for
testing. Add some weight on top of gas holder to get pressure.
antoniraj 4 weeks agoin reply to
Reply

Feed little amount of organic waste and wait for a few more days, if there is
no leakage then gas formation will take place. First 2/3 batches of gas
produced will not burn. Just release it. Once gas formation starts, you can
start feeding the digester in small quantities regularly
Grade10charity 4 months ago
Reply

Sir! I am a student please help ASAP, there was no gas formed, there are no
leaks it is completely sealed
antoniraj 4 months agoin reply to Grade10charity
Reply

Please explain what did you do with photos. Gas will form in a few days time
and will not take a month. Immediately when the gas formation started,
feeding should be started for getting continuous gas
Grade10charity 4 months agoin reply to Grade10charity
Reply
 We let it settle for 1 month already
animal_fk 5 months ago
Reply

Dear sir, I have built your plant but have no gas! Does heat or alitude effect
the system? thank you
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Mini Bio-gas Plant Using Food Waste, Decomposable
Organic Material and Kitchen Waste
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