Balloon Digester for Biogas Plants

Overview

There are different types of small scale biogas digesters. Some of the biogas digesters are summarized below:

• Fixed-dome Plants
• Floating-drum Plants
• Low-Cost Polyethylen Tube Digester
• Balloon Plants

The table below gives a first comparison of the different types.

Factors	Fixed dome	Floating drum	Tubular design	Plastic containers
Gas storage	Internal Gas storage up to 20 m³ (large)	Internal Gas storage drum size (small)	Internal eventually external plastic bags	Internal Gas storage drum sizes (small)
Gas pressure	Between 60 and 120 mbar	Upto 20 mbar	Low, around 2 mbar	Low around 2mbar
Skills of contractor	High; masonry, plumbing	High; masonry, plumbing, welding	Medium; plumbing	Low; plumbing
Availability of Material	yes	yes	yes	yes
Durability	Very high >20 years	High; drum is weakness	Medium; Depending on chosen liner	Medium
Agitation	Self agitated by Biogas pressure	Manual steering	Not possible; plug flow type	Evtl Manual steering
Sizing	6 to 124 m³ digester vol	Up to 20 m³	Combination possible	Up to 6 m³ digester vol
Methane emission	High	Medium	Low	Medium

Balloon Plants

A balloon plant consists of a heat-sealed plastic or rubber bag (balloon), combining digester and gas-holder. The gas is stored in the upper part of the balloon. The inlet and outlet are attached directly to the skin of the balloon. Gas pressure can be increased by placing weights on the balloon. If the gas pressure exceeds a limit that the balloon can withstand, it may damage the skin. Therefore, safety valves are required. If higher gas pressures are needed, a gas pump is required. Since the material has to be weather- and UV resistant, specially stabilized, reinforced plastic or synthetic caoutchouc is given preference. Other materials which have been used successfully include RMP (red mud plastic), Trevira and butyl. The useful life-span does usually not exceed 2-5 years.

Advantages:

• Standardized prefabrication at low cost,
  
• low construction sophistication,
  
• ease of transportation,
  
• shallow installation suitable for use in areas with a high groundwater table;
  
• high temperature digesters in warm climates;
  
• uncomplicated cleaning,
  
• emptying and maintenance;
  
• difficult substrates like water hyacinths can be used

Balloon biogas plants are recommended, if local repair is or can be made possible and the cost advantage is substantial.

Disadvantages:

• Low gas pressure may require gas pumps;
  
• scum cannot be removed during operation;
  
• the plastic balloon has a relatively short useful life-span and is susceptible to mechanical damage and usually not available locally. In addition, local craftsmen are rarely in a position to repair a damaged balloon. There is only little scope for the creation of local employment and, therefore, limited self-help potential.

Variations: A variation of the balloon plant is the channel-type digester, which is usually covered with plastic sheeting and a sunshade (fig.1-E). Balloon plants can be recommended wherever the balloon skin is not likely to be damaged and where the temperature is even and high.

Foil Plant

Plant types

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Further Information

• Biogas portal on energypedia

References

• GTZ: Biogas Digest Volume II: Biogas - Application and Product Development

• This article is a continuation of the article, Types of Biogas Digesters and Plants. For questions regarding the article, please contact the authors of the article, Types of Biogas Digesters and Plants.