Facts about Biogas

Biogas is also known as gobar gas.

What is Biogas?

Biogas is renewable energy, produced under anaerobic conditions. Its process involves the breakdown of organic matter by certain anaerobic bacteria. Biogas is a mixture of methane, hydrogen and carbon dioxide. The biogas production is carried out in anaerobic digesters and the whole process is known as Biogas plant.

The Biogas plant mainly comprises:

1. An inlet – A source to supply the feedstock to the plant.
2. The digestion tank- Here the biogas is produced with the activity of anaerobic fermentation by microbes.
3. A biogas recovery unit- A huge rectangular tank for the collection, isolation and storage of produced heat exchanger to maintain the temperature of the digested biogas.
4. The heat exchanger to maintain the temperature of the digester.
5. The tube or a biogas pipeline is used for removing the gas produced.

Biogas is known as an eco-friendly gas as it reduces various environmental-related issues such as:

It reduces human reliance on fossil fuels.

It decreases the harm caused by methane to the environment.

Biogas plant significantly hinders the two important greenhouse gases – methane and carbon dioxide produced by human practice.

It also controls other factors, which are responsible for the methane gas to reduce into a non-dangerous form called carbon dioxide.

Explore more: Biogas

There are more interesting facts about biogas, which have been listed below:

Facts about Biogas

Fact- No – 1

Biogas is a mixture of gases produced by microorganisms. It is a renewable source of energy. Methane is the predominant gas present in the biogas mixture.

Also Refer: Microbes In The Production of Biogas

Fact- No – 2

Biogas is a hydrocarbon fuel and not a fossil fuel. This is because the biogas is neither obtained from mining nor captured from geological deposits. It is naturally or biologically produced through anaerobic digestion.

Fact- No – 3

The main applications of biogas are, it is widely used as fuel for vehicles, as a gas engine, in power generation, a source for heating purposes and as a fuel for cooking.

Fact- No – 4

The slurry is the main source for the production of Biogas. It is a mixture, usually prepared by mixing the fine particles of manure, biowastes and dung, which are suspended in water.

Fact- No – 5

Biogas is a mixture of methane, hydrogen and carbon dioxide, produced by the decomposition of organic matter by bacteria in the absence of oxygen.

Fact- No – 6

The composition of the biogas varies after a certain time interval. After a year, the composition of methane will be 50 to 60 per cent and carbon dioxide ranges between 30 to 40 per cent, respectively.

Fact- No – 7

The biogas is environment-friendly, which implies the conversion of animal and plant waste into useful energy, thereby reducing the production of methane.

Fact- No – 8

Biogas is a renewable energy source produced by the breakdown of organic matter by certain bacteria, which results in a net decrease in the emission of greenhouse gases, prevents air pollution, water pollution, land and soil pollution.

Also Refer: Types of pollution

Fact- No – 9

Biogas converts the harmful methane gas produced during decomposition, into less harmful carbon dioxide gas.

Fact- No – 10

The produced biogas is supplied to the respective places through connected pipes and can be used for cooking and lighting.

Fact- No – 11

The organic material decomposes only in a wet environment. The organic matter or the waste dissolves in water and forms a sludge, which is rich in nutrients and used as a fertilizer.

Fact- No – 12

Biogas recycles the waste products naturally and converts them into useful energy, thereby preventing pollutions caused by the waste in the landfills, and cutting down the effect of the toxic chemicals released from the sewage treatment plants.

Fact- No – 13

The bacteria which produces the gaseous mixture are collectively known as methanogens. Methanobacterium is one such methanogen. They grow under anaerobic conditions and produce a large amount of methane gas, along with carbon dioxide and hydrogen.

Fact- No – 14

Biogas is a safe, cheap and a renewable source of energy, which is used as cooking gas in stoves, burned to provide heat, street lighting and for other domestic applications.

Fact- No – 15

The wastage produced from the biogas plant is called digestate. These can be used as fertilizers, manure and fish feed.

Also Refer: Facts about Biofuels

These were a few interesting and amazing facts about biogas. To know more about biogas, biofuel, biomass, their sources, types, other related topics and important questions, keep visiting our website at BYJU’S Biology.