Biogas Quality across Small-Scale Biogas Plants: A Case of Central Vietnam

Hynek Roubík, Jana Mazancová, Phung Le Dinh, Dung Dinh Van and Jan Banout
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Hynek Roubík: Department of Sustainable Technologies, Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcká 129, 165 00 Prague, Czech Republic
Jana Mazancová: Department of Sustainable Technologies, Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcká 129, 165 00 Prague, Czech Republic
Phung Le Dinh: Department of Animal Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, Hue University of Agriculture and Forestry, Hue University, 102 Phung Hung Hue City Vietnam, Thua Thien Hue 53000, Vietnam
Dung Dinh Van: Department of Animal Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, Hue University of Agriculture and Forestry, Hue University, 102 Phung Hung Hue City Vietnam, Thua Thien Hue 53000, Vietnam
Jan Banout: Department of Sustainable Technologies, Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcká 129, 165 00 Prague, Czech Republic

Energies, 2018, vol. 11, issue 7, 1-12

Abstract: Production of bioenergy by the fermentation reaction is gaining attraction due to its easy operation and the wide feedstock selection. Anaerobic fermentation of organic waste materials is generally considered a cost-effective and proven technology, allowing simultaneous waste management and energy production. Small-scale biogas plants are widely and increasingly used to transform waste into gas through anaerobic fermentation of organic materials in the developing world. In this research, the quality of biogas produced in small-scale biogas plants was evaluated, as it has a direct effect on its use (as fuel for biogas cookers), as well as being able to influence a decision making process over purchasing such technology. Biogas composition was measured with a multifunctional portable gas analyser at 107 small-scale biogas plants. Complementary data at household level were collected via the questionnaire survey with the owners of biogas plants ( n = 107). The average daily biogas production equals 0.499 m 3 , not covering the demand of rural households which are using other sources of energy as well. Related to the biogas composition, the mean content of methane (CH 4 ) was 65.44% and carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) was 29.31% in the case of biogas plants younger than five years; and CH 4 was 64.57% and CO 2 was 29.93% for biogas plants older than five years. Focusing on the age of small-scale biogas plants there are no, or only minor, differences among tested values. In conclusion, the small-scale biogas plants are sustaining a stable level of biogas quality during their life-span.

Keywords: anaerobic digestion; methane; carbon dioxide; small-scale biogas plants; developing countries (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (14)

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