What Is a Biogas Plant and How Does It Work?

A biogas plant is a system designed to convert everyday organic waste into a usable fuel source through anaerobic digestion. Sintex provides biogas solutions for both homes and industries, allowing waste to be treated at source, reducing environmental impact while generating clean energy. 

This blog explains what a biogas plant is, how it works, its benefits, and the difference between small-scale and large-scale applications.

Are you tired of throwing away your organic kitchen waste, knowing it contributes to greenhouse gas emissions and escalates your waste disposal costs? What if we told you that those food scraps could be transformed into something incredibly valuable? That’s right, you can turn your kitchen waste into usable fuel while cutting down on your environmental impact and energy bills. 

That’s where Sintex comes in with its groundbreaking biogas plant solutions. With a wealth of expertise in environmental systems, Sintex allows you to convert vegetable scraps, food leftovers, and other kitchen waste into biogas right at home. 

Sintex’s innovative approach and offerings show just how easy it can be to make a positive impact on your household and the environment. Let’s take that first step together towards a more sustainable future!

What Is a Biogas Plant?

A biogas plant is a facility that transforms organic waste into combustible gas (biogas) and nutrient-rich slurry through a biological process. Sintex describes its biogas plant as a solution for treating and converting organic waste, such as vegetable scraps, food waste, and kitchen refuse, into usable fuel.

The process relies on capturing the gases produced when microbes break down organic material in the absence of oxygen. The primary components of the output gas are methane (CH₄) and carbon dioxide, which can be used for cooking, heating, or power generation.

Sintex’s biogas plants are customisable in terms of capacity, making them suitable for both residential and industrial applications. They can be installed above ground or underground and are designed to require minimal maintenance.

How Does It Work? 

The foundation of biogas production is anaerobic digestion, a multi-step biological process wherein organic matter is decomposed by anaerobic microorganisms. Here’s a simplified breakdown of the process:

1. Feedstock Introduction

Organic waste (such as vegetable scraps and kitchen waste) is mixed with water, if necessary, and fed into the digester. For example, the Sintex FTGB-20 model requires about 5–6 kg of feed waste along with water.

2. Hydrolysis & Acidogenesis  

Long chains of organic matter are broken down into simpler molecules (like sugars and acids) by hydrolytic and fermentative bacteria.

3. Acetogenesis  

The acids are further converted into acetic acid, hydrogen, and carbon dioxide.

4. Methanogenesis  

Methanogenic archaea consume acetic acid, hydrogen, and carbon dioxide to produce methane, which is the usable portion of biogas.

5. Gas Collection  

The generated biogas collects in a gas tank (also known as a gas holder), which is typically located above or as part of the digester. In floating dome designs, such as those used by Sintex, the gas holder adjusts fluidly to maintain pressure.

6. Digestate / Slurry Removal  

The residual material, which is rich in nutrients, exists through an outlet and can be used as fertiliser or a soil conditioner.

According to Sintex, approximately 10 kg of food waste can produce 1 m³ of biogas. This amount is roughly equivalent to 0.434 kg of LPG, providing both financial and environmental benefits.

Benefits of Biogas:

1. Renewable, Clean Energy Source

Biogas can replace or supplement the use of LPG or fossil fuels, which helps reduce the carbon footprint.

2. Waste Reduction

It decreases the volume of organic waste that needs to be disposed of, leading to lower waste management costs.

3. Value from Waste

The byproduct slurry from biogas production is useful as manure for agriculture or gardening.

4. Local Energy & Self-Sufficiency

Generating biogas at the source minimises transport losses and promotes local energy production.

5. Low Maintenance & Adaptability

According to Sintex, their biogas units are easy to maintain and require a smaller footprint.

Sintex’s installations in states such as Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Gujarat demonstrate the adoption of these benefits on various scales.

Small-Scale vs. Large-Scale Biogas Plant Applications

Small Biogas Plants for Home Use  

Capacity and Scale : Sintex offers small-scale models, such as FTGB-20, FTGB-50, and FTGB-100, which are suitable for individual homes or small institutions.  

Feed Requirements : For instance, the FTGB-50 requires approximately 10–12 kg of solid waste along with a similar volume of water.  

Output : These units produce biogas that is suitable for cooking or small heating needs, helping to reduce fuel bills.  

Installation : They occupy a modest area and can be installed above or below ground. Additionally, they are relatively simple to maintain.  

Large-Scale / Industrial Applications  

High Capacity : Models like FTGB-1000 or FTGB-2000 can process hundreds of kilograms of waste per day, generating several cubic meters of biogas.  

Usage : The generated gas can be utilised for industrial heating, power generation, or large cooking operations.  

Economies of Scale : As the scale of production increases, the per-unit cost of gas decreases.  

Infrastructure : Large-scale plants require more robust gas handling systems, piping, safety controls, and oversight.  

Sintex’s strength lies in providing customisable capacities that cater to both residential and industrial needs.

Conclusion  

A biogas plant is a well-engineered system that converts organic waste into clean fuel through anaerobic digestion. Sintex Biogas Plant solutions facilitate this conversion directly at the source, offering both small biogas plants for home use and large industrial options. The benefits include renewable energy production, waste reduction, and nutrient recovery. The choice of scale depends on your waste volume, energy demands, and installation constraints. Sintex remains a credible option in this field, providing modular and low-maintenance biogas solutions tailored to various needs.