Analysis of the Use of Biogas as Fuel

for Internal Combustion Engines

Mariusz Ptak, Sebastian Koziołek, Damian Derlukiewicz,

Mateusz Słupiński and Marek Mysior

Abstract The article presents the opportunity to power internal combustion engine
by treated and non-purified biogas. Internal combustion engines may be operated
only within a certain range of parameters of fuel due to the design and method of
operation. Furthermore, they are sensitive to changes in chemical composition of
the fuel. The aim of the work described in the studies was to test the quality of
biogas that can be obtained by methane fermentation of the test material.
Considering the treatment of biogas as a consumable in vehicles, its physico-
chemical properties can be very diverse. It is reasonable therefore to analysis biogas
composition of samples from various biogas plants, in the context of the possibility
of its use in a motor vehicle with an internal combustion engine. The article pre-
sents an analysis of the chemical composition of untreated biogas collected from
five representative biogas plants. Then it summarizes the data received with the
requirements of the standards referred to European countries and set out the pos-
sibility of direct use of untreated and untreated biogas during the operation of
vehicles with combustion engines.

M. Ptak (&)
S. Koziołek
D. Derlukiewicz
M. Słupiński
M. Mysior

Wrocław University of Technology, Department of Machine Design and Research,
Lukasiewicza 7/9, 50-371 Wroclaw, Poland
e-mail: mariusz.ptak@pwr.edu.pl
S. Koziołek
e-mail: sebastian.koziolek@pwr.edu.pl
D. Derlukiewicz
e-mail: damian.derlukiewicz@pwr.edu.pl
M. Mysior
e-mail: marek.mysior@pwr.edu.pl

© Springer International Publishing AG 2017 441

E. Rusiński and D. Pietrusiak (eds.), Proceedings of the 13th International Scientific
Conference: Computer Aided Engineering, Lecture Notes in Mechanical Engineering,
DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-50938-9_46
442 M. Ptak et al.

1 Introduction

Biogas is a mixture of combustible and non-combustible compounds resulting from

the fermentation process. The most desirable component of biogas is methane
(CH4). The use of biogas only to produce electricity at current economic conditions
is highly unprofitable [1]. Implementation of a system of distribution of biogas
directly to factories, farms and special objects is a chance for more efficient use of
this environmentally friendly fuel, where the biogas will be used to produce elec-
tricity, heat and cooling. Any surplus of biogas can then be used to power motor
vehicles (fleet or private) equipped with an installation dedicated for the supply of
gaseous fuels. It implies, that biogas can become one of the best renewable energy
sources and efficient alternative fuel used in transportation in the nearest future.
Combustion of biogas in a classical internal combustion engine has to be safe and
economically reasonable mostly due to exploitation and maintenance of engines.
The oil crisis in 1973 provided the impetus for engine designers to look for
solutions that could guarantee the elasticity in control of the propelling unit, which
will provide good parameters of internal combustion engines and low consumption
of fuel. Currently one can observe a trend among vehicle manufacturers to introduce
new vehicles that are originally adapted to combust CNG (Compressed Natural Gas)
and LPG (Liquefied Petroleum Gas). This results in increased safety of exploitation,
reduction of the homologation costs and ensures professional maintenance of gas
propelled vehicles what leads to fulfillment of more restrictive requirements.
Research in exhaust emission in internal combustion engines shows that the gas
propelled engines have an advantage over oil or gasoline engines [2, 3]. Significant
development of gaseous fuels in the world took place in the last 20–25 years. The
main factors of this development are environmental reasons, the improvement of
security of fuel supply by diversifying the fuel and cost-effectiveness [4]. Currently,
there are more than 17 million vehicles in the world that are propelled by CNG or
purified biogas and the number is still growing [5, 6]. There are various mechanisms
that support development of natural gas as a fuel for cars in various countries [7–10].
Compared to other gaseous fuels as LPG and CNG, the composition of biogas
varies not only due to a way of production, but also due to a place from which it was
obtained. Manufacturing and processing of biogas are oriented to obtain the highest
content of methane. All other components of biogas increase its mass being either
neutral like CO2 or aggressive like sulfur compounds. Aggressiveness of constituents
of biogas can lead to damage of tanks, power systems, combustion chambers and also
to irregularities in the functioning of some terminal equipment and the emission of
harmful compounds as a result of the combustion of biogas [11, 12].
Therefore, considering the biogas as a consumable for vehicles, its physico-
chemical properties can be varied depending on the chemical composition.
Therefore, it is vital to analyze the composition of multiple samples of biogas from
various biogas plants in the context of the possibility of its use in a motor vehicle
with an internal combustion engine.
Analysis of the Use of Biogas as Fuel for Internal … 443

2 Implementation of Purified Biogas in Motor Vehicles

The use of biogas as a primary source of energy in vehicles is inherent to the costs that
one need to invest in the modernization and adaptation of the engine to the gaseous
fuel or buy a car that is originally equipped with a power supply system [13].
Indirect cost is the purification and treatment of biogas. The crude biogas formed
in the methane fermentation process in addition to methane contains
non-combustible carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulphide, water, water vapour and small
amounts of nitrogen and oxygen. Due to the fact that the biogas and CNG are similar
in composition (see Table 1) it is possible to use existing fuel supply systems
dedicated originally to Compressed Natural Gas.
The greatest advantage of the vehicles propelled with biogas compared to
gasoline vehicles and other conventional fuels is that the environmentally harmful
emissions are greatly reduced. Therefore, the main reason for users to invest in gas
vehicles are economic and ecological considerations [12–16]:
• limiting exhaust emissions, primarily carbon dioxide (CO2).
• vehicles powered by biogas compared with those driven by petrol emit up to
90% less carbon monoxide (CO), 80% less hydrocarbons—the main factor
responsible for smog and 50–86% less nitrogen oxides (NOx)—rules for cal-
culating the impact of biofuels, bio liquids and their fossil fuel emissions of
greenhouse gases are presented in Table 5.
• reduction to a minimum the release of sulphur compounds and soot, which has a
significant impact on reducing their emissions to the environment and
improving the microclimate of large urban agglomerations.
• the cost of biogas and CNG are lower than the prices of gasoline and show
significant stability compared to oil prices.

Table 1 Comparison of the (%) Natural gas Purified biogas

composition of the purified
and conditioned biogas and Methane, CH4 55–75 97.4
compressed natural gas [12] Carbon dioxide CO2 25–45 0.07
Nitrogen, N2 0–0.3 1.22
Water, H2O 1–5 –
Hydrogen sulfide, H2S 0–3 –
Oxygen, O2 0.1–0.5 –
Ethane C2H6 – 0.94
Propane, C3H8 – 0.22
Noble gases (Argon, Helium) – 0.13
444 M. Ptak et al.

Disadvantages of biogas to power vehicles are as follows:

• the use of biogas as a primary source of energy in vehicles is inherent to the
costs that one need to invest in the modernization and adaptation of the engine
to the gaseous fuel or buy a car that is originally equipped with a power supply
system;
• less space (e.g. in the trunk), and increase the weight of the vehicle;
• a limited number of refuelling stations;
• extended refuelling time;
• increased maintenance costs;
• shorter range of the vehicle (including gas supply only).

3 Testing of Biogas Captured from 5 Different

Installations

The aim of the study was to measure the composition and quality of biogas, which
can be obtained as a result of methane fermentation of test material. Biogas is a
medium that is difficult in analysis due to its composition and properties. It requires
knowledge and analytical experience, especially in terms of sampling. The repre-
sentativeness of the sample determines both the correct choice of the point of
consumption, and the method used in testing. It is important to avoid “dead” space,
places in which the condensate accumulates and areas subjected to temperature
fluctuations and flow distortions.
The study consisted proper placing of prepared batch of raw material in the
bioreactor containing the bacteria involved in methane fermentation. Subject of
measurement was a daily increase in the volume of biogas formed and its com-
position. The obtained results are then plotted as a kinetics of biogas creation.
Selection of the initial conditions of the process takes place on the basis of the
physio-chemical analysis of the raw material and the information received from the
supplier of the substrate. In specific cases, the individual results are given as
average values of a minimum of three independent and parallel repetitions.
In order to verify the selected properties of biogas in chosen plants that process
waste and biomass, the collection of 30 samples from 5 biogas installations was
analysed:
1. Active municipal waste landfill located in the town of Lubin operated by
MUNDO Ltd.
2. Closed and reclaimed municipal waste landfill in the town of Grudziadz.
3. Installation of biogas usage produced in closed sewage treatment plant digesters
“Łyna” in Olsztyn.
4. Periodically active anaerobic bioreactor that process anaerobically municipal
waste and sewage sludge located in the town of Kosiny Bartosowe wheel
Mławy operated by Uskom Ltd.
Analysis of the Use of Biogas as Fuel for Internal … 445

5. Active agricultural biogas plant located in the town of Swidnica operated by

Bioelektrownia Swidnica Bio-watt.
Samples of biogas were taken in March 2014. In all samples, percentage of:
CO2, CH4, O2, H2S, NH3 was analysed. Analysis was performed on-site using a
portable biogas analyser GA 2000, in which the measurement principle is based on,
in the case of CH4and CO2 on infrared absorption method and in the case of O2,
H2S and NH3 on electrochemical cells. In five samples, each one obtained from
different biogas plant the content of the siloxanes was assessed for each sample. The
content of siloxanes was determined by the use of gas chromatography method with
mass spectrometry (GC-MS).

4 The Results of Tests on Samples of Biogas

The results of tests on samples of biogas is shown in the Tables 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.

Presented data can be directly compared with the requirements of the use of biogas
as a fuel to power vehicles and gas networks across Europe.
The acquired data, after verification and statistical processing, was summarized
and presented on Fig. 1. It is noted that the results represent the crude biogas
(untreated and non-purified). The most beneficial quality of the biogas showing

Table 2 Contents of the basic ingredients in the biogas obtained from active landfills in Lubin
Gas component Sample no. Average Standard deviation
1 2 3 4 5
CH4 (% vol.) 39.2 39.2 39.6 39.2 39.5 39.3 0.2
CO2 (% vol.) 37.7 37.8 38.3 37.8 37.9 37.9 0.2
O2 (% vol.) 0.5 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.1
N2 (% vol.) 22.6 22.6 21.7 22.6 22.2 22.3 0.4
NH3 (ppm vol.) 71 116 123 120 152 116.4 29.1
H2S (mg/nm3) 131.0 159.6 176.2 161.1 201.8 165.9 25.9

Table 3 Contents of the basic ingredients in the biogas obtained on a closed landfill in Grudziadz
Gas component Sample no. Average Standard deviation
1 2 3 4 5
CH4 (% vol.) 47.7 49.4 49.2 52.2 52.7 50.2 2.1
CO2 (% vol.) 16.6 18.5 16.2 17.8 16.9 17.2 0.9
O2 (% vol.) 0.5 0.6 1.0 0.6 1.1 0.7 0.2
N2 (% vol.) 35.2 31.5 33.6 29.4 29.3 31.8 2.5
NH3 (ppm vol.) 115 125 142 117 136 127.0 11.7
H2S (mg/nm3) 147.6 164.1 140.0 186.7 176.2 162.9 19.4
446 M. Ptak et al.

Table 4 The content of the basic ingredients in the biogas obtained with a closed sewage
treatment plant digesters “Łyna” in Olsztyn
Gas component Sample no. Average Standard deviation
1 2 3 4 5
CH4 (% vol.) 57.1 54.6 53.8 52.7 54.1 54.4 1.6
CO2 (% vol.) 36.7 41.7 39.8 34.2 36.9 37.8 2.9
O2 (% vol.) 0.2 0.2 0.3 0.2 0.1 0.2 0.1
N2 (% vol.) 6.0 3.5 6.1 12.9 8.9 7.4 3.5
NH3 (ppm vol.) 241 216 186 193 174 202.0 26.6
H2S (mg/nm3) 186.7 204.8 213.8 183.7 179.2 193.6 14.9

Table 5 Contents of the basic ingredients in the biogas obtained from active periodic anaerobic
bioreactor (Kosiny Bartosowe) processing anaerobic waste
Gas component Sample no. Average Standard deviation
1 2 3 4 5
CH4 (% vol.) 60.2 61.3 63.6 62.1 64.4 62.3 1.7
CO2 (% vol.) 38.6 38.4 35.9 36.8 35.3 37.0 1.5
O2 (% vol.) 0.2 0.1 0.3 0.2 0.1 0.2 0.1
N2 (% vol.) 1.0 0.2 0.2 0.9 0.2 0.5 0.4
NH3(ppm vol.) 187 163 147 152 138 157.4 18.8
H2S (mg/nm3) 203.3 209.3 180.7 179.2 222.9 199.1 18.9

Table 6 Contents of the basic ingredients in the biogas obtained from active agricultural biogas
plant in Swidnica
Gas component Sample no. Average Standard deviation
1 2 3 4 5
CH4 (% vol.) 52.2 51.1 52.1 51.9 52.2 51.90 0.5
CO2 (% vol.) 47.6 48.8 47.6 47.9 47.5 47.88 0.5
O2 (% vol.) 0.2 0.1 0.3 0.2 0.3 0.22 0.1
N2 (% vol.) 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.00 0.0
NH3 (ppm vol.) 12 76 40 52 42 44.4 23.1
H2S (mg/nm3) 13.6 58.7 45.2 52.7 55.7 45.2 18.4

potential for the use in internal combustion engines was measured in the Regular
Anaerobic bioreactor in Kosinach Bartosowych processing anaerobic waste. It
should be noted that the percentage of methane (CH4) is more than 60%. The
samples taken from the indicated biogas plants are characterized by the smallest
total content of CO2, O2, N2. However, biogas from Kosin Bartosowych shows
adversely greatest amount of sulphur compounds of approx. 200 mg/mn3 (Fig. 1)
Fig. 2.
Analysis of the Use of Biogas as Fuel for Internal … 447

Fig. 1 Summary of average content of basic components in the biogas for the selected plant

Fig. 2 Selection of the average amount of sulphur compounds (H2S) in the sample biogas

In order to verify that the resulting composition of the crude biogas quality meets
the requirements specified in the standards of selected European countries, the
results of measurements were summarized in Table 7.
Based on the summarized results it was proven that despite significant progress in
the technology of biogas acquisition, it is not currently recommended to use it in
 448

Table 7 Selected guidelines for use of biogas as a fuel to power vehicles and gas networks in relation to a given country [17, 18]
Relationship Country/ France Germany Sweden Switzerland Austria Netherlands
unit
The content of methane (CH4) % Vol. – – 95–99 > 50 (instantaneous) > 96 – > 80
(continuous)
The content of carbon dioxide (CO2) % Vol. <2 <6 – <6 <26 –
The total content of CO2 + O2 + N2 mg/nm3 <75 <30 <23 <30 <5 <45
Sulphur compounds (H2S) mg/nm3 <75 <30 <23 <30 <5 <45
M. Ptak et al.
Analysis of the Use of Biogas as Fuel for Internal … 449

motor vehicles without prior purification and treatment. The collected samples of
biogas do not meet the requirements of the minimum level of methane content and an
acceptable level of sulphur content. To reduce the possibility of corrosion in the
intake system of the internal combustion engine it is necessary to include getting rid
of the sulphur compounds from biogas (desulphurisation). It should be noted, how-
ever, that the samples taken from the biogas plant in Swidnica are characterized by
relatively low levels of sulphur compounds—an average of 45.2 mg/nm3. Despite
the lack of opportunities in the context of these requirements, the use of raw biogas in
internal combustion engines states great potential in biogas production technology
and the future of its direct application as an alternative fuel.

5 Conclusions

In comparison to other alternative sources of renewable energy biogas production

takes place in a continuous manner and is not affected by atmospheric conditions,
such as the energy of the sun, wind or water. The crude biogas formed in the
methane fermentation process apart the desired content of methane contains also
non-combustible carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulphide, water, water vapour, and
small amounts of nitrogen and oxygen. Manufacturing processes and biogas pro-
cessing are oriented to obtain the highest methane content. All other components of
biogas increase its mass being either neutral like CO2 or aggressive like sulphur
compounds. Aggressiveness of constituents of biogas can lead to damage of tanks,
power systems, combustion chambers and also to irregularities in the functioning of
terminal equipment and the emission of harmful compounds as a result of the
combustion of biogas.
It is emphasized that in practice almost every piston engine designed to power
gasoline is ready to be supplied by gas of suitable composition. The aim of the work
described in the studies was to test the quality of crude biogas (untreated and
non-purified) which can be obtained in modern biogas plants, and its potential in
application as a fuel for vehicles without purification and enrichment. The result of
the research is a summary of parameters of biogas that are relevant for the operation
of internal combustion engines for 5 representative biogas plants. The data obtained
were compared with the standards of some European countries, which establishes
the required composition of biogas for use, among others, in internal combustion
engines. It has been proved in this way, despite significant progress in the tech-
nology of biogas acquisition, it is not currently recommended to use it in motor
vehicles without prior purification and treatment.

Acknowledgements The article was developed as part of project No LIDER/034/645/L-4/

12/NCBR/2013 funded by the National Centre for Research and Development.
450 M. Ptak et al.

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