BioCNG System – Demand, supply and

suggestions

Prepared by Nishant Chaudhary, Innovation Centre for Agri-waste Management

CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar
 Overview of Analysis of BioCNG assembly
Overview of analysis:

• Local demand in Hisar for BioCNG; fulfilled locally or at Delhi NCR (cheaper)

• Configuration of BioCNG unit such that it can accept biogas only from Biogas Plant

• If biogas plant is only used for BioCNG and all BioCNG is sold locally to vendor at Rs. 40/kg:

• Total turnaround time for cascade assembly of 48 cylinders is 6 days

• Given cascade assembly can be utilized completely 5 times a month

• Avg. monthly sales Rs. 1,30,000

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 BioCNG demand
Bio CNG:

Demand:

Hisar - Sold at a station between Hisar and Hansi, market price = Rs. 72/kg

Delhi/Gurgaon – taxi drivers in Hisar who have CNG vehicles, prefer to fill at Delhi/Gurgaon as there
CNG is sold at Rs. 45-55/kg

Options to be explored for BioCNG:

- Sale at local station (price, quality of gas required)
- Direct filling at HAU – not considered in this analysis (price, quality of gas, accreditation for
making filling station)

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 BioCNG – process diagram and technical specs
Bio CNG:

Supply:
Vehicle
g
s in dispenser
en
sp
Di
Source (Biogas Booster
Purification
Plant/Dry Blower compressor
Unit S to
Digester) rag
e
Cascade
cylinders

1. Technical specifications of gas blower into biogas purification unit:

• Capacity – 50-60 m3/h (need clarification on whether it can operate only within this range)
• With given capacity, this blower can only take gas from biogas plant (stated max. gas
production is 57 Nm3/h) and not from dry digester (stated max gas production is 11m3/h)

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 BioCNG – technical specs
Bio CNG:

Supply:

2. Technical specifications of purification unit (outlet methane 90-92%):

Biogas inlet methane conc. 50-60% or above

Biogas inlet flow 50 Nm3/h
Biogas inlet pressure 25-30 mbar
Biogas outlet flow 20-30 Nm3/h *Not possible at isothermal compression; for given
inlet/outlet pressure and inlet flow rate, outlet flow
rate 3-5 m3/h

Biogas outlet pressure 0.24-0.5 bar

3. Technical specifications of booster compressor:

• Intake gas flow = 20 m3/h

• Intake gas pressure (output pressure of purification unit) = 0.5 bar
• Outlet gas pressure = 200 bar
• Output gas flow = 20 Nm3/h (*not possible for isothermal compression, given conditions would
give outlet flow rate as 0.045 m3/h)

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 BioCNG – technical specs
Bio CNG:

Supply:

3. Technical specifications of CBG cascade cylinders:

• Single cylinder capacity = 15 m3 (75 L water capacity) (**75 L water capacity would make volume
0.075 m3; 15 m3 means 15,000 L which is clearly not the capacity of the cylinders on site)
• Max. pressure inside cylinder = 200 bar

3. Technical specifications of filling station:

• Max filling pressure = 250 kg/cm2 g

• Flow rate = 15 kg/min

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 BioCNG – output analysis on basis of specs given
Bio CNG:

Supply:

Calculations:

**Assuming blower input of 50 m3/h @ 0.025 bar and

output towards purification unit at 20 m3/h @ 0.5 bar

** Density of biomethane 0.4 kg/m3 @ 0.5 bar and 180 kg/m3 @ 200 bar (literature)

1. Volume inflow rate of biomethane into booster compressor = 20 m3/h @0.5 bar
2. Mass inflow rate of biomethane into booster compressor = 8 kg/h
3. Mass inflow rate booster compressor = mass outflow rate booster compressor
4. Volume outflow rate booster compressor = 8 kg/h / 180 kg/m 3 = 0.045 m3/h
5. Time taken to fill one cylinder (75 L ~ 0.075 m3 @200 bar) = 1.66 h
6. Time taken to fill 48 such cylinders = 80 hours (~4 days)

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 BioCNG – output analysis on basis of specs given
Bio CNG:

Supply:

Amount of BioCNG in one cylinder = 13.5 kg (75 L @ 200 bar ; 0.18 kg/L)
Amount of BioCNG in all 48 CBG cylinders = 650 kg

Assuming all the sale being made to the station at Hansi, and a transport/loading/unloading/return
time of 2 day, total turnaround time (TAT) for all cylinders comes out to be 6 days.

Assuming the bioCNG is sold to supplier at a price of Rs. 40/kg

Avg. sales in one turnaround cycle = Rs. 26,000

Avg. sales per month (if the biogas plant is run only for BioCNG production) = Rs. 1,30,000