Some problems with operation of engines fuelled with landfill biogas

In the article has been described some problems associated with the production of biogas and using it as a fuel in internal combustion engines. In Poland biogas is mostly generated from deposits from sewage treatment plants, agricultural waste and from landfills. The biogas chemical composition depends on the organie matter as a source of biogas on used fermentation technology. One of the forms of biogas utilization is burning it in internal combustion engines. Engines producers offer a range of models designed to be fuelled with biogas. However there are some signiflcant problems with operation of such engines that appear in the case of using landfill biogas as a fuel. This kind of biogas is characterized by considerable variability in methane content, which dynamically changes throughout the period of landfill usage. In the article there is some information about the impact of changes in the methane content on operation of internal combustion engines fuelled with landfill biogas. Rapid increase in the methane content may be the purpose of knocking and engine damage. There also presented the analysis of control systems applied in gas engines. The analysis is made for purpose of determining the ability of described control systems to maintain with rapid changes in methane content in fuel gas. On the basis of this there are described some requests for features that should be characterized by the gas engine control system adapted to the combustion of landfill biogas. In summary are presented some guidance to facilitate the correct selection of engine fuelled with landfill biogas.