Development of a Test Bench for Biogas-fueled Internal Combustion Engines Working in Cogeneration Mode for Residential Applications

The aim of this paper is the presentation of a test bench developed and installed at the Laboratory of the University of Bologna: the test bench has been developed for internal combustion engines, working as cogeneration units and fueled with biogas. In this perspective, the test bench purpose is to experimentally test and optimize the operation of cogenerative internal combustion engines on varying the boundary conditions, in terms of both biogas composition and electric and thermal load. Other main components are the anaerobic digester, a multi-fuel internal combustion engine, the electric load and a heat exchanger for the heat recovery from the exhaust gases and connected to a water circuit representing the thermal user. The test bench has been equipped with the opportune measurement devices, as well as with a specifically developed data acquisition system. First experimental tests, carried out on varying the methane content within the CH4-CO2 blend and the electric load allowed to optimize the test bench in terms of heat recovery section and air supply to the engine.