Biogas Handling & Use

Jeff VanVoorhis

Applied Technologies, Inc.

Brookfield, WI

Jul 2004
Anaerobic Treatment Biogas

Characterization

Safety considerations

Design guidelines

Biogas use

Funding

Jul 2004
Anaerobic Treatment

Jul 2004
Jul 2004
Advantages of Anaerobic

Handles strong waste

Low biomass yield
Low nutrient needs
Produces biogas
Low O&M costs
Low space needs

Jul 2004
 General Properties

50-70% CH4 / 30-50% CO2 / saturated with

water / traces of H2S and other gases

Heating value (dry) = 500 to 700 BTU/cf

Jul 2004
 Methane Properties

CH4 is colorless, odorless, combustible gas

Health hazard - asphyxiation
Explosive when mixed with air (5-15%)
Sp. gravity = 0.5554 @ 70F
Density = 0.042 lbs/ft3 @ 70F

Jul 2004
Sampling and Testing

Teflon/Tedlar bag

Dosimeter tube

Jerome meter

Handheld
meters

Jul 2004
 Safety Considerations

LEL > 10%

H2S toxicity
O2 < 19.5%

See OSHA
1910

Jul 2004
Designing For Hazardous Locations

NFPA 820 - Fire Protection in Wastewater

Treatment and Collection Facilities provides
definition of hazardous locations within
wastewater treatment facilities
Atmosphere classifications
Atmosphere divisions
Atmosphere groups

Jul 2004
Biogas Collection and Handling

Jul 2004
 Biogas Use
Design Issues
Gas volume/flow rate
Average/Peak

Storage

User pressure requirements

User cleanliness specifications

Emissions/Regulations
Jul 2004
 Gas Storage
Variable volume /
constant pressure

Fixed
volume /
high
pressure

Jul 2004
 Operating Gas Pressure

Reactor Pressure (affects reactor tank design)

User application requirements

CONVERSION SYSTEM TYPICAL PRESSURE RANGE

IC ENGINE (naturally aspirated) 1-20 psig
IC ENGINE (turbocharged) 12-35 psig
Boiler 0.5-10 psig
Gas Turbine 150-170 psig
Stirling Engine 0.25 2.0 psig
Microturbine 12-65 psig
Fuel Cell 50-70 psig
Absorption Chiller 5-10 WC

Jul 2004
 Biogas Cleaning
Moisture removal

Temperature adjustment

Removal of contaminants

Jul 2004
Hydrogen Sulfide Removal
Iron addition to reactor

Iron sponge

Wet scrubbers

Catalytic scrubbers

Jul 2004
 Emissions
Small quantity exceptions

Air permits
NOx
SOx
Particulates

Open flame issues (flare)

Jul 2004
 Biogas Uses

1. Heating

2. Driving equipment

3. Power generation

4. New technologies

Jul 2004
 Boilers
Common features
Firebox boilers / water tube boilers
Scotch marine boilers
Combination boiler/
heat exchanger
Single/dual fuel

Jul 2004
 Heat Exchanger Designs

Spiral plate - counter current, compact, easy to

clean for sludge to water

Shell & tube - available as combination

boiler/heat exchanger

Parallel plate - very efficient, but not dependable

because of plugging problems on sludge side,
good for effluent heat recovery, low solids
Jul 2004
 Biogas Driven Equipment
Sizing criteria
Continuous operation desirable
Life cycle costs must include annual
maintenance costs

Jul 2004
Jul 2004
 Power Generation
User rates/demand charges

Grid connection/self utilization

Available funding

Regulations

Jul 2004
 IC Gas Engines Cogeneration
Sizing criteria
Continuous operation desirable
Life cycle costs must include annual
maintenance costs
Peak shaving may require auxiliary fuel
Engine jacket and exhaust heat recovery

Jul 2004
 IC ENGINE
Bypass Valve
Loop Warm up HEAT RECOVERY SYSTEM
Relief Process
Valve

Exhaust Heat
Engine Heat Exchanger
Surge
Recovery
Tank
Unit

Circulating
Mixing Pump
Valve

External
Radiator

Jul 2004
 Microturbines
Components derived from aircraft power
systems and automotive engine
turbochargers:

Compressor

Combustor

Turbine

Generator

Jul 2004
Jul 2004
Jul 2004
 Microturbine Biogas Installations
Model
capacity Number of units
Manufacturer Model name (kW) Status running on biogas
a
Capstone C30 Biogas 30 Commercial 215
Ingersoll Rand EcoWorks 70 and 250 Commercial 10
b
ETTI Turbo Charger 100 Prototype 1
Gas Turbine
(TCGT)
FlexEnergy Flex- 30 Prototype 1
Microturbine
Source: Platts; data from manufacturers
a
Capstone is also developing a 60 kW biogas model
b
ETTI=Energy Technology Transition Inc.

Jul 2004
 Stirling Cycle
Engine
No combustion / external heat

Delta T Expansion/
Compression

Low emissions

Quiet

Jul 2004
Jul 2004
 Fuel Cells
Developed in 1839
Applied by NASA in 1960s

Jul 2004
Absorption Chilling

Few moving parts

Similar to vapor-compression
refrigeration

Applications:
Pre-chill dairy
products
Jul 2004
Jul 2004
 Comparison of Technologies

Recip Combustion Stirling

Technology Microturbine Fuel Cell
Engine: NG Gas Turbine Engine

30kW-
Size 30-4kW 0.5 - 30+MW 25-55 kW 100-3000kW
6+MW
Installed Cost
700-1,200 1,200-1,700 400-900 1,100-2,000 4,000- 5,000
($/kW)1
Elec.
Efficiency 30-42% 14-30% 21-40% 30% 36-50%
(LHV)
Total
Maintenance
0.077-0.020 0.008-0.015 0.004-0.010 0.005-0.008 0.0019-0.0153
Costs 3
($/kWh)

Emissions NOX: 0.7-13 NOX:9-50 NOX: <9-50 NOX: <0.02 CO:

NOx : 0.5
(gm/bhp-hr) CO:1-2 CO: 9-50 CO:<15-50 <0.01

Jul 2004
Jul 2004
Jul 2004
 FIGURE 2
Anaerobic System Installations

2500

2250

2000
No. of Installations

1750
Cumulative

1500

1250

1000

750
500

250

0
1975 1978 1981 1984 1987 1990 1993 1996 1999 2002
Years

Jul 2004
 Renewable Energy
Keys for Progress
Government support (RPS)
Economics
Consumer support
Emissions benefits
Energy security & price volatility

Jul 2004
Funding Sources

Internal payback

State

Power utility

Ag-Star

USDOE
Jul 2004
Q&A

Jul 2004