latest developments in biogas cleaning and upgrading technologies - prof. dr.-ing. frank scholwin

www.biogasundenergie.de

Developments in Biogas Cleaning & Upgrading Technologies

Frank Scholwin (Ins>tute for Biogas, Waste Management & Energy, Weimar) Johan Grope (Ins>tute for Biogas, Waste Management & Energy, Weimar)

01.10.2014 Nür>ngen

© 2014 Ins>tut für Biogas, KreislaufwirtschaN & Energie, Prof. Dr.-‐Ing. Frank Scholwin www.biogasundenergie.de

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A view into the early history

1981 1986 1993

US NZ

Water Scrubber

NL

Selexol

Landfill & Sewage sludge gas

Membrane PSA

1 5 11 units


A view into the early history – drivers & compe>>on

1981 1986 1993

US NZ

Alterna2ve use of local available (renewable) fuel

NL

R&D ac2vi2es

1 ~3 ~5 suppliers


A view into the developing history

1993 1998 2003

S

Water Scrubber

F

Chemical scrubbers

Landfill & Sewage sludge gas + organic waste, manure….

Membrane PSA

11 19 39 units IS

CH CAN N

Organic scrubbers


A view into the developing history – drivers & compe>>on

1993 1998 2003

~5 ~8 ~10 suppliers

Alterna2ve use of local available renewable fuel

R&D ac>vi>es Strategic enforcement & incen2ves


A view into the last years history

2003 2008 2014

S

Water Scrubber

A

Amine scrubbers

Landfill & Sewage sludge gas + organic waste, manure…. + energy crops

Membrane PSA

39

130 280 units

E

CH J

D

UK, I, Asia, N ? Organic scrubbers

N UK

FIN I DK

Many more….

BRA India

NL


A view into the last years history – drivers & compe>>on

2003 2008 2014

~10 ~12

~40 suppliers

Increased use of the only available alterna2ve to natural gas

Strategic enforcement & incen2ves

Strong environmental requirements Intensive compe22on

New markets


!   Independent on applica>on, cleaning is most important to reduce maintenance & upgrading costs

!   Biogas drying: technical drying promises less corrosion & longer maintenance intervals, zeolites are an op>on

! Desulphurisa>on: no clear trend !   Internal biological: cost efficient for 1st stage; but N2-‐source !   Internal chemical: costly ! External: most efficient •  Biological processes •  Adsorp>on

!   O2 removal with ABC4O7 materials A = rare earth element; B = Barium C = Cobalt

Developments – biogas cleaning


!   All required gas specifica>ons of European gas grids can be fulfilled

!   High pressure transmission & underground gas storages: oxygen concentra>on requirements s>ll a challenge

!   All impuri>es can be reduced to the detec>on limits Ø  Landfill gas upgrading is an increasing topic (out of central

Europe)

!   Development of methods and measurement standards (e.g. European Metrology Research Programme)

Developments – upgraded gas quality


Market share

Source: Persson 2014, IEA task 37


! Increased environmental requirements & cost efficiency are drivers

!   Slip is reduced from ~10 % in the first plants to less than 2 % at all technologies today

!   < 1% at water scrubbers, membranes with more stages, organic scrubbers

!   < 0.1% amine scrubbers ! Increased selec>vity of membranes ! Typically less than 0.5% can be guaranteed ! Regularly used for process heat supply !   Oxyda>on technologies available at all technology suppliers

Developments – methane slip


! Increased environmental requirements & cost efficiency are drivers for R&D ac>vi>es

! Decreased opera>onal pressures (water scrubber, amine scrubber, organic scrubbers, PSA)

! Decreased/op>mised temperature (water scrubber, amine scrubber – e.g. desorp>on with vacuum at temperatures below 100 °C)

! Use of internally availabel heat sources (e.g. compressors) ! Combina>on of both (amine scrubber) for site adap>on ! Improved amine mixtures & enzyme addi>ves ! Electricity demand < 0,2 kWh/m³ offered

Developments – energy consump>on


!   LNG market develops – LBG is an addi>onal op>on for biogas •  Higher energy density •  Increased efforts & energy demand for produc>on

!   Pure Liquid Carbon Dioxide as valuable by product ! Synergies with PtG technologies and gasifica>on ! Biomethane as carbon resource in Biorefineries

Developments – new markets

Some key figures

• Investment 20 MEUR incl. 4 MEUR from State Subsidy

• Condensation requires 1 kWh per Nm3 biomethane

• Three times as much energy per volume unit. (vs. biogas at 200 bar)

• 2 – 5 times as much energy on each transport.

• 5,75 kWh/liter LBG • LNG/LBG-blend is competitive! • Operational since April 2012


!   Technology combina>ons offer improved opera>onal performance or bener product quality

! Waste heat u>lisa>on (e.g. from compressors & RTO) !   Small scale upgrading seems to have a market (membranes, water

scrubber, PSA) ! Upgrading technologies go towards low cost solu>ons outsides

Europe (Brazil, India) ! Landfill gas will play an increasing role (out of central Europe) !   South America and Southeast Asia

seem to be the most growing markets.

Developments – technologies & synergies


! Cryogenic gas separa>on: 1 pilot plant !   High pressure water scrubber: small scale applica>ons are working ! Some technologies in research scale

•  PCC precipitated calcium carbonate; •  internal enrichment, pressurised fermenta>on •  Ash filter (CO2 is fixed by calcium oxide under the forma>on

of calcite) •  Temperature swing adsorp>on •  Solid state amine adsorp>on

! Upgraded biogas will play a role in Power to Gas technologies •  Renewable CO2 source •  Combined with electrolysers increased methane yields

(microbial methane enrichment)

Developments – emerging technologies


Specific investment costs



Specific energy demand


To be observed: product gas is supplied at different pressures!


!   Rapid market growth in Europe and interna>onal

! Process efficiency raised strongly in the past

! Energy demand and waste energy u>lisa>on

! Reduced methane slip

! Increased methane recovery

! No general advantages of a single technology visible

!   High dependency on the given economical framework

! Local situa>on defines technology choice

Conclusion

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Biogas – Key technology in Energy and material cycle of the future

Prof. Dr.-‐Ing. Frank Scholwin Ins2tute for Biogas, Waste Management & Energy

Henßstraße 9, D-‐99423 Weimar Tel +49 (0)3643 -‐ 7 40 23 64 Mobil +49 (0)177 -‐ 2 88 56 23 Fax +49 (0)3643 -‐ 7 40 23 63 [email protected]

www.biogasundenergie.de

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