Biogas | CHP | Cogeneration | Combined heat and power

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Biogas
Biogas is formed by the anaerobic decomposition of putrescible organic material. Biogas CHP (combined heat
and power or cogeneration) is the utilisation of biogas, typically in a biogas engine, for the production of
electricity and useful heat, at high efficiency.

Clarke Energy is a distributor of GE Jenbacher biogas engines which are designed for robust operation on
difficult gases such as biologically-derived ones. February 16, 2016

Clarke Energy Awarded

Corporate LiveWire’s 2016
Innovation & Excellence
What is biogas? Awards!
Biogas is a gas that is formed by anaerobic microorganisms. These microbes feed off carbohydrates and fats,
producing methane and carbon dioxides as metabolic waste products. This gas can be harnessed by man as a
source of sustainable energy. Case Study

Biogas is considered to be a renewable fuel as it originates from organic material that has been created from
atmospheric carbon by plants grown within recent growing seasons.

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Biogas | CHP | Cogeneration | Combined heat and power

Benefits of anaerobic digestion and biogas

Production of renewable power through combined heat and power cogeneration
Disposal of problematic wastes
February 3, 2016
Diversion of waste from landfill
Production of a low-carbon fertiliser How the UK has developed
over the years with combined
Avoidance of landfill gas escape and reduction in carbon emissions
heat and power.

Biogas formation
News

January 11, 2016

Clarke Energy is exhibiting at

Energy Now Expo 2016 from
10th-11th February 2016 in
Telford International Centre

Biogas creation is also called biomethanation. Biologically derived gases are produced as metabolic products of two
groups of microorganisms called bacteria and Archaea. These microorganisms feed off carbohydrates, fats

and proteins, then through a complex series of reactions including hydrolysis, acetogenesis, acidogenesis and
methanogenesis produce biogas consisting mainly of carbon dioxide and methane.

Anaerobic Digestion / Biogas Plant 3D Model

https://www.clarke-energy.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Anaerobic-Digestion-Fly-Through.mp4

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Biogas | CHP | Cogeneration | Combined heat and power

Biogas composition
Biogas consists primarily of methane (the source of energy within the
fuel) and carbon dioxide. It also may contain small amounts of
nitrogen or hydrogen. Contaminants in the biogas can include
sulphur or siloxanes, but this will depend upon the digester
feedstock.

The relative percentages of methane and carbon dioxide in the

biogas are influenced by a number of factors including:

The ratio of carbohydrates, proteins and fats in the feedstock

The dilution factor in the digester (carbon dioxide can be
absorbed by water)

Anaerobic digestion
Anaerobic digestion is the man-made process of harnessing the anaerobic fermentation of wastes and other
biodegradable materials. Anaerobic microbes can be harnessed to treat problematic wastes, produce a fertiliser
that can be used to replace high carbon emission chemical fertilisers. It also is the process that results in the
production of biogas, which can be used to provide renewable power using biogas cogeneration systems.

Anaerobic digestion can occur at mesophilic (35-45˚C) or thermophilic

temperatures (50-60˚C). Both types of digestion typically require
supplementary sources of heat to reach their optimal temperature.
This heat is most commonly provided by a biogas CHP unit,
operating on biogas and producing both electricity and heat for the
process.

Often, biogas plants that treat wastes originating from animal

material, will also require the material to be treated at high

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Biogas | CHP | Cogeneration | Combined heat and power

temperature to eliminate any disease causing bacteria in the slurry.

These systems pasteurise the slurry, typically at 90C for one hour, to
destroy pathogens, and result in the provision of clean, high quality
fertiliser.

Biogas engines
GE Jenbacher biogas engines are specifically designed to operate on different types of biogas. These gas engines
are linked to an alternator in order to produce electricity at high efficiency. High efficiency electricity production
enables the end user to maximise the electrical output from the biogas and hence optimise the economic
performance of the anaerobic digestion plant.

Biogas engine electrical output

 There are 4 'types' of GE Jenbacher gas engines with different levels of power output and electrical/thermal
efficiency characteristics.

249-330kWe – Type 2
499-1,065kWe – Type 3
844-1189kWe – Type 4
1,600-3,000kWe – Type 6

Biogas CHP
Biologically-derived gases can be utilised in biogas engines to generate renewable power via cogeneration in the
form of electricity and heat. The electricity can be used to power the surrounding equipment or exported to the
national grid.

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Biogas | CHP | Cogeneration | Combined heat and power

Low grade heat from the cooling circuits of the gas engine, typically available as hot water on a 70/90°C flow/return
basis. For anaerobic digestion plants that are using a CHP engine, there are two key types of heat:

High grade heat as engine exhaust gas (typically ~450°C)

The low grade heat is typically used to heat the digester tanks to the optimum temperature for the biological system.
Mesophilic anaerobic digesters typically operate at 35-40°C.  Thermophilic anaerobic digesters typically operate at
a higher temperature between 49-60°C and hence have a higher heating requirement.

You can find out more about biogas CHP efficiency here.

High temperature exhaust gas heat can either be used directly into a drier, waste heat boiler or organic rankine
cycle unit. Alternatively it can be converted into hot water using a shell and tube exhaust gas heat exchanger to
supplement the heat from the engine cooling systems.

Waste heat boilers produce steam typically at 8-15bar. Driers may be useful to reduce the moisture content of the
digestate to assist in reducing transportation costs. Organic rankine cycle turbines are able to convert surplus waste
heat into additional electrical output.

In the event that the local legislation requires for the destruction of pathogens in the digestate (such as the
European Animal By-Products Regulations) there may be the requirement to heat treat the waste via pasteurisation
or sterilisation. Here, surplus heat from the gas engine can be used in the pasteurisation unit.

The heat from the CHP engine can also be used to drive an absorption chiller to give a source of cooling, converting
the system to a trigeneration plant.

Minimum Flow Rate

The minimum gas flow rate to operate the smallest GE Jenbacher biogas engine at full load (J208 @249kWe)  is
127Nm3/hour at 50% methane.

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Biogas | CHP | Cogeneration | Combined heat and power

Sectors
We have specific pages related to:

Agriculture
Organic wastes
Distilleries
Mechanical biological treatment and anaerobic digestion of mixed wastes (MBT-AD)
Landfill gas
Sewage gas

Potential Contaminants
Biologically derived gases may include contaminants or inpurities including water, hydrogen sulphide and siloxanes.
Please discuss your gas quality expectations with your local Clarke Energy office. GE provides specific guidelines
on fuel gas quality in technical instruction documents.

Water
Biological gases contains water vapour due to the nature of the feedstock that produces the gas. The quantity of
water is linked to the  temperature of the biological gas and the method of production. Above certain limits the
moisture content of the biogas becomes a combustion challenge for the gas engines.

Water can be removed from the gas by using:

Gas dehumidification (drying) units.

Ground tube dewatering

Hydrogen Sulphide
Hydrogen sulphide (H2S)  is derived as a by-product of the anaerobic digestion process of high sulphur feedstocks
such as amino-acids and proteins. When burnt in a gas engine hydrogen sulphide can condense with water to form
sulphuric acid. Sulphuric acid is corrosive to elements of gas engines and so must be limited to prevent adverse
effects on the CHP engine.

Processes for the removal of hydrogen sulphide include

Activated carbon filters

Low level oxygen dosing into digester head space (typically <1%)
External biological scrubber towers
Ferric chloride dosing into the digester

Siloxanes
In some cases biogas contains siloxanes. Siloxanes are formed from the anaerobic decomposition of materials
commonly found in soaps and detergents. During the combustion process of the gas  that contains siloxanes,
silicon is released and can combine with free oxygen or various other elements in the combustion gas. Deposits are
formed containing mostly silica (SiO2) or silicates (SixOy). These white mineral deposits accumulate and must be
removed by chemical or mechanical means.

Siloxanes are often problematic in landfill gas and sewage gas plants due to contamination that is often found

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Biogas | CHP | Cogeneration | Combined heat and power
associated with the organic wastes.

In source-segregated biodegradable waste and agricultural biogas plants, it is much less common to find problems
associated with siloxanes.

Contact Clarke Energy

To contact Clarke Energy you can send a message to us using the online form located HERE. Alternatively visit a
country page from the drop down menu above.

External Links
Anaerobic Digestion and Biogas Association (UK)
Anaerobic Digestion Portal (UK)
Renewable Energy Association Biogas Group (UK)
Sugar Technologists Association of India

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