Process optimization with BIOGASmax

Make your biogas plant fit for the future

Many operators ask themselves how they can reduce the energy requirements of their biogas plant. One simple way of doing this is to install a cutter — especially when long-fibered residue and energy crops are utilized — in order to lower the viscosity of the organic suspension. This results in improved efficiency, because the power consumption and runtimes of pumps and mixers are reduced considerably.

New features and options for longer service life and efficient biogas operation

We constantly continue to develop our products and adapt them to the special requirements of biogas production, with new features and options, to reduce the rate of wear on the components. One example is the InjectionSystem  for rotary lobe pumps. It can be retrofitted with minimal effort, prevents damage from foreign matter, increases the pump's suction capability, and therefore also increases its service life.

The benefits of an advanced liquid feeding system have been demonstrated by the EU research project EU-AGRO-BIOGAS and, crucially, by the experience of many biogas plant operators. The biomass undergoes optimum treatment before digester feeding, removing the need for energy-intensive mixing of the feed into the digestate. In the final analysis, operators save energy and costs when feeding in the solid matter and when circulating the contents of the digesters.

In addition to greater flexibility in electricity production, many operators would like to achieve greater flexibility in the feeding of solid matter, and want to know how they can adapt their biogas plant to different input materials. Optimization of solid matter feeding clears the way for the use of alternative and lower-cost biomass, which may include grass silage, dung, and other agricultural residues, or even sugar beets, potatoes, organic waste, and food waste.

Reduced pressure for lower power requirements in pumps

Optimizing the dimensions and layout of pipes can reduce the level of pressure required. The power requirements of the pumps are therefore reduced and their service life increased for a calculable cost, even in the case of low-viscosity liquid manure and digestate.

Fast maintenance and service for reduced operating costs

Excellent and rapid accessibility for service and maintenance and easy-to-change spare parts for pumps and cutters help reduce downtimes and costs. The biogas plant can run smoothly, without major disruption, creating ideal conditions for stable and constant biogas yields.

Increased efficiency through control technology

The use of intelligent control technology is particularly beneficial. It controls many operating processes in the biogas plant automatically and removes the need for manual intervention in biogas production, thus saving valuable time.

Many people have heard that disintegration can improve biogas production and often the methane level as well. But many are not sure exactly what this disintegration is and what options there are for achieving it.

Disintegration is a type of process optimization that involves various kinds of treatment of the biomass, all of which aim to make it easier for bacteria to access nutrients, in order to boost biogas production. This treatment may be mechanical shredding and/or enlarging of the biomass surface area by cutting the biomass up, grinding it, or mashing it, as in the DisRuptor. Or it may involve breaking up groups of cells known as aggregates or colloids, as in the BioCrack. Which procedure is the best option depends on both the biomass itself and the biogas plant.

Foreign and disruptive matter inevitably gets into biogas plants together with liquid manure, renewable materials, and organic waste. In the form of stones, metal, or pieces of wood, they cause blockages in pumps and gate valves, and clog pipes. They can, however, be easily avoided or significantly reducedby checking deliveries and storing silage on fixed silo surfaces. In many cases, however, that is not enough, and it is necessary to work out how disruptive matter can be removed. A RotaCut with a foreign matter separator separates out foreign and disruptive matter or reduces it to an unproblematic size. This helps to reliably avoid disruptions and prevents wear in the plant components downstream. A cutter can be installed or retrofitted at many points in the plant.

Prevent fiber buildup and clogging in your biogas plant

Fibrous matter is a necessary part of operations in biogas plants. A large number of fibers therefore enter the plant in substrates such as dung and grass silage. Straw twine, nets, etc. can sometimes not be avoided either. Simple modifications can eliminate fiber traps in the pipes and fittings, preventing clogging. Using a cutter actively prevents fiber buildup and clogging in overflows or heat exchangers: It cuts up the fibrous matter and treats the organic suspension effectively. This prevents unplanned disruptions that would require immediate intervention.

Ensure thorough mixing in the digesters and prevent surface crust

In addition to clogging and buildup, fibers also cause solid layers of surface crust. The viscosity of the substrate in the digester rises, and the digester content is not mixed properly. Using a cutter homogenizes and disintegrates the suspension. In addition, the viscosity of the organic suspension and the tendency for crusting are significantly reduced. The contents of the digester are mixed reliably and error messages from overloaded mixers—up to and including complete failure—are avoided. This increases operational reliability considerably.

Alternative biomass, such as dung, whole plant silage, sugar beets and potatoes, is becoming ever more prominent. It is often cheaper and makes crop rotation more flexible. However, such substrates often bring a lot of foreign matter and long-fibered material into the biogas plant, when the plant's solid matter feed is often designed for corn silage. Long fibers and foreign matter lead to malfunctions and failures. In such cases, it is worthwhile to switch to a flexible solid matter feeding system that includes a RotaCut, such as the PreMix, or to retrofit a RotaCut. Before the entry point into the digester, this system will separate out heavy material, shred foreign matter, and homogenize the organic suspension, thus preventing disruptions.

Prevent gas becoming trapped in biogas plant components and pipes

It is not always 100% possible to prevent gas from becoming trapped, but a carefully designed pipe layout can significantly reduce it. Or it can accumulate the gas at a high point deliberately designed for this purpose and release it from time to time.

Reliable lifting from deep pits

Pumps in biogas plants often have to lift the material they pump, while evacuating gas or air from empty pipes. That means they have to dry-lift substances like liquid manure from deep pits. With optimized connections, e.g. in the form of connector boxes, the suction capacity and dry-run capability of a rotary lobe pump is significantly increased. This eliminates malfunctions and service interventions caused by the pump running hot, no longer lifting, or pumping unevenly.