Increasing biogas CHP performance with new water removal technology with HRS Heat Exchangers
New water removal technology increases biogas CHP performance Malaysia has a huge potential to develop anaerobic digestion (AD) plants but if this potential is to be realised as a vibrant industry which is both economically and environmentally sustainable, then it is crucial that every part of every AD plant is optimised.
While biomethane facilities are increasing in popularity, the vast majority of the world’sAD sites producedelectricity using combined heat and power (CHP) plants. One often-overlooked area is ensuring that any water present in the raw biogas is removed; if water enters a CHP engine it can decrease its efficiency, resulting in reduced biogas yields and engine damage. The new Biogas Dehumidification System (BDS) from HRS Heat Exchangers removes water from biogas, protecting CHP engines from corrosion and cavitation. It also comes with a heat recovery section as standard, increasing an AD plant’s overall energy efficiency.
Increased profits
The importance of optimising your AD plant cannot be underestimated. While many of today’s operators invest time and money in performance-enhancing additives and systems, removing water present in the raw biogas can be a lower priority. But with CHP engines being one of the most expensive pieces of equipment to replace on an AD plant, this is a false economy. Additionally, an inefficient CHP engine will result in lower electrical output and higher capex, and therefore reduced profits. “The BDS reduces biogas temperatures from around 40ºC to approximately 5-7ºC, condensing more than 90 per cent of the water volume,” explains HRS International Sales and Marketing Director Matt Hale. “It works via a chiller system which supplies a coolant that is transferred to heat exchangers. Biogas flows on the product side of the exchanger, while the coolant flows on the service side. As the biogas cools, the water condenses from the gas, leaving a clean and dry biogas ideal for use in CHP engines.” Energy efficiency Heat recovery comes as standard with the HRS BDS. The resulting cold biogas is used to pre-cool any incoming biogas, reducing the load on the final cooling heat exchanger and recovering as much as 20 per cent of the energy needed for the process.
Any extra investment required is soon recouped in energy cost savings. Suitable for AD plants of all sizes, the HRS BDS comes skid-mounted for easy access and freedom of movement, and features an automatic control panel for full process control. Future-proof your AD plant“Following a series of enquiries for a system to dehumidify biogas, we are delighted to launch the HRS BDS,” says Matt Hale. “With a CHP engine being one of the most expensive pieces of equipment on an AD plant, protecting it makes good business sense. By removing water from biogas before it enters a CHP engine, the HRS BDS helps to extend an engine’s lifespan, protecting it against corrosion and cavitation. We are expecting a high demand from existing AD operators looking to optimise their process even further and prolong the lifespan of their CHP engine.”
HRS Heat Exchangers Located in Kuala Lumpur, and part of the HRS Group which operates at the forefront of thermal technology offering innovative heat transfer solutions worldwide across a diverse range of industries. With approaching 40 years’ experience in the Environmental sector specialising in the design and manufacture of an extensive range of turnkey systems and components, incorporating our corrugated tubular and scraped surface heat exchanger technology, incompliance with global design and industry standards.HRS has a network of offices throughout the world: Australia, New Zealand, UK, Spain, USA, Malaysia and India; with manufacturing plants in the UK, India and Spain.
For sales enquiries please contact:info@my.hrs-he.com Tel +603 8081 1898 For media enquiries about HRS Heat Exchangers please contact: Yenni Maelianawati, Digital Marketing Manager Tel: +44(0)1923 232 335
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www.hrs-heatexchangers.comRelease issued by GloHouse Media: Bev Small, bev.small@glohouse.co.uk, Tel: +44(0)1223 872239 / +44(0)7901 841491
