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Energy recovery from biomass: process simulation and Second Law analysis of an anaerobic digester coupled with an internal combustion engine

Year 2013, Volume: 16 Issue: 3, 145 - 154, 05.09.2013

Abstract

The paper presents a simulation and an exergy analysis of a power generation system fuelled by the organic fraction of solid urban refuse and food farming waste: biogas is generated in an anaerobic digester (AD) and then burnt in an internal combustion engine (ICE).

Proper thermodynamic models of both components have been developed and implemented into the library of a modular object-oriented Process Simulator, CAMEL-Pro®.

Mass-, energy- and exergy balances are performed not only for the whole plant but also at a more disaggregated level, to properly allocate the thermodynamic inefficiencies to each component; for the AD an additional distinction is made as to the allocation of the outputs, because the digested substrate may in fact be accounted for either as a plant waste flow or as a plant product.

The results show a good agreement with the available experimental data, so that the model presented here may be considered as having being validated in terms of  mass of biogas per year and net electrical and thermal power output.

Quite surprisingly, a second law analysis reveals a very high exergy efficiency of the anaerobic digester, in the range of 91%. Some discussion of this point is also presented.

References

  • Archea (2009). Archea Biogas. Retrieved January 10, 2009, from www.archea.de.
  • Batstone, D. J., Keller, J. et al. (2002). Anaerobic Digestion Model No. 1 (ADM1). London, UK: IWA Publishing.
  • Clark Energy. (n.d.). GE Jenbacher Biogas Engines. Retrieved September 3, 2012, from www.clarkeenergy.com.
  • CIRCUS (2013). Camel Pro ® . Retrieved September 10, 2008, from www.turbomachinery.it/software.html.
  • Ćosić, B., Stanić, Z., Duić, N. (2011), Geographic distribution of economic potential of agricultural and forest biomass residual for energy use: Case study Croatia, Energy, 36, 2017-2028.
  • Di Maria, F., Benavoli, M., Zoppitelli, M. (n.d.). Energy recovery from treatment processes of food- and agrofood industrial organic waste, Dept. Industrial Engineering, Univ. of Perugia, Italy (in Italian). EPA (2010). Biodigester Update, Retrieved September 3, 2012, from http://www.epa.gov/agstar/documents/.
  • Fergusen, T., Mah, R. (2006) Methanogenic bacteria, in Anaerobic digestion of biomass, Chynoweth, D. Y & Isaacson, R. Eds. Elsevier Applied Science series.
  • IEA Bioenergy. (2005). Task 24: Energy from biological conversion of organic waste. Biogas Upgrading and Utilization.
  • Jewell, W., Cummings, R., Richards, B. (1993), Methane fermentation of energy crops: Maximum conversion kinetics and in situ biogas purification, Biomass and Bioenergy, 5, 261–278.
  • Kiely, G. (1998). Environmental Engineering, Boston: Irwin, McGraw-Hill.
  • Kompogas AG (2009). Axpo Kompogas. Retrieved January 10, 2009, from www.kompogas.ch.
  • Lanzafame, R., Messina, M. (2000). A New Method for the Calculation of the Enthalpy of Gases. IECEC 2000. Proceedings of Energy Conversion Engineering Conference and Exhibit, 200. (IECEC) 35th Intersociety, vol 1, 318-328.
  • Murphy, J. D., Power, N. (2009), Technical and economic analysis of biogas production in Ireland utilising three different crop rotations, Applied Energy, 86, 25-36.
  • ONR (2008). Osservatorio Nazionale sui Rifiute. Retrieved September 9, 2008, from www.osservatorionazionalerifiuti.it.
  • Petersson, A. (2009). Biogas as transport fuel – Upgrading technique and application. Swedish gas centre. Retrieved from www.sgc.se
  • Rajendran, K., Aslanzadeh, S., Taherzadeh, M. J. (2012), Household biogas digesters - A review, Energies, 5, 2911-2942.
  • Reynolds, T. D., Richards, P. A. (1996). Unit Operations and Processes in Environmental Engineering, (2 nd ed.). Boston: PWS Publishing Company.
  • Richards, B., Cummings, R. J., Jewell, W. J. (1991), High rate low solids methane fermentation of sorghum, corn and cellulose, Biomass and Bioenergy, 1, 249–260.
  • Richards, B. K., Cummings, R. J., White, T. E., Jewell, W. J. (1991), Methods for kinetic analysis of methane fermentation in high solids biomass digester, Biomass and Bioenergy, 1, 65–73.
  • Richards, B., Herndon, F. G., Jewell, W. J., Cummings, R. J., White, T. E. (1994), In situ methane enrichment in methanogenic energy crop digesters, Biomass and Bioenergy, 6, 275-282.
  • Rota Guido srl (2009) . Rota Guido. Retrieved January 10, 2009, from www.rotaguido.it/prodotti/recuperobiogas.html
  • Song, Y.C., Kwon, S.J., Woo, J.H. (2004), Mesophilic and thermophilic temperature co-phase anaerobic digestion compared with single-stage mesophilicand thermophilic digestion of sewage sludge, Water Res., 38, 1653–1662.
  • Sötemann, S. W., Ristow, N. E., Wentzel, M. C., Ekama, G. A. (2005), A steady state model for anaerobic digestion of sewage sludges. Water SA, 31, 511-528.
  • Spajiš, R., Burns, R., Moody, L., Kralik, D. (2007), Anaerobic Digestion System Selection for Croatian Swine Manures, Proceedings of. 44 th Croatian & 4 th International Symposium on Agriculture, 940-944.
  • Tabatabaei, M., Rahim, R. A., Wright, A. D. G, Shirai, Y., Abdullah, N., Sulaiman, A., Sakai, K., Hassan, M. A. (2010), Importance of the methanogenic archaea populations in anaerobic wastewater treatments, Process Biochemistry, 45, 1214-1225
Year 2013, Volume: 16 Issue: 3, 145 - 154, 05.09.2013

Abstract

References

  • Archea (2009). Archea Biogas. Retrieved January 10, 2009, from www.archea.de.
  • Batstone, D. J., Keller, J. et al. (2002). Anaerobic Digestion Model No. 1 (ADM1). London, UK: IWA Publishing.
  • Clark Energy. (n.d.). GE Jenbacher Biogas Engines. Retrieved September 3, 2012, from www.clarkeenergy.com.
  • CIRCUS (2013). Camel Pro ® . Retrieved September 10, 2008, from www.turbomachinery.it/software.html.
  • Ćosić, B., Stanić, Z., Duić, N. (2011), Geographic distribution of economic potential of agricultural and forest biomass residual for energy use: Case study Croatia, Energy, 36, 2017-2028.
  • Di Maria, F., Benavoli, M., Zoppitelli, M. (n.d.). Energy recovery from treatment processes of food- and agrofood industrial organic waste, Dept. Industrial Engineering, Univ. of Perugia, Italy (in Italian). EPA (2010). Biodigester Update, Retrieved September 3, 2012, from http://www.epa.gov/agstar/documents/.
  • Fergusen, T., Mah, R. (2006) Methanogenic bacteria, in Anaerobic digestion of biomass, Chynoweth, D. Y & Isaacson, R. Eds. Elsevier Applied Science series.
  • IEA Bioenergy. (2005). Task 24: Energy from biological conversion of organic waste. Biogas Upgrading and Utilization.
  • Jewell, W., Cummings, R., Richards, B. (1993), Methane fermentation of energy crops: Maximum conversion kinetics and in situ biogas purification, Biomass and Bioenergy, 5, 261–278.
  • Kiely, G. (1998). Environmental Engineering, Boston: Irwin, McGraw-Hill.
  • Kompogas AG (2009). Axpo Kompogas. Retrieved January 10, 2009, from www.kompogas.ch.
  • Lanzafame, R., Messina, M. (2000). A New Method for the Calculation of the Enthalpy of Gases. IECEC 2000. Proceedings of Energy Conversion Engineering Conference and Exhibit, 200. (IECEC) 35th Intersociety, vol 1, 318-328.
  • Murphy, J. D., Power, N. (2009), Technical and economic analysis of biogas production in Ireland utilising three different crop rotations, Applied Energy, 86, 25-36.
  • ONR (2008). Osservatorio Nazionale sui Rifiute. Retrieved September 9, 2008, from www.osservatorionazionalerifiuti.it.
  • Petersson, A. (2009). Biogas as transport fuel – Upgrading technique and application. Swedish gas centre. Retrieved from www.sgc.se
  • Rajendran, K., Aslanzadeh, S., Taherzadeh, M. J. (2012), Household biogas digesters - A review, Energies, 5, 2911-2942.
  • Reynolds, T. D., Richards, P. A. (1996). Unit Operations and Processes in Environmental Engineering, (2 nd ed.). Boston: PWS Publishing Company.
  • Richards, B., Cummings, R. J., Jewell, W. J. (1991), High rate low solids methane fermentation of sorghum, corn and cellulose, Biomass and Bioenergy, 1, 249–260.
  • Richards, B. K., Cummings, R. J., White, T. E., Jewell, W. J. (1991), Methods for kinetic analysis of methane fermentation in high solids biomass digester, Biomass and Bioenergy, 1, 65–73.
  • Richards, B., Herndon, F. G., Jewell, W. J., Cummings, R. J., White, T. E. (1994), In situ methane enrichment in methanogenic energy crop digesters, Biomass and Bioenergy, 6, 275-282.
  • Rota Guido srl (2009) . Rota Guido. Retrieved January 10, 2009, from www.rotaguido.it/prodotti/recuperobiogas.html
  • Song, Y.C., Kwon, S.J., Woo, J.H. (2004), Mesophilic and thermophilic temperature co-phase anaerobic digestion compared with single-stage mesophilicand thermophilic digestion of sewage sludge, Water Res., 38, 1653–1662.
  • Sötemann, S. W., Ristow, N. E., Wentzel, M. C., Ekama, G. A. (2005), A steady state model for anaerobic digestion of sewage sludges. Water SA, 31, 511-528.
  • Spajiš, R., Burns, R., Moody, L., Kralik, D. (2007), Anaerobic Digestion System Selection for Croatian Swine Manures, Proceedings of. 44 th Croatian & 4 th International Symposium on Agriculture, 940-944.
  • Tabatabaei, M., Rahim, R. A., Wright, A. D. G, Shirai, Y., Abdullah, N., Sulaiman, A., Sakai, K., Hassan, M. A. (2010), Importance of the methanogenic archaea populations in anaerobic wastewater treatments, Process Biochemistry, 45, 1214-1225
There are 25 citations in total.

Details

Primary Language English
Journal Section Regular Original Research Article
Authors

Luigi Sallustio

Publication Date September 5, 2013
Published in Issue Year 2013 Volume: 16 Issue: 3

Cite

APA Sallustio, L. (2013). Energy recovery from biomass: process simulation and Second Law analysis of an anaerobic digester coupled with an internal combustion engine. International Journal of Thermodynamics, 16(3), 145-154.
AMA Sallustio L. Energy recovery from biomass: process simulation and Second Law analysis of an anaerobic digester coupled with an internal combustion engine. International Journal of Thermodynamics. September 2013;16(3):145-154.
Chicago Sallustio, Luigi. “Energy Recovery from Biomass: Process Simulation and Second Law Analysis of an Anaerobic Digester Coupled With an Internal Combustion Engine”. International Journal of Thermodynamics 16, no. 3 (September 2013): 145-54.
EndNote Sallustio L (September 1, 2013) Energy recovery from biomass: process simulation and Second Law analysis of an anaerobic digester coupled with an internal combustion engine. International Journal of Thermodynamics 16 3 145–154.
IEEE L. Sallustio, “Energy recovery from biomass: process simulation and Second Law analysis of an anaerobic digester coupled with an internal combustion engine”, International Journal of Thermodynamics, vol. 16, no. 3, pp. 145–154, 2013.
ISNAD Sallustio, Luigi. “Energy Recovery from Biomass: Process Simulation and Second Law Analysis of an Anaerobic Digester Coupled With an Internal Combustion Engine”. International Journal of Thermodynamics 16/3 (September 2013), 145-154.
JAMA Sallustio L. Energy recovery from biomass: process simulation and Second Law analysis of an anaerobic digester coupled with an internal combustion engine. International Journal of Thermodynamics. 2013;16:145–154.
MLA Sallustio, Luigi. “Energy Recovery from Biomass: Process Simulation and Second Law Analysis of an Anaerobic Digester Coupled With an Internal Combustion Engine”. International Journal of Thermodynamics, vol. 16, no. 3, 2013, pp. 145-54.
Vancouver Sallustio L. Energy recovery from biomass: process simulation and Second Law analysis of an anaerobic digester coupled with an internal combustion engine. International Journal of Thermodynamics. 2013;16(3):145-54.