Production and upgrading of fermentation gas at the location Wals-Siezenheim to be feed into the natural gas distribution network

A goal of the project Biomethan II is to demonstrate the set up of a fermentation gas plant with gas-purification in an industrial scale, whereby the produced fermentation gas is partly purified in the first step, mixed with natural gas, compressed and injected into a natural gas grid.

The purification unit will be tested during the project period, improved and will be extended to industrial scale dimensions. Thus the feed of approx. 150 m3/h partly purified fermentation gas in industrial applications is to be tested and demonstrated. A further goal of this project is the fundamental investigation on a new CO2-separation method on a small scale purification unit, which possess substantial advantages in comparison to the current state of engineering. On basis of these results the demonstration unit in a subsequent project is to be upgraded to a full scale purification plant.

Tasks of the project are the engineering, the construction, the commissioning and the operation of a biological gas facility with partial purification downstream and feed in the natural gas grid. Execution takes place in a partnership of energy supplier and gas network operator, farmers and science institutions. In the context of the demonstration operation an extensive accompanied research (monitoring program) is intended, it permits to analyze the plant operation and to introduce optimization steps. Apart from the technical analysis of the plant also the effects on the pipeline grid are accomplished and an economic analysis can be performed. Parallel to the demonstration operation with feed stock of partly purified fermentation gas a new procedure for the methane enrichment is developed further and the bases for the extension of the demonstration unit to a full scale purification production plant is compiled. This takes place at the beginning in a laboratory small scale plant and into further consequence in a bypass stream at the demonstration unit.

The project is accomplished corporated in the partnership beginning with engineering to the construction and building of the plant on to the demonstration operation. The partnership is selected in such a way so that all necessary authority is present in the project team. After erection and start-up an extensive monitoring and analysis program is indented. This program serves to acquire the performance figures of all equipped components and in further consequence to optimize operation.

After completion of the project a demonstration unit will be available in a large scale industrial plant size, where relevant specialists, potential agriculture companies/farmers and operators of such plants, specialists from authorities or other public institutions and general interested visitors can get information and may get a picture of a feed stock of purified fermentation gas injected into a natural gas grid. As substantial result of the project therefore are statements about the technical as well as economic feasibility of the possibility to feed fermentation gas into the natural gas grid. In the described project a accompanied research is intended, which already begins during the engineering and will continue up to the end of the demonstration operations. Based on this tests there will be a monitoring report and analysis data they determine characteristic values both for the individual equipment components and for the entire plant. These figures shall proof the efficiency of the plant for the evaluation and for the further optimization of the system. Thus at the end of the project both an extensive documentation of the plant and the operating characteristic values will be present and they can serve as construction basis for further plants of this kind.

In the context of the project an advancement of the CO2-separation is accomplished. At the end of the project scientifically founded results will be present for this technology. In particular those data are determined, which allow a safe scale up for a set up project in the second stage of the development (subsequent project: BioMethane III).

Please see also the final report of the project "Upgrading of biogas for the gas distribution system of Salzburg (BioMethan I)"

Contractor:

Dipl. Ing. Erich Feldbaumer
E-Mail: Erich.Feldbaumerl@Salzburg-ag.at

Project leader

Christian Wörndl (Contact address)
Salzburg AG für Energie Verkehr und Telekommunikation

Project partners:

• Technische Universität Wien, Institut für Verfahrenstechnik
• Profactor Produktionsforschungs GmbH

Christian Wörndl (Contact address)
Salzburg AG für Energie Verkehr und Telekommunikation
Bayerhamerstraße 16, A- 5020 Salzburg
Tel. + 43 (0) 662 8884
E-Mail: Christian.Woerndl@Salzburg-ag.at
Internet: www.salzburg-ag.at