[Digestion] Small Digester and Rankine Engine Questions

armoss at umd.edu armoss at umd.edu
Thu Jan 13 11:16:25 CST 2011


   Charles-
   There's at least one small-scale digester of that
   size currently operating in the U.S. - at the USDA
   Beltsville Agricultural Research Center in
   Beltsville, MD.  The dairy's herd size is roughly
   125-130, with ~100 milking and producing manure at
   any given time (dry cattle are let out to pasture). 
   The digester was built in 1994 and was constructed
   as a continuous stirred-tank reactor.  I have
   tentative plans to conduct research on this digester
   simultaneously with a low-cost, pilot-scale digester
   project operating on the same waste-stream that's
   being constructed by our lab group at the University
   of Maryland.  I don't have intimate knowledge of the
   USDA CSTR's history, but I can tell you what I know.

   The digester was originally constructed for odor
   control as an upright, cylindrical concrete tank
   (I'm not sure enough of the designed HRT to give you
   information on it), and was later insulated with
   gunnite-coated styrofoam.  It operates on
   mechanically screw-press separated, scraped waste,
   and utilizes the biogas produced to power a boiler
   that circulates hot water through a conveyance
   system installed within the digester for heating;  a
   combined heat and power electric generator was
   installed in the mid-2000s, but it has never been
   brought online.  The digester's had a number of
   problems come up, including repeated clogging of the
   supply lines (originally 3-4" ID, now 6"), the break
   down of the screw-press separator and supply pumps,
   and the corrosion of the boiler due to inadequate
   scrubbing.  To be fair, many of the problems
   associated with the digester are the result of
   fluctuating research interest, funds, management,
   and the lack of an effective biogas scrubbing
   system, but they exist all the same.  Currently, the
   digester is up and operating... although obviously
   not ideally.

   Although most of the digestion systems are covered
   lagoons, the AgSTAR website contains a link to a
   Excel file detailing the digesters currently
   registered in the EPA's system (look under "Farm
   Project Profiles").  A few of them approximate the
   herd numbers you're interested in.

   As a side note, our research at the University of
   Maryland, together with research at Ohio State and
   the University of Wisconsin, is attempting to
   introduce smaller-scale, lower-cost systems in the
   U.S.  I gave a presentation in October on
   small-scale digestion and some of the current
   efforts that you can find here.

   Good luck hunting!

   -Andy

 Andrew R. Moss
 Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education Fellow
 University of Maryland Dept. of Environmental Science and Technology
 1445 Animal Sci./Ag. Engineering (Bldg. 142)
 University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742
 Phone:  (865) 363-5535


   ---- Original message ----

     Date: Wed, 12 Jan 2011 12:00:06 -0800
     From: <digestion-request at lists.bioenergylists.org>
     Subject: Digestion Digest, Vol 5, Issue 5
     To: <digestion at lists.bioenergylists.org>

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     >________________ >Today's Topics: > > 1. Small
     Digester and Rankine Engine Questions (Gould,
     Merrill) > 2. Re: 250kW hot water biogas boiler
     (Ian Bywater) > 3. Re: Small Digester and Rankin
     Engine Questions (Randy Mott) > 4. Re: Small
     Digester and Rankin Engine Questions (Sam Wampler)
     > 5. Re: Small Digester and Rankine Engine
     Questions (David Fulford) >________________ >Date:
     Tue, 11 Jan 2011 17:07:41 +0000 >From: "Gould,
     Merrill" <gouldm at anr.msu.edu> >Subject:
     [Digestion] Small Digester and Rankine Engine
     Questions >To:
     "digestion at lists.bioenergylists.org"
     <digestion at lists.bioenergylists.org> >

     Greetings:

      

     I have two questions I am hoping someone has
     answers for:

     1.       Are there small farms with digesters in
     the United States? When I say small farm I don’t
     mean 2-3 cows, I mean a farm with around 125 dairy
     cows, which is the average herd size in Michigan.
     If so, where are they and what has been their
     experience with their digester? I suspect there
     probably are no small farms with digesters in the
     US, but I would really like to know. I have had
     numerous inquiries from farmers with small farms
     in West Michigan about putting in a digester on
     their farm. If my assumption is correct that there
     are no small farms with digesters, are there farms
     with comparable numbers of dairy cattle with
     digesters outside of the United State? If so,
     where are they and what has their experience been
     with their digester?

     2.       Has anyone had experience using a Rankine
     engine as part of an energy producing system?

      

     Thanks in advance for any insight you can provide
     me.

      

     Charles Gould

     Michigan State University Extension

     West Olive, Michigan

      

     >________________ >Date: Fri, 7 Jan 2011 20:51:07
     +1300 >From: Ian Bywater
     <ian.bywater at naturalsystems.co.nz> >Subject: Re:
     [Digestion] 250kW hot water biogas boiler >To: For
     Discussion of Anaerobic Digestion
     <digestion at lists.bioenergylists.org> >
     Hi Edward,
     I know a boiler expert here in Christchurch, New
     Zealand that I'm sure has the right expertise and
     can help.
     Ian Bywater
     On 7/01/2011, at 8:42 PM, Edward Matos wrote:

       A milk processing company in our vicinity
       (Tanga, Tanzania) has had a lasting interest in
       converting its milk pasteurising process from
       running on propane to running on biogas. I am
       doing them a little favour by helping them to
       make a feasibility study and find the right
       people that will make this happen. Unfortunately
       I have very little experience in biogas
       combustion and would like to find out if anyone
       here is/knows someone who could help us on this
       subject.

     _________________

     Director, Natural Systems Limited

     (Unit 5B/ 3 Settlers Crescent)

     PO Box 41032

     Christchurch 8247

     New Zealand

     T +64(0)3 376 5549

     M +64(0)27 579 6333
     F +64(0)3 365 4146
     S bywateri
     W www.naturalsystems.co.nz
     The Most Exciting Green Technology Company in New
     Zealand (NBR 2008)
     Bayer Innovators Award finalist, 2010, Agriculture
     and Environment category
     NZ patent 530362
     >________________ >Date: Wed, 12 Jan 2011 08:50:57
     +0100 >From: "Randy Mott" <randymott at ceeres.eu>
     >Subject: Re: [Digestion] Small Digester and
     Rankin Engine Questions >To: "'For Discussion of
     Anaerobic Digestion'"
     <digestion at lists.bioenergylists.org> >

     We don’t do projects in the US, but my
     understanding is that 500 cows is a rule of thumb.
     I have some literature….

      

     On Rankin cycle engines, we have followed it
     closely in Europe and the US. There is about 15%
     more electricity that can come from the heat
     exhaust of the initial generators. The capex is
     about 1250 Euro/kW. We don’t have much incentive
     to do it in Poland since we sell the heat and also
     obtain a co-generation certificate for each MWe.

      

     GE Jenbacher is doing some development in Europe
     and eventually, I believe, will be trying to offer
     this as an option on its generators.

      

     Randy Mott

     CEERES

     Warsaw

      

      

     From: digestion-bounces at lists.bioenergylists.org
     [mailto:digestion-bounces at lists.bioenergylists.org]
     On Behalf Of Gould, Merrill
     Sent: Tuesday, January 11, 2011 6:08 PM
     To: digestion at lists.bioenergylists.org
     Subject: [Digestion] Small Digester and Rankine
     Engine Questions

      

     Greetings:

      

     I have two questions I am hoping someone has
     answers for:

     1.       Are there small farms with digesters in
     the United States? When I say small farm I don’t
     mean 2-3 cows, I mean a farm with around 125 dairy
     cows, which is the average herd size in Michigan.
     If so, where are they and what has been their
     experience with their digester? I suspect there
     probably are no small farms with digesters in the
     US, but I would really like to know. I have had
     numerous inquiries from farmers with small farms
     in West Michigan about putting in a digester on
     their farm. If my assumption is correct that there
     are no small farms with digesters, are there farms
     with comparable numbers of dairy cattle with
     digesters outside of the United State? If so,
     where are they and what has their experience been
     with their digester?

     2.       Has anyone had experience using a Rankine
     engine as part of an energy producing system?

      

     Thanks in advance for any insight you can provide
     me.

      

     Charles Gould

     Michigan State University Extension

     West Olive, Michigan

      

     >________________ >Date: Wed, 12 Jan 2011 05:20:28
     -0800 >From: Sam Wampler
     <smwampler at avatarenergy.com> >Subject: Re:
     [Digestion] Small Digester and Rankin Engine
     Questions >To: For Discussion of Anaerobic
     Digestion <digestion at lists.bioenergylists.org> >

     Nick,

      

     Why don’t you have Kevin answer the below
     question about a small digester.

      

     Sam

      

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http://www.avatarenergy.com/images/logos/cell_icon.gif336.446.9305 
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     From: digestion-bounces at lists.bioenergylists.org
     [mailto:digestion-bounces at lists.bioenergylists.org]
     On Behalf Of Randy Mott
     Sent: Wednesday, January 12, 2011 2:51 AM
     To: 'For Discussion of Anaerobic Digestion'
     Subject: Re: [Digestion] Small Digester and Rankin
     Engine Questions

      

     We don’t do projects in the US, but my
     understanding is that 500 cows is a rule of thumb.
     I have some literature….

      

     On Rankin cycle engines, we have followed it
     closely in Europe and the US. There is about 15%
     more electricity that can come from the heat
     exhaust of the initial generators. The capex is
     about 1250 Euro/kW. We don’t have much incentive
     to do it in Poland since we sell the heat and also
     obtain a co-generation certificate for each MWe.

      

     GE Jenbacher is doing some development in Europe
     and eventually, I believe, will be trying to offer
     this as an option on its generators.

      

     Randy Mott

     CEERES

     Warsaw

      

      

      

     From: digestion-bounces at lists.bioenergylists.org
     [mailto:digestion-bounces at lists.bioenergylists.org]
     On Behalf Of Gould, Merrill
     Sent: Tuesday, January 11, 2011 6:08 PM
     To: digestion at lists.bioenergylists.org
     Subject: [Digestion] Small Digester and Rankine
     Engine Questions

      

     Greetings:

      

     I have two questions I am hoping someone has
     answers for:

     1.       Are there small farms with digesters in
     the United States? When I say small farm I don’t
     mean 2-3 cows, I mean a farm with around 125 dairy
     cows, which is the average herd size in Michigan.
     If so, where are they and what has been their
     experience with their digester? I suspect there
     probably are no small farms with digesters in the
     US, but I would really like to know. I have had
     numerous inquiries from farmers with small farms
     in West Michigan about putting in a digester on
     their farm. If my assumption is correct that there
     are no small farms with digesters, are there farms
     with comparable numbers of dairy cattle with
     digesters outside of the United State? If so,
     where are they and what has their experience been
     with their digester?

     2.       Has anyone had experience using a Rankine
     engine as part of an energy producing system?

      

     Thanks in advance for any insight you can provide
     me.

      

     Charles Gould

     Michigan State University Extension

     West Olive, Michigan

      

     >________________ >Date: Wed, 12 Jan 2011 16:22:12
     +0000 >From: David Fulford <davidf at kingdombio.com>
     >Subject: Re: [Digestion] Small Digester and
     Rankine Engine Questions >To: For Discussion of
     Anaerobic Digestion
     <digestion at lists.bioenergylists.org> >Cc: "Gould,
     Merrill" <gouldm at anr.msu.edu> >
     Charles and listers,

     The best source of information on AD in USA is the
     AgSTAR project run by EPA (www.epa.gov/agstar/).
     They have a database of digesters, which includes
     a few small ones.

     They point to the Minnesota Project 
     (www.mnproject.org)  which is trying to
     concentrate on biogas for small farms (125 cattle
     or less).

     Regards,

     David F

     On 11/01/2011 17:07, Gould, Merrill wrote:

       Greetings:

        

       I have two questions I am hoping someone has
       answers for:

       1.       Are there small farms with digesters in
       the United States? When I say small farm I
       don’t mean 2-3 cows, I mean a farm with around
       125 dairy cows, which is the average herd size
       in Michigan. If so, where are they and what has
       been their experience with their digester? I
       suspect there probably are no small farms with
       digesters in the US, but I would really like to
       know. I have had numerous inquiries from farmers
       with small farms in West Michigan about putting
       in a digester on their farm. If my assumption is
       correct that there are no small farms with
       digesters, are there farms with comparable
       numbers of dairy cattle with digesters outside
       of the United State? If so, where are they and
       what has their experience been with their
       digester?

       2.       Has anyone had experience using a
       Rankine engine as part of an energy producing
       system?

        

       Thanks in advance for any insight you can
       provide me.

        

       Charles Gould

       Michigan State University Extension

       West Olive, Michigan

        

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     --

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