[Digestion] Electrical Generation

[Richard L Vetter]

There are systems available called "soft start" that modulates the amperage load when turning on a motor.  Before retirement, we used it on 10 to 20HP motors.  Do not know the relevancy with smaller scale motors.  Google may provide a current source or, possibly Grainger has a listing in their vast catalog.


R. L. Vetter, PhD; Dipl. ACAN; President
AGRI-BIO SYSTEMS, INC. 
2811 Edgewater Dr. Elgin, IL. 60124
Tel:847-888-2382 
Fax:847-888-1484 
Cell:630-564-8523




--- On Thu, 7/26/12, Alexander Eaton <alex at sistemabiobolsa.com> wrote:


From: Alexander Eaton <alex at sistemabiobolsa.com>
Subject: [Digestion] Electrical Generation
To: "For Discussion of Anaerobic Digestion" <digestion at lists.bioenergylists.org>
Date: Thursday, July 26, 2012, 7:29 PM



Group:

Very close to successfully running milking and refrigeration equipment with a biogas powered electrical generator...but yet so far away.  We have converted a variety of gasoline engines to biogas without issue, the latest being a 8.5 kW Evans that is givings us about 5-6 kW (approximately 24 amps @ 240 volts).  The running demand of the entire milking system is about 3.5 kW, but the starting peak of the motors are 5 times the normal running demand.      


Problem: The start-up peak on the motors of the milking equipment exceed our (feasible) generation capacity, as the jump to 3-5 times the running power demand.  We can get the main suction pump (3 HP) to run and start, but the tiny (0.5 HP) pump the pulls the milk to the refrigeration unit shuts us down every time on start-up.  That pump only is on for very short times, but is very necessary for the system (we have considered how to eliminate with no luck).  


Two options:


1.  Some sort of capacitor, battery or X device that would allow us to "smooth" out the demand spike of the motors as they start.  
2.  A good way to connect this small generator to the electrical grid so that the grid does the "smoothing", maybe not even at the same time.  For this option, please focus on the technical, not the bureaucratic issues surrounding grid connection.


Thoughts?  What are we not considering?  Options that include product suggestions welcome.  Our potential to provide a cost effective biogas use for small and medium dairies has a lot of potential, but has been a slow starter!  


Best, 


Alex     



-- 
Alexander Eaton
Sistema Biobolsa
IRRI-Mexico
RedBioLAC

Mex cel: (55) 11522786
US cel: 970 275 4505

alex at irrimexico.org
alex at sistemabiobolsa.com

sistemabiobolsa.com
www.irrimexico.org
www.redbiolac.org


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