[Digestion] Electrical Generation

[Alexander Eaton]

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
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.bioenergylists.org/pipermail/digestion_lists.bioenergylists.org/attachments/20120726/5c6fb6cf/attachment.html>