News & Features

Pentair Haffmans Introduces CO2 Recovery System for Biogas

29 Apr 2016

By Pentair Haffmans 

An increasing number of biomethane producers, whether they bring gas-to-grid or produce bioCNG or bioLNG, want to have an effective carbon dioxide (CO2) management to maximize yield and minimize environmental impact. Pentair Haffmans has launched a compact enclosed skid CO2 recovery system that can be connected to any existing biogas upgrading plant.

Biogas produced through anaerobic digestion consists of roughly 55 percent methane and 45 percent CO2. With conventional biogas upgrading techniques the CO2 by-product and with it a considerable amount of methane is expelled into the air and is lost. This means not only economic loss but also environmental damage.

Pentair Haffmans’ CO2 recovery system allows plant operators to recover the CO2 from the biogas stream, which minimizes the plant’s overall CO2 footprint, and allows for a wider choice in feedstock.

The recovered CO2 can be used in a variety of applications including as gaseous fertilizer in greenhouses or for the production of dry ice. As the produced CO2 complies with EIGA (European Industrial Gases Association) specifications, an additional option can be to sell the liquefied CO2 to a third party. Pentair Haffmans partners with a major industrial gas company and can assist plant operators in getting into contact. Some figures: For a CO2 recovery system that is currently being implemented after an existing 2,000 Nm3/h upgrader in Southern England, an estimated amount of 34 tons of liquefied CO2 per day is planned to be sold to a gas company, which results in a significant additional revenue stream for the plant operator.

Eliminating any methane slip

Pentair Haffmans’ technology even goes one step further. During the CO2 recovery process, all impurities—including the ‘methane slip’ that occurs with conventional biogas upgrading technologies—are removed from the CO2 and sent back to the biogas upgrading system. This results in a significantly higher methane yield—for the above mentioned project an estimated additional 87,600 cubic meters per year—and completely eliminates any methane slip. The portion of environmentally-harmful greenhouse gases released to the atmosphere is reduced to almost zero, which makes this technology a future-proof investment.

Stand-alone unit in an enclosed housing

With capacities up to 1,000 kg/h, the compact enclosed skid CO2 recovery system for biogas upgraders is delivered as a stand-alone unit. Built according to customer specifications, yet standardized to a high degree, delivery and start-up of the system can be accomplished in just 16 weeks. Through comprehensive lifecycle management including a global network of service engineers and an in-house CO2 analysis service, Pentair Haffmans ensures that the installation operates at optimal performance.

25-plus references in biogas upgrading

By partnering with Pentair Haffmans plant operators can be assured of receiving the best solution for their specific biogas upgrading project. Pentair Haffmans provides a wide range of solutions for biogas upgrading and CO2 recovery—from standard biogas upgrading systems with membrane technology at its heart to custom-made solutions combining biogas upgrading and CO2 recovery over to stand-alone CO2 recovery units.

Since entering the biogas upgrading market in 2010, Pentair Haffmans has experienced amazing success with its innovative technology. To date, 25-plis biogas upgrading projects have been realized in the Netherlands, Germany, France, and the UK. Further projects are set to be completed in South Africa and the Philippines this year.

Source:  www.biomassmagazine.com