Using biogas for energy cogeneration: An analysis of electric and thermal energy generation from agro-industrial waste

[Display omitted] Society strongly relies on energy to develop and maintain its basic activities. The demand for electricity expanded in the last 30 years, increasing the need for more diverse energy supply sources. The biogas produced from industrial, urban-organic, and agro-industrial waste is an...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:	Sustainable energy technologies and assessments Vol. 40; p. 100774
Main Authors:	Dalpaz, Ricardo, Konrad, Odorico, Cândido da Silva Cyrne, Carlos, Panis Barzotto, Henrique, Hasan, Camila, Guerini Filho, Marildo
Format:	Journal Article
Language:	English
Published:	Elsevier Ltd 01-08-2020
Subjects:	Biogas Methane Renewable energy Methane Renewable energy Biogas
Online Access:	Get full text
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Summary:	[Display omitted] Society strongly relies on energy to develop and maintain its basic activities. The demand for electricity expanded in the last 30 years, increasing the need for more diverse energy supply sources. The biogas produced from industrial, urban-organic, and agro-industrial waste is an alternative renewable energy source that can be used for bioenergy generation. This study aims to evaluate the electric and thermal energy generated in a cogeneration system, using biogas produced by the anaerobic digestion of agro-industrial waste as fuel. The cogeneration system included a shell-and-tube heat exchanger attached to an engine generator with nominal power of 60kVA and nominal tension of 380 V. Biogas with three methane concentrations was used to conduct the experiments in an engine generator connected to an electric power grid, using a heat exchanger to measure the generated heat. In experiment I (68.54% methane), the raw biogas went through a desulfurization process and the system generated 2.04 kWh/m3 and 1.15 kWh/m3 of electric and thermal energy, respectively. In experiment II (83.46% methane), the methane concentration was increased by PSA, and the system generated 3.21 kWh/m3 and 1.57 kWh/m3 of electric and thermal energy, respectively. In experiment III (92.33% methane), the system generated 3.57 kWh/m3 and 1.67 kWh/m3 electric and thermal energy, respectively. Our experiments demonstrated that biogas with a high methane concentration can be efficiently used in the cogeneration of electric and thermal energy, boosting the energy potential of the fuel.
ISSN:	2213-1388
DOI:	10.1016/j.seta.2020.100774