FOOD FOR THOUGHT The majority of food waste
AD plants produce
electricity (with or without
using the heat generated)
using combined heat
and power (CHP) generation units.
When using CHP to create energy
from the biogas produced by AD,
one area which is often overlooked
is ensuring that any water present in
the raw biogas is removed; if water
enters a CHP engine it can decrease
its efficiency, resulting in reduced biogas
yields and engine damage. The
new Biogas Dehumidification System
(BDS) from HRS Heat Exchangers
removes water from biogas, protecting
CHP engines from corrosion and
cavitation. It also comes with a heat
recovery section as standard, increasing
an AD plant’s overall energy
efficiency.
Increased profits
The importance of optimising your
AD plant cannot be underestimated.
While many of today’s food waste
plant operators invest time and
money in performance-enhancing
additives and systems, removing
water present in the raw biogas
can be a lower priority. But with
CHP engines being one of the most
expensive pieces of equipment to
New HRS Biogas Dehumidification
System (BDS) removes water from
biogas, protecting CHP engines from
corrosion and cavitation.
NEW WATER
REMOVAL
TECHNOLOGY
INCREASES
FOOD WASTE
BIOGAS CHP
PERFORMANCE
If New Zealand’s food industry is to fulfil its potential
to develop anaerobic digestion (AD) plants fuelled
with food waste, then it is critical that these plants
optimise every part of the AD process in order to
maximise economic and environmental returns.
16 MARCH 2019