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Edition 03/2017

Article and compact news

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Article

Above all, biogas must be efficient

Herning Bioenergi and Bigadan use blower technology made by AERZEN

In Denmark, AERZEN blowers create the link between biogas plant and dairy plant.

Wolfgang Ohlau (AERZEN) and Olav Hald (Herning Bioenergi)
Maintaining a constant pressure over a long distance: Wolfgang Ohlau (AERZEN) and Olav Hald (Herning Bioenergi, right) emphasise the importance of blower technology.
A combination of AERZEN positive displacement blowers, type Delta Blower
A combination of AERZEN positive displacement blowers, type Delta Blower, takes care of the gas supply at Arla production site. The blower stages are consistently the same in terms of the standardisation.

Until 2020 Denmark wants to reduce its gross energy consumption - regardless of the aspired economic growth - by 12% compared with 2006. Another goal: Until 2050 the own power and heat requirements shall exclusively be served by renewable energies, thus, becoming independent from fossil fuels in the long run. The kingdom is right out in front in Europe, with more than 80 biogas plants. In Germany, they are still discussing about “using up” the cultivated silage, whereas, in Denmark the bacteria satisfy their hunger with manure from pigs and cattle. Slaughterhouse waste and fish waste, transported by ships from Norway, is being fermented after pasteurisation in a just recently expanded plant at Herning.650 tons of manure is conveyed daily into four fermentation towers at Herning Bioenergi A/S. These towers with volumes of 2 x 3,500 m³ and 2 x 8,000 m³ produce biogas. The gas consists of 70% methane, the residual is carbon dioxide. Unlike many German biogas plants, in Herning there is no power generation by block-type thermal power stations. The biogas is not separately purified to be fed into the gas grid. Rather, Herning Bioenergi has two big direct customers who belong to Arla Foods, one global, cooperative-owned dairy company counting more than 13,500 dairy farmers from Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Great Britain, Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands.The biogas plant in Herning is connect-ed with the first plant in Naviro via a 21 km long gas piping. From there, another 6 km-piping leads to the production site in Videbæk. Three block-type thermal power stations burn biogas on these two production sites. The electricity generated is used for the base load supply on site just like the heat. All three block-type thermal power stations reach a rating of approx. 3 megawatts with their combined heat and power generation (CHB). The demand of the two milk processing establishments is much higher. “As the base load is high and we have only a small part in it, we can be sure that the biogas is really needed,” explains Olav Hald, Production Manager of the biogas plants in Herning. This delivery certainty forms the basis for a continuous operation with optimum biological processes. “The produced biogas is primarily used up and fossil fuels, such as natural gas, can be procured on production basis,” says Edvin Andersen, Technical Manager of Messrs. Bigadan & Herning Bioenergi.

The AERZEN blowers generate up to 1,000 mbar overpressure

Edvin Andersen and Jörg Brockmann
Edvin Andersen (left) and Jörg Brockmann have designed the gas supply system together with AERZEN. A performance expansion is being planned.

The biogas from Herning is conveyed by blowers made by AERZEN. In order to convey for the current application, three Delta Blowers, type GM35 S (maximum data, each 1,900 m³/h at 1,000 mbar with 90 kW drive), are needed with a medium differential pressure. “With the installed piping diameter, the biogas conveying can even be increased in future if needed. This would mean a pressure increase of up to 1,000 mbar,” explains Jörg Brockmann, Project Manager Bigadan Deutschland. The AERZEN Delta Blowers are designed for these pressure ranges. “In Herning we have to withstand a higher pressure, so that the biogas reaches at the end of the piping the gas storage facilities of the block-type thermal power stations with the required minimum overpressure. If the overpressure is too low, the block-type thermal power stations switch off.” The twelve assemblies made by AERZEN are divided in four groups of three. The first trio conveys the biogas, produced in Herning, from an interim storage facility into the piping. At the first station, the second trio takes over the supply of the block-type thermal power stations. A third stage acts as pressure increasing station for the further transport of the remaining gas to Arinco, final destination. Three AERZEN Delta Blowers are installed in a machine housing and provide the two block-type thermal power stations with the appropriate pressure.Due to the optimum provision of spare parts, Herning Bioenergi and plant manufacturer Bigadan use Delta Blowers GM35 S, despite different gas volume flows and differential pressures, for all three locations. The assemblies have been adapted to the rating required thanks to corresponding motor designs and accessories. The base configuration is identical. Thus, the local Danish biogas network does not need to be served with complete stand-by assemblies, but rather with a few stand-by stages. “These stand-by stages can be combined with all motor types. We take care of the maximum availability, without investing too much money into standy-by machines,” explains Wolfgang Ohlau, Sales Engineer AERZEN Deutschland.The demands on the availability are high. Depending on the process, the biogas plant produces around the clock. The interim storage facilities have only a limited volume. Apart from the fact that biological processes can hardly be stopped, it would mean the breakdown of the gas conveyance in the Arla factories and consequently loss of earnings for the biogas company. Herning Bioenergi relies on this income, as in Denmark exists no law which can be compared with the German Renewable Energies Act (EEG). “It is mandatory for us as plant operator to act economically,” emphasises Edvin Andersen. AERZEN ensures a high availability with long service life, as the Delta Blowers are ATEX approved and adapted to the conveyance of biogas. “The blower in biogas design consists of a housing made of special nodular iron, a ChemCoat conveying chamber coating and particularly coated rotors,” explains Wolfgang Ohlau. Prior to transport the biogas is cooled and drained in Herning. However, the biogas still contains small amounts of residual moisture and hydrogen sulphide. In case of longer standstills, the residual moisture condenses, leading to permanent damage of the blower when a special coating is not provided. “Humidity and hydrogen sulphide as acid producers is a difficult subject in this matter, but, thanks to AERZEN solution no longer a problem,” summarises Ohlau.This is why blower technology made by AERZEN is applied in Denmark. In addition, the Delta Blowers fit perfectly for the application thanks to their performance capability. “What we need is a differential pressure of one bar. We have not found a supplier besides AERZEN who can do this with a single stage. Less pressure is not sufficient for us and a multi-stage design is bad for the energy efficiency. Looking at our plants, running 24 hours a day for 365 days a year, it is essential that the blowers run efficiently,” emphasises Edvin Andersen.

Compact news

inauguration of the Aerzen Asia site

Aerzen Asia opens new head office in Singapore

On 25th August 2017, Aerzen Asia officially opened its new head office for the Asia Pacific(APAC) region in Singapore. Customers, partners, suppliers and colleagues of the region and fromGermany participated in this event. Klaus-Hasso Heller (CEO AERZEN), Chuck Lim(Vice President Aerzen Asia Pacific) and StephanBrand (Vice President Marketing & Product Management)gave very inspiring and encouraging speeches about the importance of team spirit, co-operation, friendship and future orientation for the team in Asia. In his speech Chuck Lim emphasised that the term “team” stands for“Together everyone achieves more.” So, each member of the team is an important piece of the puzzle.Later on, during a ceremony, symbolically the ribbon for the inauguration of the site was cut and they had a glass of sparkling wine. A traditional lion dance, asking for happiness and prosperity followed. After lunch, they had a guided tour across the premises. On the first floor of the two-storied building of Aerzen Asia the offices are located. At the ground floor there is a workshop for the After Sales Service. Here the focus is on overhauling and repairing blower and compressor stages. The training centre for many technicians in the AERZEN service team in theAPAC region is also located there. The special facilities and equipment are on the same level as at the parent company in Germany.With its new head office Aerzen Asia is well prepared for the challenges of the expanding business environment.

Application brochure

Applications with water vapour: new brochure

The know-how and experience that AERZEN has gathered over the decades in almost all types of application are particularly strongly reflected in water vapour and vapour recompression processes. The compression and transportation of water vapour is a complex process, which can only be achieved through the use of special technology and finely-tuned processes. In this context, water vapour is often used as a medium to provide heat in boiling, evaporation or distillation processes. This method can also be used during drying processes and for heat production in the chemical and foodstuff industries. The new brochure “Applications with water vapour” (A5-010-00) provides information about the AERZEN product portfolio in terms of water vapour compression, which includes a wide range of special blowers and compressors, combined with extensive application expertise. Please have a look at this new brochure.

Participants

First Business-Event for Aerzen North Africa

Aerzen North Africa has moved into new premises: to mark the occasion, the subsidiary’s first business event took place on 9th August 2017 in Cairo. 30 customers and plant manufacturers from the wastewater, cement, steel and chemical industries were invited to the Hotel InterContinental. After welcome speeches from Managing Director Dr.-Eng. Ahmed Yehia and Steffen Glindhaus (Director, Middle East & Africa), employees introduced the team, products, applications and the service orientation of Aerzen North Africa. The establishment of Aerzen North Africa and the move into new premises mark an important step for the AERZEN Group, enabling the company to provide support for many customers and installations in North Africa through its own, local sales and service network.

Alejandro Knoop with Adrian Dubini

Order No. 1 for Aerzen Argentina

Adrian Dubini will always be remembered at Aerzen Argentina. The Managing Director of Dubini Automación placed the first order with the new AERZEN subsidiary, founded on 1st May 2017. In appreciation, Alejandro Knoop, Director Aerzen Argentina, invited his first customer to join him for a photo. Mr. Dubini ordered a positive displacement blower Delta Blower GM 15 L. This assembly, from AERZEN series Delta Blower Generation 5, will be used for pneumatic conveying at a manufacturer of pet food and veterinary products.