Empirical Validation of a Biogas Plant Simulation Model and Analysis of Biogas Upgrading Potentials

• DOI: 10.3390/en14092424
• Publication Date: 2021-04-25T01:49:20Z
• Authors: Jan Martin Zepter; Jan Engelhardt; Tatiana Gabderakh...; Mattia Marinelli
• Keywords: anaerobic digestion; Technology; T; Electrical energy; CHP; Modeling; Biogas; modeling; 02 engineering and technology; Thermal energy; Multienergy system; 7. Clean energy; anaerobic digestion; biogas; biogas upgrading; CHP; electrical energy; modeling; multi-energy system; thermal energy; validation; biogas upgrading; /dk/atira/pure/sustainabledevelopmentgoals/affordable_and_clean_energy; name=SDG 7 - Affordable and Clean Energy; 13. Climate action; Anaerobic digestion; Biogas upgrading; Validation; biogas; 0202 electrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineering; electrical energy

Biogas plants may support the transformation towards renewable-based and integrated energy systems by providing dispatchable co-generation as well as opportunities for biogas upgrading or power-to-X conversion. In this paper, a simulation model that comprises the main dynamics of the internal processes of a biogas plant is developed. Based on first-order kinetics of the anaerobic digestion process, the biogas production of an input feeding schedule of raw material can be estimated. The output of the plant in terms of electrical and thermal energy is validated against empirical data from a 3-MW biogas plant on the Danish island of Bornholm. The results show that the model provides an accurate representation of the processes within a biogas plant. The paper further provides insights on the functioning of the biogas plant on Bornholm as well as discusses upgrading potentials of biogas to biomethane at the plant from an energy perspective.