{"id":5974,"date":"2023-12-11T14:21:12","date_gmt":"2023-12-11T12:21:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.valves-community.com\/?p=5974"},"modified":"2024-04-23T10:31:20","modified_gmt":"2024-04-23T08:31:20","slug":"bio-lng-biogas-technology","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.valves-community.com\/en\/liquified-natural-gas\/bio-lng-biogas-technology\/","title":{"rendered":"Technology for the energy revolution: Turning manure and slurry into lorry fuel"},"content":{"rendered":"

Modern technology enables an environmentally friendly circular economy: the bio-LNG from Darchau is used as lorry fuel. Many HEROSE valves<\/a> are used in the liquefaction of the biogas and storage of the fuel.<\/strong><\/p>\n

It\u2018s whistling and hissing in the pipes – we are standing between the cold box and the large double-walled LNG storage tank. The lowing and occasional bellowing of the 1599 animals can be heard from the neighbouring barns. The liquid manure that one of these animals produces in 12 months, when turned into liquid bio-LNG, allows a gas-powered lorry to travel around 725 kilometres. In total, over 900 tonnes of bio-LNG are produced here every year.<\/p>\n

Circular economy and a long added value chain<\/h2>\n

The Ruhe Group focusses on economy and ecology. The goal is innovative solutions and an optimised cirular economy. The result: Germany\u2018s first compact installation for the production of bio-LNG from biomethane located in Darchau on the Elbe floodplain and demonstrating that it works. Thanks to its many years of experience with biogas plants, the company has developed from an operator to a concept and component supplier and has become a plant constructor for methane liquefaction. Ruhe also offers the marketing of renewable gases, sustainability certification and maintenance services.<\/p>\n

Bio-LNG \u2013green fuel for the energy revolution<\/h2>\n

Darchau\u2019s biogas plant supplies five combined heat and power plants with energy and produces cheap and sustainable electricity that is fed into the national grid. The heat that is generated supplies around 280 households and public facilities. Biogas can be used not only to generate electricity and heat, but also to produce fuel. The LNG liquefaction plant has been supplementing the existing biogas plant since October 2022. The micro-liquefaction technology produces with bio-LNG a clean, liquid fuel with zero emissions and a neutral carbon footprint, without the need to use expensive coolants such as nitrogen.<\/p>\n

Cattle slurry and manure as an energy source<\/h2>\n

Part of the raw material for the biogas is produced naturally during cattle fattening \u2013 manure and slurry from the cattle contain a lot of energy. The six large barns house 1599 fattening bullocks. The animals arrive at the farm when they are 6 months old and weigh around 200 kilos; they stay for 12 months until they weigh over 750 kilos. Their waste products are transported underground by pipeline to the biogas plant. In order to extend the value chain, a meat factory of a regional butcher is attached, and this processes the high-quality meat. The majority of the cattle are slaughtered on a contract basis and marketed directly.<\/p>\n

From the barn to the fermenter<\/h2>\n

The organic material is converted into methane in the two 5,000 cubic metre fermenters at around 40 degrees in the absence of air. The tanks are insulated and heated using electricity generated from renewable sources. The material is fed in and mixed via sliding floors and screws. Fermentation takes between 40 and 70 days \u2013 depending on the fermentation quantity and conditions. Due to the constant replenishment of the fermenters, a certain amount always overflows into the fermentation residue tanks. Depending on the time of year, the fermen-tation process continues there until the material has cooled down to below 30\u2009\u00b0C.<\/p>\n

In the three fermentation residue stores, each 10,000 cubic metres in size, what remains is what does not ferment: a lot of water and ligneous structures that cannot be converted into biogas by the bacteria. These residues are the best fertiliser for the meadows \u2013 better and more environmentally friendly than fresh manure, because there is no more methane outgassing in the fields. It is therefore a complete cycle: agriculture plus energy generation, which is 100 per cent powered by agricultural residues.<\/p>\n

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HEROSE valves in action<\/div>
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