skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Biogas utilization

Conference ·
OSTI ID:115304
 [1]
  1. Resource Conservation Management, Inc., Berkeley, CA (United States)

Options for successfully using biomass depend on project scale. Almost all biogas from anaerobic digesters must first go through a gas handling system that pressurizes, meters, and filters the biogas. Additional treatment, including hydrogen sulfide-mercaptan scrubbing, gas drying, and carbon dioxide removal may be necessary for specialized uses, but these are complex and expensive processes. Thus, they can be justified only for large-scale projects that require high-quality biogas. Small-scale projects (less than 65 cfm) generally use biogas (as produced) as a boiler fuel or for fueling internal combustion engine generators to produce electricity. If engines or boilers as selected properly, there should be no need to remove hydrogen sulfide. Small-scale combustion turbines, steam turbines, and fuel cells are not used because of their technical complexity and high capital cost. Biogas cleanup to pipeline or transportation fuel specification is very costly, and energy economics preclude this level of treatment.

Research Organization:
National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
OSTI ID:
115304
Report Number(s):
NREL/CP-200-8098; CONF-9508104-; ON: DE95009230; TRN: 95:006736-0085
Resource Relation:
Conference: 2. meeting on biomass of the Americas, Portland, OR (United States), 21-24 Aug 1995; Other Information: PBD: [1995]; Related Information: Is Part Of Second biomass conference of the Americas: Energy, environment, agriculture, and industry. Proceedings; PB: 1741 p.
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English