BIOGAS

Biogas

Biogas typically refers to gas produced by the anaerobic digestion or fermentation of organic matter, including manure, sewage sludge, biodegradable waste, wastewater, or any other biodegradable feedstock, under anaerobic conditions. Biogas is comprised primarily methane and carbon dioxide.

Treatment of biodegradable waste through anaerobic digestion with biogas production is a favoured way because valuable fuel can be produced while destroying disease-causing pathogens and reducing the volume as well as improving the quality of the disposed waste products.

Biogas produced from such treatment generally burns more cleanly than coal, and emits less carbon dioxide per unit of energy. The harvesting of biogas is an important part of environmental protection because methane is a potent greenhouse gas with a greater global warming potential of 21 times than carbon dioxide.

In a biogas plant, the degradation of different types of biomass is regulated and optimised in digesters. The biogas produced in these digesters are utilised to run gas engines which will then produce power and heat, or other applications, such as boilers, etc.

A good deal of biomass is traditionally stored in storage tanks or big lagoons from where methane releases to the atmosphere as a powerful greenhouse gas, being 21 times more destructive than CO2. A biogas plant achieves the benefit of both destructing the methane, and reducing the emission of greenhouse gas with the replaced electricity production. This process will also generate carbon credits which can then be sold and help to support the plant’s operation.

Q2 has a wide experience base within biogas utilisation. Q2 possesses the expertise to build biogas plants, from the initial feasibility studies through technical and economic calculations to actual project implementation, including design, supply, construction, installation and commissioning, operation, and project management.

EMARsystem ™

Q2 and its partner, EnviDan A/S, have developed a new technology called the EMARsystemTM (External Mixing Anaerobic Reactor System). It is a product of research and development combining both wastewater treatment and biogas technologies, to target the organic wastewater industry, in particular for palm oil mill effluent (POME).

The EMARsystemTM is developed to address the issue of high cost in construction in standard steel tank type biogas plants, as well as to resolve the problems commonly faced in standard lagoon type biogas plants. This technology combines the efficiency of steel tank type biogas plants and the lower cost of construction in lagoon type biogas plants.

The EMARsystemTM make use of existing lagoons or constructing new lagoons, fully lined, at palm oil mills to receive the effluent. After some pre-treatment, the effluent will be treated in the anaerobic reactor called EMAR, which can significantly reduce the chemical oxygen demand (COD) of the effluent by up to 90%. During this treatment biogas is produced at the same time and can be harvested via the extraction system. The biogas collected can be used for different applications, such as power generation or used in a boiler.

The EMARsystemsTM is designed and dimensioned to maximise the energy output in the form of usable biogas, and at the same time, provide the first stage of treatment to wastewater, particularly removing the COD by up to 90%.

The EMAR biogas system is recommended over the CSTR (Tank System) in conditions where the geological site-conditions have a higher level of plasticity and cannot bear a heavy foundation as required for a CSTR system. The EMARsystemsTM also demonstrates the flexibility of installation at areas with peat swamp forests or weak soil conditions. The benefit of continuous stirring in a CSTR is done through its external mixing technology.