Transcript
Page 1: 2008 ASABE Annual International Meeting Rhode Island Convention Center  Providence, Rhode Island

2008 ASABE Annual International MeetingRhode Island Convention Center

Providence, Rhode Island June 29 – July 2, 2008

On-Farm Anaerobic Digestion Biogas Production

in Pennsylvania – 30 Years

Deborah A. Topper Research Technician Patrick A. Topper Sr. Research Technologist

Robert E. Graves Professor

The Pennsylvania State University

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Pennsylvania has the distinction:

Four of the oldest continuously operating farm-based anaerobic digesters

30 years – Mason Dixon Farm (Gettysburg, PA)

1984 First poultry digester up and running (24 years)

Combined operating experience of these four digesters is 99 years

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Sixteen (16) known operating farm-based anaerobic digesters (AD) in Pennsylvania

11 Dairy - 8695

3 Swine - 6600

1 Poultry (layers) – 72,000

1000 Beef + 120,000 Poultry

1 industrial AD under construction @ a Swiss Cheese Plant

2 in Design phase 7 in Planning phase

1 Beef & Poultry –

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What is an anaerobic digester?

Air tight, oxygen free container, usually concrete

Continues the digestion process of organic materials such as animal manure and food wastes

Heated to maintain optimum temperature 99oF or 135oF

Biogas is produced (60% methane & 40% carbon dioxide)

Biogas can be used to run an engine generator set creating electricity and waste heat

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Why are digesters getting a lot of attention today?

Odor complaints - encroachment of housing developments bordering farm land

Energy crisis (as in the late 1970’s)

Completion of de-regulation of Pennsylvania electrical utility companies

Biogas used for power production: decrease, meet or eliminate electricity purchases from power companies

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Growing concern of greenhouse gas emissions

Nutrient management concerns

Why are digesters getting a lot of attention today continued:

Heat recovery utilization

Regulations for nutrient discharges from non-point sources

Reduces pathogens and weed seeds

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Dried separated solids - bedding for animals

Separated solids - sold as bedding or soil amendments

Nutrient-rich effluent – lowers or eliminates fertilizer costs

Improved storage and handling characteristics of manure

Sale of Carbon Credits and Renewable Energy Credits (REC)

Green energy

Why are digesters getting a lot of attention today continued:

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Pennsylvania’s Governor Edward G. Rendell’s Energy Portfolio Standards and Net Metering laws have allowed Pennsylvania farm-based digester electrical generators to produce “renewable energy” for the grid profitably. Net metering basically allows the farmer to sell its excess power to the grid at the retail generation rate.

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Power production adds significant costs to the overall digester project, but without the power production capability these anaerobic digester systems would not be cost effective at the current $1M plus price tag.

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Grants & loans from various agencies and programs for Pennsylvania farmers installing an anaerobic

digester manure handling system

• United States Farm Bill

• Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP) Energy Harvest Grants

• United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQUIP)

• Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture’s Machinery and Equipment Loan Fund (MELF)

• Pennsylvania Governor Rendell’s Renewable Energy Portfolio Standards

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These programs are in their infancy and long term success is unknown.

Carbon Credits & Renewable Energy Credits (REC)

Sale of estimated carbon credits for a 20 year period

(received a lump sum payment)

Environmental Credit Corporation, certifies the farm’s methane destruction and trades the carbon credits on the Chicago Climate Exchange

Other sources of capital to finance part of the digester system

Sale of Renewable Energy Credits (REC)

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ACT 38 of 2005

Agriculture, Communities and the Rural Environment

ACRE

Creates a process for farmers to seek judicial review of ordinances believed to be restrictive of normal agricultural

operations. Farmers will have the ability to request the Pennsylvania Attorney General to review an ordinance

restricting agriculture that the farmer believes to be illegal.

The Pennsylvania Secretary of Agriculture and the Dean of the College of Agricultural Sciences at Penn State will

provide expert consultation regarding the nature of normal farming operations and practices in the Commonwealth.

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Unique items and problems that have occurred on PA farms installing digesters

Brendle Farm - liquid chicken manure

•Water is added and mixed with the manure to make a slurry

•Irrigate the digested manure slurry

• Prevent clogging

Brendle Farm – pre-heat tank

• Added early in operation as a limestone grit and feather removal mechanism

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Pressure relief valve attached to the flexible cover.

The designer of this AD system uses an emergency biogas relief assembly that is attached directly to the flexible cover to prevent over pressurization in the event the biogas piping gets clogged.

Brookside Dairy, Homer City, PA:

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Penn England Farm, Williamsburg, PA: designed with a flat flexible cover to prevent wind damage.

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Penn England Farm, Williamsburg, PA: heat recovered from the engine radiator is directed through the concrete floor to dry the separated digested solids.

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Schrack Farms (Dairy)

This plug flow digester is designed with an offal pit for additional feedstock to boost methane production.

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Schrack Farms - concrete and bolt delay (1 yr.)A major problem with the concrete sub-contractor

building the plug-flow digester tank on Schrack Farms delayed the entire project for almost a year.

The groove along the entire top edge of the digester was not cast properly. Also, bolts of two

different sizes were not cast in the proper locations.

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In large pen swine houses, a dunging pattern is observed.

Pine Hurst Acres Danville, PA

Swine do not like to defecate where they sleep. These piglets show they prefer to sleep along the wall and defecate in the center of the pen.

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Pine Hurst Acres

Complete Mix Digester

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Raw Manure Digested Manure

1,100 pigs

1,100 pigs

3 m 3 m6 m 6 m 6 m

Pine Hurst Acres, Danville, PA

Manure Pits

(Meinen 2008)

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(Meinen 2008)

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Gases: ammonia, hydrogen sulfide, methane and carbon dioxide concentration levels were monitored and revealed not to exceed recommended maximum concentrations for either animals or humans (Meinen 2008).

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A biogas website to communicate farm-based anaerobic digester information to the public (www.biogas.psu.edu) has been created at The Pennsylvania State University.

What is an Anaerobic Digester, History of Anaerobic Digestion, Types of Digesters (with case study examples from across the United States), AD Safety, Resource Listings of equipment, designers, financing and most recently, six Pennsylvania farm-based AD case studies were added to the biogas website.

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Department of Agricultural and Biological EngineeringBasics of Anaerobic Digestion TerminologyTypes of Anaerobic Digesters    * Complete Mix   * Plug Flow   * Covered Lagoon   * Other Types or      ModificationsCase Studies

Common Digester Misconceptions Consultants, Equipment Dealers and FundingSafety with BiogasResource LinksCentralized Digesters PSU Digester ProjectsContact Us

Biogas ProductionBiogas production using anaerobic (oxygen free) digestion is a biological treatment process to reduce odor, produce energy and improve the storage and handling characteristics of manure. A biogas production system must be specially designed and requires regular attention by someone familiar with the needs and operation of the digester. Associated manure handling equipment and gas utilization components are also required. The digester does not remove significant nutrients and requires an environmentally responsible manure storage and handling system.                                              A well designed and operated digester will require modest daily attention and maintenance. The care and feeding of a digester is not unlike feeding a cow or a pig; it responds best to consistent feeding and the appropriate environmental (temperature and anaerobic- oxygen free) conditions. The earlier a problem in operation is identified the easier it is to fix and still maintain productivity. Thinking about a digester for your operation?   Ask yourself these questions.  Support for this website made possible by:Mid-Atlantic Regional Water Program       Department of Agricultural and BiologicalCollege of Agricultural Sciences Engineering

Page 26: 2008 ASABE Annual International Meeting Rhode Island Convention Center  Providence, Rhode Island

Brendle Farm Type of farm: Belted, Caged LayerName of farm: Brendle Farm County: SomersetFeasibility Study: 1982 by Wayne Bogovich of USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) (Bogovich 2004)Digester designer: Bert and Dick Waybright, Gettysburg, PA Digester installer: Brendle FarmConstruction start date: Spring 1984 (designed in 1983) Date Digester became operational: June 1984Number of animals contributing manure to the digester: 72,000 laying hens Manure handling system: caged layers manure belt, augered to liquid mix tankType of digester: slurry loopDigester cover: flexible Digester temperature: mesophilic 95oFBiogas uses: operate the CHP unit to produce electricity and heat Biogas utilization equipment: engine generatorHeat Recovery Utilization: engine generator water jacket to heat the digester, pre-heat wash water for egg processing and to heat the egg processing area and the office. Power Purchase Agreement: Yes2008 status of digester: operationalInformation provided by: Robert and Michael Brendle, (2006 & 2007)

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Farm NameYear

OperationalType of Digester

Animal Type

# Animals Contributing

CHP Unit

RatingHeat Recovery Utilization

DAIRY

Brookside Dairy

2006Modified Plug Flow (Slurry

Loop)Dairy 425 85 kW digester & hot water

Brubaker Farms

2007 Complete Mix Dairy 900 160 kW

digester & genset radiator air used to dry separated solids used for bedding

Dovan Farm 2006 Plug Flow Dairy 400 100 kW digester & hot water

Four Winds 2006 Plug Flow Dairy 500 130 kW digester & hot water

Hillcrest Saylors Farm

2006 Plug Flow Dairy 750 100 kW digester & hot water

Main Farm 2006 Complete Mix Dairy 500 90 kW digester & hot water

Mason Dixon Farm

1978Modified Plug Flow (Slurry

Loop)Dairy 2985 600 kW

digester & home heating

Oregon Dairy 1986Modified Plug Flow (Slurry

Loop)Dairy 385 65 kW

digester & farmhouse domestic hot water and home heating

Penn England 2006Plug Flow

(Mixed Loop)Dairy 800 160 kW

digester & hot water for milk parlor, genset radiator air used to dry separated solids used for bedding

Schrack Farms 2006 Plug Flow Dairy 650 200 kW digester & hot water for milking parlor

Wanner Pride-N-Joy Farm

2007Plug Flow Circular

(Slurry Loop)Dairy 400 130 kW digester & hot water

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Farm NameYear

OperationalType of Digester

Animal Type

# Animals Contributing

CHP Unit Rating

Heat Recovery Utilization

SWINE

Beaver Ridge Farm

Design 2008 Complete MixFinishing

3000 130 kW digester & hot water

David High 1998Vertical Plug

FlowSwine

1200 22 kW digester & hot water

Mathis Farm Design 2008 Complete MixFarrow

to Finish 272 15 kW digester & hot water

Pine Hurst Acres

2004 Complete MixFinishing

4400 47 kW digester

Rocky Knoll LMD Partners

1985 Complete Mix

Farrow to Finish & food waste

1000 130 kW digester & hot water

BEEF & POULTRY

Brendle Farm 1984 Slurry Loop Layers 72000 65 kWdigester, pre-heat egg wash water for egg processing, heat egg processing area & office

Zimmerman 2007 Complete MixBeef /

Broilers1000 / 120000

175 kW digester & hot water

FOOD WASTE

Fairview Swiss Cheese

Construction 2008

mobilized film technology

cheese whey &

cone batter

NA Unknown

Boiler to produce steam and electricity for processing milk into cheese

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Questions?

On-Farm Anaerobic Digestion Biogas Production in Pennsylvania – 30 Years

Deborah A. Topper Research Technician Patrick A. Topper Sr. Research Technologist

Robert E. Graves ProfessorThe Pennsylvania State University


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