University of Glamorgan, 2012 Copyrights for all the photos on this report. Scope of the Report This report explains the importance and impact of implementing appropriate monitoring of Anaerobic Digestion (AD) and biomethane plants. It provides a review of numerous parameters as well as sampling techniques and monitoring regimes relevant for the AD process itself, the substrates to be digested and for the resultant digestates and biogas produced. This report also includes monitoring information related to biogas clean up and upgrading process technologies. It is outside the scope of this report to review control actions, systems or regimes that can be applied for AD and biomethane plants. This review and guide provides general information related to key parameters that can be monitored so that an AD plant can be controlled in order to: allow a certain flexibility of varying hydraulic and organic loading of substrates allow some diversification of types of substrates input treat wastes to a high degree (when substrates are classed as wastes) maximise organic conversion efficiencies to biogas/biomethane yield good quality digestates and biomethane access more specific and demanding digestate markets access other markets for the biomethane produced (e.g. transport fuel and gas grid) reduce amount of plant/process downtime reduce plant size and reduce operating costs e.g. chemical dosing and heating loads enhance environmental benefits of the plant and reduce impacts Ultimately, these benefits will have positive impacts on the economics of AD and biomethane plants and will continue to add to the credentials of the technologies by: delivering technically on a long term basis allowing some operational flexibility allowing these plants to be considered a good neighbour delivering benefits in environmental and economic terms delivering on promises made to government and the public
University of Glamorgan, 2012 Copyrights for all the photos on this report. Scope of the Report This report explains the importance and impact of implementing appropriate monitoring of Anaerobic Digestion (AD) and biomethane plants. It provides a review of numerous parameters as well as sampling techniques and monitoring regimes relevant for the AD process itself, the substrates to be digested and for the resultant digestates and biogas produced. This report also includes monitoring information related to biogas clean up and upgrading process technologies. It is outside the scope of this report to review control actions, systems or regimes that can be applied for AD and biomethane plants. This review and guide provides general information related to key parameters that can be monitored so that an AD plant can be controlled in order to: allow a certain flexibility of varying hydraulic and organic loading of substrates allow some diversification of types of substrates input treat wastes to a high degree (when substrates are classed as wastes) maximise organic conversion efficiencies to biogas/biomethane yield good quality digestates and biomethane access more specific and demanding digestate markets access other markets for the biomethane produced (e.g. transport fuel and gas grid) reduce amount of plant/process downtime reduce plant size and reduce operating costs e.g. chemical dosing and heating loads enhance environmental benefits of the plant and reduce impacts Ultimately, these benefits will have positive impacts on the economics of AD and biomethane plants and will continue to add to the credentials of the technologies by: delivering technically on a long term basis allowing some operational flexibility allowing these plants to be considered a good neighbour delivering benefits in environmental and economic terms delivering on promises made to government and the public
Full%20Report%20Monitoring%20Review%20and%20Guide%20WP5%20task%205.2%20final_sent.docx