History of sewage treatment plant biogas

Although the potential for biogas production in Poland remains largely untapped, as it turns out, the very idea to start using the energy contained in biogas for energy purposes was already present at the beginning of the last century. German engineer Karl Imfoff was involved in a project to build Europe's first prototype experimental sewage treatment plant, the 'Kläranlage Saspe'. The project was carried out in Gdansk in the 1930s, then after the war the facility took the name "Zaspa WWTP". In archive materials we can find drawings confirming the use of biogas-fired gas boilers for heat production. It is likely that there were concepts of generating electricity from biogas already then, as generators were also found on the drawings.

Drawing from 1931 - 1933, boiler house and gas boiler, fired by biogas. Source: http://blizejzrodel.pl/blizej-wiedzy/oczyszczalnia-zaspa-na-wskros-nowoczesna/

Experiments with biogas were interrupted by the Second World War and by the development of coal-based energy. The current shift towards renewable energy sources and worldwide technological advances have allowed the concept of biogas energy utilisation to be revived. Today, biogas recovery technology is widely used in wastewater treatment plants around the world and in Poland.

Cogeneration - a breakthrough in the development of biogas sector

Since the invention of the biogas production method, its general principle has remained the same, but improvements are constantly being made to make the use of biogas as efficient and safe as possible. Developments in technology have made the idea of producing electricity from biogas a reality. This was a breakthrough in the use of biogas. Everyone is aware that combined heat and power production is currently the most efficient way of using biogas. Centrum Elektroniki Stosownej was one of the first Polish companies to introduce cogeneration equipment to the Polish market. Our cogeneration units have been in operation at many wastewater treatment plants, some for 20 years.

 

Use of biogas plant equipment for even more efficient use of biogas

The biogas produced consists mainly of methane and carbon dioxide and to a lesser extent: oxygen, nitrogen, hydrogen sulphide and siloxanes. Before feeding the CHP unit, the fuel must be brought up to the parameters required by the CHP unit manufacturer (MWM production units: siloxanes < 20mg / 10kWh; hydrogen sulphide < 1,500 ppm/10kWh). Taking care of fuel quality is important from an economic point of view. The better the quality of the biogas, the lower the likelihood of serious and costly breakdowns and the lower the frequency of servicing. This is why it is so important to take care of biogas quality and its proper preparation. This is why, with the development of the CHP market, CES has introduced biogas line equipment into its portfolio.