400 Nm³/h EnviThan Gas Upgrading Plant Enters Commissioning Phase
In Swedish, “Premiär för vår innovativa teknik” means Premiere of our innovative technology! The technology referred to here is the innovative EnviThan gas upgrading system from EnviTec Biogas AG. Already tried and tested a hundred times, this technology can now demonstrate all its advantages in Sweden for the first time. “Our market entry in Sweden once again highlights our overall expertise and flexibility in Europe,” says Maurice Markerink, Managing Director of EnviTec Plant Construction.
Vårgårda-Herrljunga Biogas AB opted for the winning green combination of biogas and membrane technology as early as 2013. Now, the customer is expanding its biogas plant with another gas upgrading plant, which will meet the prescribed DIN standard for vehicle fuel. While the rated capacity of the new gas upgrading plant amounts to 402 Nm³ per hour of biomethane (600 Nm³/h of raw biogas, 65 Vol. % Methane), it is already prepared for a capacity expansion of up to 566 Nm³ per hour of biomethane (840 Nm³/h of raw biogas, 65 Vol. % Methane).
“Before selecting its second gas upgrading plant, the customer made a thorough comparison of the power consumption, the raw gas upgrading design, and the quality level – and it was our EnviThan technology that finally won them over,” Markerink is proud to report. The scope of delivery includes a completely skid-based raw gas upgrading system, which enables short installation times on site. The portfolio also includes an efficient two-stage gas cooling system, as well as the EnviTec Remote system and plant control developed by EnviTec.
Biomethane as a Green Fuel
The plant is connected to a local four-kilometer-long 4-bar gas network that is, in turn, connected to a high-pressure station. Here, the pressure is increased to 250 bar. Being the green multi-talent that it is, biomethane can then be filled into mobile containers and delivered to a CNG filling station for future use as fuel. The process developed by Evonik Industries and EnviTec is particularly environmentally friendly because it takes advantage of the different sizes and speeds of passage of gas molecules: Since carbon dioxide molecules are smaller than methane molecules, they can migrate through the membrane much faster. The methane remains on the
high-pressure side of the membrane, while the CO2 molecules of the biogas pass through. The gas upgrading process thus requires neither chemicals nor water or other additives. The biomethane produced can now be used wherever natural gas is used – including the fuel sector, like here in Sweden.
EnviTec Biogas has had experience as a plant manufacturer in the Scandinavian and Baltic market for 9 years. “Our plants in Denmark are all running stably and also our 4 year old plants in Estonia continue to attract customers,” reports Markerink. The globally operating medium-sized company from Lohne and Saerbeck Germany recently announced the start of construction of its 100th EnviThan plant, which will help to drive the climate transition on the Danish island of Funen.
