Biogas plant’s thermal energy recovery with the help of Westcome® heat exchangers.
In biogas plants, the microbiological process that produces gas requires thermal energy to operate. In the EU, some biogas plants additionally have a separate mandatory hygienization unit that requires thermal energy as well. The needed heat is typically produced by burning the generated biogas. So clearly, the more heat is recovered and reused in the process, the more biogas or energy produced from it remains for sale. In other words, the more energy-efficient and profitable the biogas plant becomes.
At Biovoima, we believe that the waste heat from biogas reactors, and especially from hygienization unit, is worth reusing. This is achieved by modern technology of heat exchangers, which are meant for sludge materials and can therefore be implemented for biogas plants and wastewater treatment plants.
Unique Westcome® heat exchange solution is based on the patented structure. Heat is transferred directly from the hot side of the heat exchanger to the cold side without intermediate heat carrying medium. Westcome Heat Exchangers® achieve even 80 % heat recovery under optimum conditions.
The unique design allows for no maintenance of the heat exchangers. The slow opposite direction flow of sludge materials keeps the temperature differences between the hot and cold sides continually constant. The heat exchanger is built without angles in places where sludge could get stuck and cause clogging. Thus, there are no maintenance program for Westcome Heat Exchangers®; they have been proven to last more than ten years without any reduced performance and therefore need for maintenance.
© Westcome Heat Exchangers A/S
Suomen Biovoima is an official partner of Westcome Heat Exchangers A/S.
