Containerized PSA Biogas Upgrading for Transportable Gas Quality
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing biogas processing systems face challenges in converting raw biogas to a commercially viable form, including quality for gas transmission, capacity, capital, and running costs, with a need for systems that are easy to transport and set-up at installation sites.
Innovation Solution
A modular biogas processing system utilizing pressure swing adsorption (PSA) units housed in a container, featuring a rotary valve module for controlling gas flow, with adsorbent materials like activated carbon and zeolite, allowing for rapid deployment and efficient methane recovery.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If conventional biogas processing systems are used, then gas quality for transmission can be achieved, but the system complexity, capital cost, and footprint increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system is divided into modular PSA units that can be independently housed in separate containers. Each module contains complete processing functionality including adsorbent beds, rotary valves, and control systems, allowing the overall system to be scaled and configured based on specific gas quality requirements while maintaining manageable complexity in each individual module.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses pressure swing adsorption technology that operates by cyclically changing pressure parameters to selectively adsorb and desorb different gas components. By controlling pressure variations and using different adsorbent materials with specific selectivity characteristics, the system achieves high gas quality through parameter optimization rather than complex mechanical structures.
2Manufacturing precision
If conventional biogas processing systems are used, then gas quality for transmission can be achieved, but capital and running costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The modular architecture allows customers to purchase and deploy only the number of PSA units needed for their specific application, avoiding unnecessary capital expenditure on oversized systems. Each module is a self-contained unit that can be independently manufactured, tested, and deployed, reducing overall system integration costs and capital risk.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates automatic control systems that monitor gas composition and automatically adjust operating parameters to maintain optimal gas quality. This self-regulating capability reduces the need for expensive manual operation and monitoring, lowering both capital requirements for operator training and running costs for ongoing maintenance.
3Manufacturing precision
If conventional biogas processing systems are used, then gas quality for transmission can be achieved, but the footprint and installation complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
By dividing the processing system into discrete modular units housed in standard containers, the system can be compactly arranged in various configurations (series or parallel) to fit different site constraints. This modular packaging dramatically reduces the overall footprint compared to conventional distributed processing systems while maintaining the required gas quality through optimized inter-module connections.
4Ease of operation
If modular containerized PSA units are used, then ease of transport and rapid deployment are achieved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Each modular container integrates multiple processing functions including compression, adsorption, valve control, and monitoring systems into a single unified unit. This consolidation reduces the number of separate components that need to be transported and assembled, simplifying deployment while maintaining the sophisticated processing capabilities needed for high gas quality output.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system achieves high methane recovery (85-99%) with low methane loss, minimal wastewater, compact footprint, and low power consumption, enabling rapid deployment and cost-effective operation.
Implementation Method 1
a pressure swing adsorption (PSA) unit having: a plurality of beds containing adsorbent material, the adsorbent material configured to selectively adsorb gas species from the biogas to process the biogas
Implementation Method 2
the adsorbent material configured to selectively adsorb gas species from the biogas
Data Source
AI summary
A system for processing biogas, the system comprising: a container, a pressure swing adsorption (PSA) unit housed in the container, the PSA unit having: a plurality of beds containing adsorbent material, the adsorbent material configured to selectively adsorb gas species from the biogas to process the biogas, a rotary valve module for distributing flow of 5 the biogas within the PSA unit, an inlet for supplying the biogas to the plurality of beds from outside of the container, and an outlet for transporting the processed biogas away from the PSA unit.