Anaerobic Digestion in Japan Jan Liebetrau

Workshop Tokyo, 27.6.2014

Outline

2

• Short plant introduction

• Sum up of the discussions

• Conclusion

Waste treatment Green Food Recycle

Toyama Source separated organic waste –

Input Kitchen waste + water 62 t/d

800 m³ digester volume (13 d HRT, thermophilic)

Water addition (mixing)

5500 m³ Biogas/d (250 d/330KW)

90 kW Microgas turbine (eff. 20%) (rest sold)

Activated sludge treatment of the digestate

Post composting of sludge

Effective separation of plastics

Post treatment utilization of end products

Microgas turbine (20 % efficiency)

Waste treatment Green Food Recycle

Plant visit Kaisei, Murakami

5

Dry fermentation system (10 % TS in digester)

Mesophilic

Production residues, kitchen waste max. 5t/d

25 KW CHP, 35 % eff.

Heat utilization in greenhouse

Solid liquid separation

Utilization of the liquid fertilizer on rice fields

Low TS in the digester

Not enough substrates and CHP capacity

CHP quite expensive

Greenhouses for passion fruit production

6

High Quality products with use of

digestate as fertilizer

Capacity utilization could be

optimized,

external infrastructure (pumps),

Successful utilization of all end

products:

Liquid digestate

Solid digestate

Heat

Electricity

Mixing

7

Tauchmotorrührwerk für

geringe bis hohe

Trockenmassegehalte

Externe Rezirkulation

für geringe

Trockenmassegehalte

Gasliftdurchmischung

für geringe bis mittlere

Trockenmassegehalte

Gaseinblasen

für geringe

Trockenmassegehalte

Mammutpumpe

für geringe bis mittlere

Trockenmassegehalte

Axialrührwerk für

mittlere bis hohe

Trockenmassegehalte

Langachsrührwerk für

mittlere bis hohe

Trockenmassegehalte

Großflügelrührwerk für

mittlere bis sehr hohe

Trockenmassegehalte

Großflügelrührwerk für

mittlere bis sehr hohe

Trockenmassegehalte

Axiales Pfropfenstromrührwerk

für mittlere bis sehr hohe

Trockenmassegehalte

Querliegende Rührwerke im

Pfropfenstrom für mittlere bis

sehr hohe Trockenmassegehalte

External recirculation

for low DM-content

Gas Lift mixing

for low and medium

DM-contents

Gas injection

for low DM-content

Mammoth-pump

for low and medium

DM-contents

Axial agitator

for medium and high

DM-content

Submercible agitator

for low and medium

DM-contents

Long shaft agitator

for medium and high

DM-content

Long shaft agitator (large-

winged) for medium and

very high DM-contents

Large-winged agitator

for medium and very

high DM-contents

Axial agitator for PFTR

for medium and very high DM-

contents

Across the plug flow installed

agitator for PFTR for medium and

very high DM-contents

Hydraulic mixing by

gas pressure

for low and medium

DM-contents

Mixing

8

Large-winged agitator; Picture: PlanET Energietechnik

Long shaft agitators; Picture: WELtec BioPower GmbH; Armatec FTS-Armaturen GmbH & Co. KG

Axial agitator; Picture: ENTEC GmbH

Submercible agitator Picture: Agrartechnik Lothar Becker

Large-winged-submercible agitator Foto: KSB AG

Tonho City

9

Treatment and utilization of (solid) manure by means

of composting,

Limited market for end product

Limited capacity

AD:

Added value by energy

production

(electricity and heat)

Improvement of treatment

efficiency

But:

Use of end product of AD?

Odor

Suggestion for Tohno - feasibility

10

• Substrate Characteristics (Amounts, TS, gas yield, potential)

• Experiments on digestibility (substrate is not well known)

• Technology (Infeed system, Type of process (e.g. CSTR), Mixing,

Posttreatment)

• Combination with composting process?

• Digestate Utilization – Market for end product?

• Costs and revenues

Possible option with less impact on existing infrastructure:

• Dry fermentation

• Composting of end product

Findings from discussions with japanese

stakeholders

11

Discussed challenges Possible solutions

Application of Digestate

(Solid and liquid)

Demonstration and testing (long term)

Use of existing utilization pathways

(short term)

Requirement of post treatment

Demonstration and testing

(Problems also in Germany, the less the

better, dry fermentation for digestate

reduction?)

Technology selection for the

process

(e.g. mixer, CHP)

Careful planning needed to avoid wrong

design

Demonstration plant concepts publication

of results (Biogas handbook)

Feasibility studies

Independent consultants and expert

statements

Promotion of electricity feed in

Consideration

12

Discussed challenges Possible solutions

Odor

Demonstration, Application of solid

material

Where is the sensitivity limit?

Uncertainty in effect of earth quake

safety on price difference

Selection of appropriate plant design

Period of feed in tariff evaluation is

too short (one year) for successful

project development

Extension to at least two years

(Germany had 4 years)

Substrates

Potential analysis, Introduction of

separate collection for easy accessible

wastes (e.g. kitchen waste)

Conclusion

13

• Japanese technical operation in general at high level, potential for biogas application

• Successful application show potential of technology

• Substrates: manure, organic waste streams

• Application of residues?