This work presents a dynamic analysis of an anaerobic digestion plant, in which concentrating photovoltaic/thermal collectors are used to match a part of both heating and power demand of the process. The system is supplied by the organic fraction of municipal solid waste. The system also includes a thermal storage tank and an auxiliary heating system. An up-grade section is also included, to produce biomethane, suitable for injection into the natural gas pipeline network. For such hybrid solar-biomass system, a comprehensive simulation model was developed in MATLAB®, calculating the time-dependent production of biomethane as a function of the operating temperature within the digester. The model, based on differential equations and thermal balances, accounts for both thermal and biological phenomena occurring within the process, taking into consideration the geometrical and structural characteristics of the system. The consistent Anaerobic Digestion Model 1 is used to model the biological process, evaluating the biogas production as a function of a series of operating variables: the digester operating temperature, mass flowrate and temperature of the hot water entering the digester, ambient temperature, mass flowrate and composition of the organic waste in input. The model also calculates the electric consumption of the upgrading process, used to convert the biogas into biomethane. Such model was integrated into the simulation platform of the overall plant, developed in TRNSYS, evaluating the energy, environmental and economic performance of the entire system. A case study is presented, showing the dynamic performance of the system under evaluation: for such case, a primary energy saving of 24% was found, with respect to a conventional digester; around 20% of the overall thermal energy demand is met by solar energy; finally, a promising payback time of about 3 years was estimated.

Concentrating photovoltaic/thermal collectors coupled with an anaerobic digestion process: Dynamic simulation and energy and economic analysis / Calise, F.; Cappiello, F. L.; Dentice d'Accadia, M.; Vicidomini, M.. - In: JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION. - ISSN 0959-6526. - 311:(2021), p. 127363. [10.1016/j.jclepro.2021.127363]

Concentrating photovoltaic/thermal collectors coupled with an anaerobic digestion process: Dynamic simulation and energy and economic analysis

Calise F.;Cappiello F. L.;Dentice d'Accadia M.;Vicidomini M.
2021

Abstract

This work presents a dynamic analysis of an anaerobic digestion plant, in which concentrating photovoltaic/thermal collectors are used to match a part of both heating and power demand of the process. The system is supplied by the organic fraction of municipal solid waste. The system also includes a thermal storage tank and an auxiliary heating system. An up-grade section is also included, to produce biomethane, suitable for injection into the natural gas pipeline network. For such hybrid solar-biomass system, a comprehensive simulation model was developed in MATLAB®, calculating the time-dependent production of biomethane as a function of the operating temperature within the digester. The model, based on differential equations and thermal balances, accounts for both thermal and biological phenomena occurring within the process, taking into consideration the geometrical and structural characteristics of the system. The consistent Anaerobic Digestion Model 1 is used to model the biological process, evaluating the biogas production as a function of a series of operating variables: the digester operating temperature, mass flowrate and temperature of the hot water entering the digester, ambient temperature, mass flowrate and composition of the organic waste in input. The model also calculates the electric consumption of the upgrading process, used to convert the biogas into biomethane. Such model was integrated into the simulation platform of the overall plant, developed in TRNSYS, evaluating the energy, environmental and economic performance of the entire system. A case study is presented, showing the dynamic performance of the system under evaluation: for such case, a primary energy saving of 24% was found, with respect to a conventional digester; around 20% of the overall thermal energy demand is met by solar energy; finally, a promising payback time of about 3 years was estimated.
2021
Concentrating photovoltaic/thermal collectors coupled with an anaerobic digestion process: Dynamic simulation and energy and economic analysis / Calise, F.; Cappiello, F. L.; Dentice d'Accadia, M.; Vicidomini, M.. - In: JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION. - ISSN 0959-6526. - 311:(2021), p. 127363. [10.1016/j.jclepro.2021.127363]
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11588/881470
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