CONVERSION OF WASTE WATER TREATMENT (WWT) PLANT BIOSOLIDS INTO HYDROGEN ENRICHED METHANE GAS USING GAS PHASE REDUCTION (GPR)

Transcription

1 CONVERSION OF WASTE WATER TREATMENT (WWT) PLANT BIOSOLIDS INTO HYDROGEN ENRICHED METHANE GAS USING GAS PHASE REDUCTION (GPR) May 9, 2011 Douglas Hallett, Ph.D., Nicholas Trentacoste, Ph.D Ted Prociv, Ph.D 1

2 AGENDA I. Introduction II. Biosolids Disposal from WWT Plants III. Corporate Overview IV. Benefits to Municipality V. Summary 2

3 I. INTRODUCTION GPR in development and commercial use for over 20 years Successfully applied to the destruction of a wide variety of hazardous wastes Patented twice and most recently for the conversion of organic wastes/material s into Hydrogen Enriched Methane fuel GPR is not incineration GPR is not pyrolysis GPR is not bio degradation GPR is a thermal process that employs Hydrogen Reduction Chemistry Environmental permits received in the USA, Japan, Canada and Australia GPR is proven to be scalable GPR is cost-effective, sale of surplus energy produces complete capital payback. 3

4 II. BIOSOLIDS DISPOSAL OBJECTIVES: Disposal of Biosolids at least cost and least environmental impact. What are Biosolids?: 1. Cellulose (C 6 H 10 O 5 ) 2. Bacteria, virus, protozoa, parasites, fungi 3. PCBs, Dioxins, Furans, Chlorinated pesticides 4. Polynuclear Aromatic Hydrocarbons 5. Petroleum products and Industrial Solvents 6. Heavy Metals ( Arsenic, Cadmium, Chromium, Lead, Mercury ) removed in scrubber as native metals or chlorides 4

5 CURRENT TECHNOLOGIES: 1. Anaerobic Digestion: Produces a solid/liquid byproduct that contains potentially toxic elements (PTEs) which may have to undergo further treatment prior to land farming. Very little of the organic matter is converted into a fuel product ( some of which is recycled to heat the reactor) and therefore the remainder must either be land farmed or incinerated. Results in a biogas mixture (50-75% CH 4 ; 25-50% CO 2 ; 0-10% N 2 ; 0-1% H 2 ; 0-3% H 2 S; 1-2% O 2 ). H 2 S is highly corrosive to plant equipment and results in high maintenance costs. 5

6 CURRENT TECHNOLOGIES (Cont d) 2. Incineration Requires significant dewatering, drying, and or auxiliary fuels (because of low heating value of the biosolids ) to destroy the waste and vaporize the residual water. Therefore, the energy balance for incineration is generally negative even with heat recovery. Due to the formation of NO x, SO 2 and unburned hydrocarbons, metals, PICs, and toxic organic compounds in the effluent gas, there will be a requirement to clean up these contaminants to permitted levels before discharging to the environment. No Greenhouse gas emission reductions are achieved with incineration Expensive to operate 6

7 GPR TECHNOLOGY ATTRIBUTES GPR overcomes deficiencies in current technologies: Converts all of the organic matter in the biosolids to CH 4 ; destroys all pathogens; recovers heavy metals in the reactor; removes/captures other byproducts in the scrubber water (which may require further treatment before disposal); produces no stack gas emissions. Produces a Hydrogen Enriched Methane gas containing (19% H 2 ; 39% CH 4 ; 29% CO and 13% CO 2 ). Although similar in BTU value to Anaerobic Digestion, the totality of the organic matter is converted to an energy product resulting in significantly higher energy recovery. Results in a 45% reduction in CO 2 emissions when compared to Anaerobic Digestion. 7

8 GPR REPLACES ANAEROBIC DIGESTION AND INCINERATION OR LANDFARMING INCINERATION/ LANDFARMING 8

9 FEATURES OF PROPOSED GPR BIOSOLIDS PLANT 9

10 GPR REPLACES ANAEROBIC DIGESTION AND INCINERATION OR LANDFARMING 10

11 ADVANTAGES OF GPR VERSUS ANAEROBIC DIGESTION, INCINERATION, AND LANDFARMING Capital Cost per Million People (36,000 dry tons/yr) Processing/ Disposal Cost per Input dry ton Energy Produced % Residual Disposal to Landfill (1) Gas Phase Reduction $64,000,000 $ MW 20% (2) Anaerobic Digestion + (3) Incineration Anaerobic Digestion + (4) Landfarming Anaerobic Digestion + Landfilling $150,000,000 + $120,000,000 $150,000,000 + $0 $150,000,000 + $0 $100 + $202 to +$268 $100 + $140 $100 + $ MW + 0 MW 2.8 MW + 0 MW 2.8 MW + 0 MW Additional Disposal Cost to Landfill Residual ($140/ton) $1,008,000 (Less metal recycling credit) 20% $1,008, % $2,368,800 (1). Total conversion of organic matter to a fuel product leads to high energy recoveries and no organic residuals to be land farmed or incinerated. (2). Organic matter conversion from anaerobic digestion still requires the need for land farming, incineration or landfilling of residual matter. (3). Negative energy balance because of need for additional fuel and vaporization of water. (4). Landfarming leads to wide spread distribution of human pathogens, toxic chemicals, etc. on farmland and surface water runoff from farm land. 11

12 III. CORPORATE OVERVIEW Natural Energy Systems Inc. (NES) is a US Corporation that converts organic material/waste into a hydrogen-enriched methane fuel through a proprietary Gas Phase Reduction process (GPR). NES has more than 40 years of experience in the remediation of organic waste, specializing in hazardous chemical materials Gas Phase Reduction uses hydrogen gas, steam, and elevated temperatures to chemically reduce organic compounds to methane without producing any hazardous materials. Gas Phase Reduction (GPR) is a publically acceptable, nonincineration technology that converts waste problems into energy solutions The formation of hazardous dioxins and furans are precluded because there is no free oxygen in the process. NES Converts Organic Materials/Wastes into a Hydrogen Enriched Methane Fuel 12

13 OPERATIONAL RELIABILITY The Gas Phase Reduction has an excellent safety record with over 30,000 hours of operation. During the last two years in Australia the plant achieved 90% up time: 27 days production and 3 days scheduled maintenance per month on a 24/7 basis. The redundant safety systems used in the Gas Phase Reduction process are based on established engineering guidelines. Hydrogen has been used safely and many countries and companies are promoting a hydrogen economy utilizing fuel cells. GPR is a Safe and Reliable Technology 13

14 GPR Scrubber GPR PLANT (Australia) GPR System GPR SBV 14

15 IV. BENEFITS TO MUNICIPALITY Introduction of a Green technology that has clear economic, operational and environmental advantages over anaerobic digestion in converting biosolids into a useable fuel GPR supports sustainability and Green technology leadership goals by: eliminating the toxic byproducts of anaerobic digestion from landfarming; and reduces CO 2 emissions by over 45% when compared to anaerobic digestion The Hydrogen Enriched Methane gas used to produce electricity from GPR recovers capital cost and produces an ongoing profit for the Municipality 15

16 V. SUMMARY The GPR process is a proven technology for the destruction of PCBs, HCB, CFCs, pesticides, and other hazardous organic wastes. Technology has been simplified and improved by NES to produce an energy product from organic materials/wastes NES offers construction/installation capabilities with engineering partner Plant operations by client with support by NES or by NES partners, tailored to situation. 16