From High Performance Polymers to Modular Biogas Upgrader
Advancing Biomethane
A Bright biogas upgrader is a modular add on for any biogas plant to produce biomethane. And a proven attractive alternative compared to using a combined heat and power (CHP) unit that generates electricity and heat due to its low maintenance and automated online control system. Years of research, development and engineering resulted in a modular biogas upgrader with high performance polymers. Read more to find out how biomethane is our common language.
“Evonik’s SEPURAN® Green membrane technology enables our strategic partners to design and build state-of-the-art Biogas to Biomethane upgrading plants. Bright Renewables as one of our most experienced and successful partners shares our vision, provides highly efficient turn-key plants globally and introduces the idea of Biomethane as a key element of the inevitable energy transition”.
BIOMETHANE PRODUCTION AT DAIRY FARMS
Biogas plant exploitation in combination with biomethane production at farms is becoming popular. In the north of the Netherlands in the small village of Jelsum, agricultural entrepreneur and dairy farmer Jan Dirk Ubbels started exploiting a biogas plant with a combined heat and power system to produce heat and power. When it turned out that biomethane production is more efficient and economical, Ubbels switched to a biogas upgrading system of Bright including Evonik’s membranes.
“Biomethane production is a good match with the dairy farm; a win-win situation. Compared to a CHP system, Bright’s upgrader runs more stably, is easier to operate and less prone to breakdowns. Major maintenance can be done within one day. In addition, the biogas upgrader is modular. Last year I added membranes for more biomethane production and soon I will scale-up again.”, says Jan Dirk Ubbels, dairy farmer and operator of a Bright membrane biogas upgrader.
FROM HIGH PERFORMANCE POLYMERS…
The development of high performance polymers at Evonik starts with Research & Development to meet the demand of customers and to improve further the efficiency of the whole upgrading process.
To be able to supply all different sizes of upgrading plants from small-sized, farm-scale to industrial-scale biogas upgrading units, Evonik developed membranes ranging from 4″ classic membrane to the newly developed 6″ Long version with super-selective fibre-innovation inside.
Through many years of expertise in polymer chemistry, Evonik is able to adjust the membrane properties already at the development stage of the base material — the high-performance polymer — to produce especially selective and robust membranes that can withstand extreme pressures and temperatures. SEPURAN® hollow fibre membranes’ outstanding durability and reliability also enables the sustainable growth of bioenergy.
Production process
Evonik’s production facility in Schörfling is a modern and unique Hollow-fibre spinning plant that has been continuously expanded its hollow-fibre production capacity, in order to support our customer’s growth. On-site there are several spinning lines that spin fibres out of our innovative and tailor-made high performance polymers. Those fibres are then put together to bundles and several bundles are potted to membrane modules. The quality of each membrane is controlled on our test stand to ensure outstanding performance.
To also ensure a sustainable production to our customers, we are partially replacing fossil-based natural gas with biomethane. In addition to that, Evonik’s partially recycles raw materials and auxiliary goods in order to reduce the overall GHG-emissions.
Shipment & sales
Each single membrane is individually tested, is selected project-specific and has its own certificate when it is delivered to our clients. Evonik is working together with selected logistic providers, transporting our goods with gas-powered trucks/ vehicles. After delivering our membranes to our customer’s site, Evonik has the same interest as the system integrator that the plant operates as intended. With our superior technical service, we support our customers to keep the performance of the upgrading units over time.
Jafeth Bulsink, manager sales of Bright Renewables: “With Bright’s in-house expertise and experience in biogas upgrading technology together with Evonik’s innovative hollow‑fiber membranes and ongoing developments, we can market a product that is both highly efficient, low-maintenance and durable. Thanks to good collaboration like this one with Evonik, we guarantee a biogas upgrading system with the highest quality, and a futureproof and next generation technology that is always in the lead”.
...TO A MODULAR BIOGAS UPGRADER
A biogas upgrader of Bright Renewables is a compact and modular unit to produce biomethane. Years of advanced development resulted in optimized pre-fabrication and technology. The system is a highly efficient, accessible, economic, and sustainable upgrade of biogas plants.
Modular & standarized
After the project and process engineering, project management, the production process and assembly, the automated biogas upgrader arrives on-site fully pre-tested. This means that the commissioning can be done very quickly. The system can be delivered for indoor situations or as standarized PurePac containerized unit which is available in a variety of capacities ranging from a PurePac Mini to a PurePac Grand. Due to the standarization, the time required for engineering and procurement is reduced. Good preparation is half the work!
Service & maintenance
Bright offers customized aftersales and service and maintenance contracts. After commissioning, the automated system is monitored remotely, which ensures that any fluctuations in the biogas supply can be dealt with immediately. The operator of the system can do a several minute daily routine check using the online app.