Modelling of Demand Driven Biogas Plants to Cover Residual Load Rises

In future, systems for energy storage and demand-driven energy production will be essential to cover the residual load rises. A rigorous dynamic process model based on ADM1 was used to analyze the flexible operation of biogas plants for covering the residual load rises. This model was optimized and an operation concept for a demand-driven energy production was worked out. For the input data different substrates were analyzed by batch fermentations and the Weender analysis with van Soest method. The results show that the substrates have got a different biogas production rate and reaction time. Finally, an intelligent feeding algorithm by implementation of a PI controller was developed. It calculates feeding times and quantities of available substrates so that a defined energy demand can be covered by biogas plants. The results demonstrate that a flexible operation of biogas plants with an individual and intelligent feeding program is possible