During the biogas compression and utilization process, problems may occur in equipment operation, gas quality, safety assurance, etc., as follows:
Equipment operation problems
Mechanical failure: The long-term operation of the Biogas Compressor will cause the piston, connecting rod, crankshaft and other moving parts to wear easily, resulting in increased equipment vibration, increased noise, and even component damage, affecting the normal operation of the compressor. In addition, the air valve of the compressor is also prone to failure. For example, if the air valve is not tightly sealed, it will cause gas leakage and reduce the compression efficiency; if the air valve spring is fatigued and broken, the air valve cannot be opened and closed normally.
Lubrication problem: Biogas may contain a certain amount of impurities and moisture, which will affect the performance of the compressor lubricating oil, resulting in a decrease in lubrication effect and increased component wear. At the same time, lubrication system failures such as oil pump failure and oil filter blockage will cause insufficient lubricating oil supply, causing equipment overheating or even burning.
Cooling problem: The gas temperature will rise during the compression process, and an effective cooling system is required to ensure the normal operation of the equipment. If the cooling water pipeline is scaled or blocked, the cooling effect will be poor, the compressor temperature will be too high, affecting the gas compression effect, and even damaging the equipment.
Gas quality issues
Impurity blockage: Biogas may contain solid impurities, oil, water vapor, etc. During the compression process, these impurities may adhere to the air inlet, air valve, pipeline and other parts of the compressor, causing blockage, affecting gas circulation, and reducing the working efficiency of the compressor.
Gas corrosion: Biogas usually contains a certain amount of acidic gases such as hydrogen sulfide. In the presence of water vapor, an acidic solution will be formed, which will corrode the metal parts of the compressor, shorten the service life of the equipment, and may also cause equipment leakage, affecting safe production.
Gas leakage: Aging and damage of seals at the connection parts, or manufacturing defects and improper installation of the equipment itself may cause biogas leakage during the compression process. This will not only cause energy waste, but also may cause safety accidents.
Safety issues
Explosion risk: Biogas is a flammable gas. When mixed with air to a certain concentration range, it is easy to explode when encountering fire sources such as open flames or high temperatures. During the compression process, if there is a leak in the equipment, or there are fire sources such as static electricity and electrical sparks, it may cause an explosion accident.
Overpressure risk: If the pressure control system of the compressor fails, or if the downstream gas-using equipment fails and the gas cannot be discharged normally, the system pressure may increase, exceeding the design pressure of the equipment, causing overpressure danger, and even causing the equipment to rupture or explode.
Poisoning risk: Hydrogen sulfide in biogas is a toxic gas. When it leaks into the air and reaches a certain concentration, it will threaten the life and health of the operator and cause poisoning accidents.
Other issues
Energy consumption problem: The biogas compression process consumes a lot of electricity or other energy. If the compressor is not selected reasonably, the operating parameters are not set properly, or the equipment is aged and the efficiency is reduced, it will lead to increased energy consumption and increase the cost of biogas utilization.
Environmental issues: The compressor will generate noise when it is running, causing noise pollution to the surrounding environment. In addition, if the hot water discharged from the cooling system is discharged directly without treatment, it may cause thermal pollution to the water environment.
In order to avoid the above problems in the process of biogas compression and utilization, corresponding measures can be taken from the aspects of equipment maintenance, gas treatment, safety management, operation optimization and environmental control, as follows:
Equipment maintenance
Regular inspection and maintenance: Establish a complete equipment inspection system, regularly check the various components of the compressor, including pistons, connecting rods, crankshafts, valves, etc., promptly detect wear, looseness and other problems and repair or replace them. According to the equipment operation time and working conditions, formulate reasonable overhaul and minor repair plans to ensure that the equipment is always in good operating condition.
Strengthen lubrication management: Select lubricating oil suitable for biogas environment, regularly test the quality of lubricating oil, and replace it in time according to the test results. At the same time, regularly clean the lubrication system to ensure the normal operation of components such as oil pumps and oil filters, and ensure the supply and cleanliness of lubricating oil.
Ensure the normal operation of the cooling system: Regularly clean the cooling water pipeline to remove scale and impurities to ensure the cooling effect. Install a temperature monitoring device to monitor the temperature of the compressor in real time. When the temperature exceeds the set value, it will alarm in time and take corresponding measures, such as checking whether the cooling water pump, fan and other equipment are operating normally.
Gas treatment
Install filter device: Install high-efficiency filter before the compressor air inlet to filter solid impurities, oil stains, etc. in biogas, clean and replace filter element regularly to ensure filtering effect. For biogas containing more impurities, multi-stage filtration can be used to improve the purity of gas.
Desulfurization treatment: Before biogas enters the compressor, adopt appropriate desulfurization process, such as chemical absorption method, biological desulfurization method, etc., to reduce the hydrogen sulfide content to a safe level to prevent corrosion to equipment. At the same time, regularly test the hydrogen sulfide content in biogas to ensure desulfurization effect.
Optimize sealing design: Select high-quality sealing materials, seal the connection parts and valves of the compressor, check the status of the seals regularly, and replace aging and damaged seals in time. Use advanced sealing technology and equipment, such as oil-free lubrication compressor, dry gas seal, etc., to reduce the possibility of gas leakage.
Safety management
Eliminate fire source hazards: Set up obvious fire and explosion prevention signs in the biogas compression area, and prohibit fireworks. Carry out explosion-proof transformation of electrical equipment, use explosion-proof motors, explosion-proof switches, etc. to prevent electrical sparks from causing explosions. Regularly perform electrostatic grounding tests on equipment and pipelines to ensure good grounding and prevent static electricity accumulation from generating sparks.
Install pressure protection devices: Install pressure protection devices such as safety valves and pressure alarms in the compressor system, and set reasonable pressure alarm values and safety valve trip pressures. When the system pressure exceeds the set value, the pressure alarm will sound an alarm in time, and the safety valve will automatically trip to release pressure to prevent overpressure accidents.
Equip protective equipment and emergency measures: Equip operators with necessary personal protective equipment, such as gas masks and air respirators. Develop a complete emergency plan, organize personnel to conduct emergency drills regularly, and improve the ability to respond to emergencies. Set up ventilation facilities in the compression area to ensure that the leaked biogas can be discharged in time and reduce the concentration of toxic gases.
Operation optimization
Reasonable selection and parameter setting: According to factors such as biogas production and pressure requirements, select biogas compressors of appropriate models and specifications to ensure that they operate under efficient and energy-saving conditions. Optimize the operating parameters of the compressor, such as speed, compression ratio, etc., determine the best operating parameter combination through experiments and debugging, and reduce energy consumption.
Adopt intelligent control system: Install intelligent control system to monitor and control the operating status of the compressor in real time, and automatically adjust the operating parameters of the compressor according to the changes of gas flow, pressure and other parameters to achieve intelligent management. Through data analysis and prediction, potential problems can be discovered in advance, preventive maintenance can be carried out, and the operating efficiency and reliability of the equipment can be improved.
Environmental control
Noise control: Take sound insulation and vibration reduction measures for the compressor, such as installing sound insulation covers and shock-absorbing pads, to reduce the spread of noise. Install the compressor in a special machine room and soundproof the machine room, such as using sound-absorbing materials to decorate walls and ceilings.
Wastewater treatment: Recycle or treat the hot water discharged from the cooling system. The hot water can be cooled by cooling towers and recycled to reduce the waste of water resources and thermal pollution. For cooling wastewater containing impurities, it is discharged after being treated to meet the standards.
