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• Naegele, H
• Lemmer, A
• Oechsner, H
• Jungbluth, T
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• Lemmer, A
• Oechsner, H
• Jungbluth, T
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• Lemmer, A
• Oechsner, H
• Jungbluth, T

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Energies 2012, 5(12), 5198-5214; doi:10.3390/en5125198

Article

Electric Energy Consumption of the Full Scale Research Biogas Plant “Unterer Lindenhof”: Results of Longterm and Full Detail Measurements

Hans-Joachim Naegele* , Andreas Lemmer, Hans Oechsner and Thomas Jungbluth

University of Hohenheim, State Institute of Agricultural Engineering and Bioenergy, Garbenstraße 9, Stuttgart 70599, Germany

* Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.

Received: 31 August 2012; in revised form: 30 October 2012 / Accepted: 29 November 2012 / Published: 10 December 2012

Download PDF Full-Text [948 KB, uploaded 10 December 2012 10:39 CET]

Abstract: This work thoroughly evaluates the electric power consumption of a full scale, 3 × 923 m³ complete stirred tank reactor (CSTR) research biogas plant with a production capacity of 186 kW of electric power. The plant was fed with a mixture of livestock manure and renewable energy crops and was operated under mesophilic conditions. This paper will provide an insight into precise electric energy consumption measurements of a full scale biogas plant over a period of two years. The results showed that a percentage of 8.5% (in 2010) and 8.7% (in 2011) of the produced electric energy was consumed by the combined heat and power unit (CHP), which was required to operate the biogas plant. The consumer unit agitators with 4.3% (in 2010) and 4.0% (in 2011) and CHP unit with 2.5% (in 2010 and 2011) accounted for the highest electrical power demand, in relation to the electric energy produced by the CHP unit. Calculations show that 51% (in 2010) and 46% (in 2011) of the total electric energy demand was due to the agitators. The results finally showed the need for permanent measurements to identify and quantify the electric energy saving potentials of full scale biogas plants.

Keywords: electric power consumption; biogas; electric power measurement; consumer units; full scale research biogas plant

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