Stupid and useless government - Fuel Economy, Hypermiling, EcoModding News and Forum

oil pan 4 · 10-08-2018, 09:42 AM

Where I work there is a 1,200 horsepower boiler that runs off 25% bio gas. It runs at about 100% power for 20 to 23 hours a day. That only burns about 80% of the bio gas produced on site.

To run it off more than 25% bio gas to 75% natural gas would require the install of a scrubber. Which is really unworkable. The boiler, blower, roof, economizer would have to be redesigned.

But there are 2 more 1,200 horsepower boilers. 2 of the 3 run almost all of the time. The bio gas one runs all the time.

But we can't get a permit to run the other one off bio gas. It gets denied every time it gets applied for.

So 20% to 25% of the gas produced just gets flared.

So how is burning more than 25% in a boiler worse than flaring it?
How is burning all the bio gas in 2 boilers worse than flaring it?
It doesn't make any sense from an economic stand point or from a save the world stand point.

This has been on going since 2008.

rmay635703 · 10-08-2018, 01:20 PM

This is a similar situation to where I work, we used to run air compressors, electricity and heat off waste vehicle fluids but the DNR didn’t like that so we now mix hydraulic oil, xmsn fluid, grease, diesel and antifreeze together and send it to be “recycled.”

How is that better?

oil pan 4 · 10-08-2018, 01:56 PM

Antifreeze is very easy to recycle. It can even be done in house if you have a large enough operationto justify the cost of the rig.
When it gets mixed with oil and junk that goes out the window.

ksa8907 · 10-08-2018, 07:13 PM

You can't condition it, compress it, and sell it back to the utility? Our company has a few different locations where we allow biogas into our system.

I do agree it's stupid to have to flare it and not be allowed to get use from it.

oil pan 4 · 10-08-2018, 08:18 PM

I don't see how it would be worth it since there isn't much left over and it would all be used there anyway.

sendler · 10-09-2018, 06:21 AM

What is their rational for limiting biogas use?

oil pan 4 · 10-09-2018, 08:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sendler

What is their rational for limiting biogas use?

As far as I can tell none.

euromodder · 10-09-2018, 01:05 PM

"Flare" it in one of the burners

Why would this currently flared part require a scrubber ?

Whatever is in the remaining 20-25% will also be in the gas you burn ...

oil pan 4 · 10-09-2018, 01:13 PM

I don't know that's why it doesn't make any sense.

Extra gas can be flared with out a scrubber, but if 30% bio gas goes to a boiler it needs a scrubber.

Piotrsko · 10-10-2018, 10:20 AM

Been my lifetime experience that somebody has done an unsuccessful stupid thing resulting in that ruling. Like blew up a site somewhere, or made a lawsuit due to hazmat gasses and this is the agency overkill response.