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Utilization of biogas
(system for transforming food processing residue into biogas for Shihorochou Agricultural Cooperative (Hokkaido))

Effectively using food processing residue as fuel by transforming it into biogas

The Shihorochou Agricultural Cooperative (JA Shihorochou) of Hokkaido is engaged in food processing for potatoes, onions, etc.

The agricultural cooperative is facing a serious problem. Food processing residue volume reaches an average of 15 to 16 tons per day. Treating it as industrial waste would incur high costs. Instead, agricultural cooperative staff members have been contemplating to recycle food processing residue considering value for global environment. While some of the food processing residue already available is reprocessed into feedstuff and some cannot be used for bio gas generation.

Shihorochou is also a dairy zone and produces a large volume of animal waste. Thus, we cannot expect demand for composting of food processing residue. Hygienic problems may also arise within the site of the food processing plant.

Full view of biogas plant
From left: Desulfurization equipment, gas storage building, digestion tanks (2), and machine building

Having discussed these problems over and over again, JA Shihorochou decided to introduce NEDO project, a system to produce biogas via methane fermentation, which is effective in using wet biomass.
JA Shihorochou considered a plan to transform the biogas produced by the biogas plant into heat and use it for as an alternative source of energy for the food processing plant in place of the heavy oil. Also it is possible to use biogas mainly consisting of methane gas for the food processing plant in a certain better ways, although this would entail slightly higher initial costs than composting.
Biogas, whose heat value is only 60 to 65% compared with city gas, ensures higher efficiency when used for heat than used for electric power generation, with the exception of large-scale plants.

High-efficiency mixer developed by JFE Engineering installed.

Based on JA Shihorochou’s plan, JFE Engineering proposed a plant for transforming food processing residue into biogas. This plant is made up of a high-efficiency crushing and mixing system installed prior to pretreatment and designed to improve fermentation efficiency through homogeneous liquefaction, and JFE Engineering’s original propeller type high-performance mixer (Dynamixer BB), which is capable of thoroughly mixing high-concentration food processing residue and is earthquake-resistant. As a result of technological competition, JFE Engineering received the contract to design and construct this plant.

In October 2006, the design of the entire plant was finalized, including the system for removing the hydrogen sulfide contained in biogas, and the construction work began.

It was said that the methane fermentation of vegetables, among others of food processing residue, was the most difficult. It was also quite a time consuming plan to construct a biogas plant on the premises of a processing plant. The combination of JA Shihorochou’s progressive idea which valued the global environment and JFE Engineering’s sophisticated proposal realized an unprecedented project. The biogas plant construction work was completed in the spring of 2007, and the plant has been operating in good condition ever since.
JFE Engineering provides the following solutions for the use of biogas in addition to heat utilization systems like this one. We can satisfy customer needs at all stages, from design to construction work up until plant operation and maintenance.

  • Proposing optimum system flows for the quality and volume of raw materials and the location of the site by comparing economy.
  • Proposing optimum subsidy systems from among various subsidy programs related to energy and waste.
  • Promoting advice about operations based on data on the operation of the Chiba Biogas Center under the management of the JFE Group

JFE Engineering is determined to further refine methane fermentation technology to deal with a wider range of types of organic solid residue.

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