Introducing a small-scale solution biogas upgrading system to a big market

Gazpack was founded in 2006 as a research division at Airpack Nederland BV. After 8 years of extensive research, a new desulphurization method was born, which is called the Sulaway^® system. In contrast to other systems, it has the capability to produce renewable natural gas (RNG) without any waste. Despite circular primacy, it was only capable of upgrading large-scale capacities of biogas (>1500 Nm³/h) into RNG.

If you don’t have it, make it!

Three years ago, our sales team discovered a change in the scope of application. Especially in the Asia Pacific, there was a high demand for small biogas plants. As a daughter company of Airpack, which makes packages tailored to the needs of the customer, Gazpack had to meet the demand by delivering a custom-made upgrading solution. One year ago, our technical department developed a new solution: Sulago®.

As previously stated, Sulaway^® was initially designed to convert large volumes of biogas into biomethane. However, Sulago^® can play a major role in today’s market, as lower capacities are particularly in demand. Sulago® has an appealing CapEx to OpEx ratio when it comes to capacities between 250 Nm³/h-1500 Nm³/h. Therefore, using Sulago^® will result in lower costs per cubic meter biomethane, and the break-even point is reached sooner. Due to its small footprint, it is suitable for easy on-site installation. One of the main objectives of Gazpack is to decrease greenhouse emissions. By delivering sustainable solutions in every possible range, we are contributing to saving our planet and giving our future generation no less than the world we currently live in.

An absorbent which can be regenerated three times, and more sustainable!

Active coal is a widely used product to clean biogas. Active coal is made from coal and the production of active coal requires a lot of energy. In some European countries, active coal is forbidden due to its negative carbon footprint and huge energy consumption. On the other hand, Gazpack’s Sulago® system is using Sulafer®, an iron-based absorbent made from a waste product of a sewage treatment plant, and is therefore environment-friendly, circular, and less expensive than active coal. The performance, however, is better than the usage of active coal. Sulafer® can be regenerated three times and has therefore a minimum lifespan of one year.

For an uninterrupted gas supply, high-quality materials are selected such as stainless-steel coolers, vessels, membrane housing, and long-life compressors (less replacements of oil). The guaranteed lifetime of Sulafer® is 8000 operating hours (one year), which is based on an H2S content of 150 ppmV and calculated on its capacity. However, the time in which Sulafer® needs to be replaced depends on two critical factors: the H2S content in the gas and the capacity that needs to be cleaned in one hour. We install two towers of which the first tower is absorbing the peak and the second one does the remaining H2S. The integrated Sulago’s safety system will set off an alarm when the first tower needs to be replaced (at design conditions: 8000 hours).

Conclusion

In conclusion, Sulago® is extremely competitive for small biogas capacities (CapEx; OpEx ratio. Small biogas plants can benefit from this new developed solution, and due to the low maintenance costs return on investments will be realized in no-time. Carbon footprint will be zero because Sulafer® does not contain any form of carbon.

If you have additional questions regarding these applications, please reach out to our sales department by giving us a call on +31 (0)111415 455 or by sending an e-mail to gazpack@gazpack.nl.