Biogas Boiler

One option for using the biogas produced by an AD system is to install a biogas boiler.
This would offset some of the steam produced by a distillerys current boiler, reducing
fossil fuel use.

The biogas boiler page of the tool calculates the capacity of boiler required in order to
use all the available biogas, and calculates the resulting fuel bill saving. The tool also
calculates the amount of subsidy available under the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI), if
the required boiler capacity does not exceed the schemes 200 kW threshold. Key inputs
are:

Thermal Efficiency: biogas has a lower calorific value than natural gas, and
boiler efficiencies are generally lower. Information from suppliers suggests 80% is a
typical value.

Steam Requirement Factor: this is the proportion of time in a normal

operating week during which steam is required e.g. the proportion of time during
which at least one still is running. It is used to calculate the required boiler capacity,
and so a high level of accuracy is only necessary where the capacity may be close to
the RHI threshold.

Enthalpy of Feed Water/Steam: users who are interested in the mass of

steam generated can adjust these inputs to reflect the steam requirements and boiler
feed water temperatures of their distillery. As a default, it is assumed steam is

required at a pressure of 8 bar. The economic results of the tool are calculated from
kWh of steam produced, and so are not affected by changes here.

Capital, Installation and Maintenance Costs:the tool provides an estimate

of boiler capital cost based on the required capacity and information obtained from
suppliers. Maintenance costs are assumed to be 5% of capital costs.