Hydrogen and Electrons

from Manure
Philip Goodrich PE
Department of Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering
University of Minnesota
St. Paul, MN 55108
goodrich@umn.edu

R. Vance Morey, David Schmidt, Paul Burns, Matt

Drewitz, Dennis Haubenschild, Amanda Bilek, David
Nelson, Richard Huelskamp

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering

 Advancing Utilization of
Manure Methane Digester

Funding for this project was recommended by the

Legislative Commission on Minnesota Resources
from the Minnesota Environment and Natural
Resources Trust Fund ($204, 375)
Outline
 Background
 Objective
 What we have done
 Why we did it our way
 Some results
 Where we go from here

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering

Background
 Have a well operating digester on an 800
cow dairy herd
 Biogas is being converted to electricity by
130 kW engine generator
 Digester is producing excess biogas

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering

 Haubenschild Dairy Farm Energy
Production
Princeton, Minnesota

Milk Production + Crop Production +

Electrical Production + Future
Hydrogen Production
=
Farm Income Diversification
Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering
View of digester, barn and engine generator building at
time of installation in 1999.

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering

Digester Winter 2005
Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering
 Methane Digester
Breaks down organic matter in
the absence of oxygen to
biogas, which is
CH4 --methane,
CO2 --carbon dioxide,
H2S --hydrogen sulfide,
H2O --water vapor.

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering

Plug-Flow Digester - A small “plug” of slurry is pumped into
one end each day, causing a comparable amount to flow out of
the other end into the storage basin in the background.

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering

 Engine
Generator set:
Internal
combustion
engine with 135
kW 240 VAC
electrical
generator.

Caterpiller 3406

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering

Biogas Production Used in Generator

90,000
80,000
70,000
60,000
50,000
40,000
(ft3/day)
30,000
20,000

Biogas
10,000Produced
0
09/17/99 09/16/00 09/16/01 09/17/02 09/17/03 09/17/04

Date

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering

Opportunity
 Complete side-by-side testing of technology
 Observe odor reduction benefits of system
 Compare emissions of two technologies
 Do something that had not been done
before

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering

Objective

 Evaluate the feasibility of a fuel cell

to convert biogas (methane) to
electricity.
 Next step may be to produce
hydrogen for farm use from biogas.

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering

Procedures to Achieve Objective

 Develop biogas gas cleanup system

 Install fuel cell on digester

 Test the fuel cell
 Monitor systems for energy,
consumption and emissions

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering

Challenges

 Hydrogen sulfide removal

– Initial concentration ~3000 ppm
– Need concentration < 25 ppb
 Moisture removal
– Need dry gas
 Carbon dioxide removal
– Need concentration < 50,000 ppm (5%)

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering

Types of Fuel Cells
 Proton Exchange Membrane -Low temp

 Solid Oxide -High temperature

 Molten Carbonate -High Temperature

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering

Biogas

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering

 A fuel cell is similar to a car battery in that it
produces electricity through
electrochemical reactions. A fuel cell produces
electricity as long as the hydrogen
fuel source and oxygen passes through it.

Heat is also produced and can be utilized for space heating and hot water needs.

Electricity conversion efficiency is around 25%

The energy resources for hydrogen can be biogas, natural gas, propane,
methanol, ethanol, and other hydrogen based liquids or gases.

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering
The building at the left houses the 135 kW engine generator and
the building on the right houses the fuel cell and instrumentation.
One barn is to the right rear of the picture

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering

Fuel Reformer

Fuel Stack

Inverter
&
Battery
Bank

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering 5 kW Plug Power™ Fuel Cell

 Comparing Electrical Generator Technologies

Fuel Cell System Engine Generator System

 Cost per kilowatt is very high.

 Cost per kilowatt is low.
$10,000 -->20,000 per kW
$500 -->1000 per kW

 Biogas must be cleaned up to

 Biogas can be used directly
strict specifications. Adds cost
from the digester with no
and complexity while
cleanup.
consuming energy.

 Fuel cell is an emerging

technology.
 ICE is mature technology.

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering

 Comparing Electrical Generator Technologies
Fuel Cell System Engine Generator System

 Greenhouse emissions and  Greenhouse emissions of CO2,

particulates are very low. SO2, CO and particulates are
significant.

 System is very quiet.  Noise level is very high and

sound mitigation is necessary.

 Few moving parts.  Many moving parts, most

moving in a hot environment
needing oil and cooling.

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering

 Comparing Electrical Generator Technologies
Fuel Cell System Engine Generator System

 Cost of maintenance is  Maintenance is well known.

unknown.

 Fuel cell technology is  Technology is mature and

continuously improving at a changing slowly.
rapid rate.

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering

 Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell (PEM)

Advantages
•Could buy one from a vendor with experience
•Less expensive than others
•Made in lower capacity

Disadvantages
•Low temperature water for heating
•Critical on gas quality
•Lots of gas cleanup needed

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering

Biogas Clean Up

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering

Biogas Clean Up

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering

Biogas Clean Up

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering

Biogas Clean Up

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering

 Gemini Gas Monitor

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering
Emissions from Haubenschild Generator
Compared to Plug Power™
Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) Fuel Cell

Engine Generator Fuel Cell

CO  ( 800ppmv) 4.18 g/kWh  ( <1 ppmv) 0.014 g/kWh

NOx  (2960ppmv) 25.5 g/kWh  (<1 ppmv) <.0023 g/kWh
SOX  (277ppmv) 3.34 g/kWh  (<1 ppmv) <0.030 g/kWh
CX HY  (20460ppmv) 53 g/kWh  (1790 ppmv) 14.5 g/kWh

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering

Where we are now

Fuel cell runs ok on cleaned up gas

Need to get more stable cleanup system
Not getting value for electricity
Where do we go next?
 Compress, transport and sell methane
 Make hydrogen and sell hydrogen

 More value and less regulated

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering

 Environmental and
Economic Benefits

 1) reduced reliance on fossil fuels

2) reduced odors and emissions
3) reduced soil and water pollution
4) supports rural economy

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering

 Project Participants
 Philip R. Goodrich PE, David Nelson PE, Richard Huelskamp, David Schmidt PE,
R. Vance Morey from Department of Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering,
University of Minnesota.

Dennis Haubenschild from Haubenschild Farms, Princeton MN

Matthew Drewitz, Paul Burns, from Minnesota Department of Agriculture

Other participants in this project include:

• Amanda Bilik, The Minnesota Project,

• Verlyn Johnson and Blanca Martinez, BAE
• Henry Fischer, East Central Energy.
• Rob Lowen, Plug Power, Inc.
• Jamie Tooley, CES-Landtec Engineering
• Don White, Donaldson Corp
• David Thimsen, EPRI
• Claudio Martinez & Stephan Becerra ,John Deere Co

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering

 Thank you

Advancing Utilization of Manure Methane Digester

Funding for this project was recommended by the Legislative
Commission on Minnesota Resources from the Minnesota Environment
and Natural Resources Trust Fund

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering