338 ENVIRONMENT ENGINEERING

Aschmann, Volker; Effenberger, Mathias and Gronauer, Andreas

Hydrocarbons in the exhaust gas of

biogas-driven combined heat and
power units
To determine exhaust gas emissions and electrical efficiency, several biogas driven co-genera-
tion units (CGU) were measured on site. If only the concentrations of nitrogen oxides (NOx) in
the exhaust gas were to be minimized, this resulted in increased emissions of unburnt hydro-
carbons and a lower electrical efficiency of the engines. Also, the exhaust gas concentrations
of NOx and formaldehyde were found to be interdependent. Lowest formaldehyde emissions
were measured in conjunction with NOx-values far above limit values. The use of a catalytic
converter effectively reduced CO and formaldehyde levels in the exhaust gas, but showed little
effect on remaining hydrocarbons.

Keywords ■ In order to achieve sustainable and environmentally fri-

Exhaust emissions, hydrocarbons, formaldehyde, biogas, endly power production from biogas, increased attention has to
CHPU, electrical efficiency be paid to pollutant emissions from co-generation units (CGU).
Engine efficiency and emission levels can only be increased si-
Abstract multaneously, if interdependencies are analyzed in detail. So
Landtechnik 65 (2010), no. 5, pp. 338-341, 4 figures, 1 table, far, the focus has been mostly on factors influencing the emis-
7 references sion levels of harmful exhaust gases, i.e. nitrous oxides (NOx),
carbon monoxide (CO) and sulfur dioxide (SO2). Due to the clas-
sification of formaldehyde (HCHO) as a carcinogenic substance,
hydrocarbons from the combustion of biogas have come into
focus. Hydrocarbons in the exhaust gas stem from incomplete
combustion and can reach considerable concentrations if the
engine is poorly set and maintained [1]. In the „German Tech-
nical Instructions on Air Quality Control“ (TA Luft) the limit
value for formaldehyde is 60 mg•m-3 for facilities with a firing
thermal capacity of more than 1 MW [2]. Having classified
formaldehyde as carcinogenic and therefore as a component re-
quiring supervision, the so-called „air pollution control bonus“
was introduced with the amendment of the German Law on Re-
newable Energy (EEG) in 2009. This bonus grants an additional
compensation of 1 Euro cent per kWh electrical energy fed into
the grid if the CGU meets a limit value of 40 mg•m-3 formalde-
hyde in the exhaust gas. At the same time, methane as the main
hydrocarbon component in the exhaust gas of (bio)gas-driven
engines should not be neglected. Methane is a powerful green-
house gas (GWP=25) and can contribute to the carbon footprint
of power production from biogas quite substantially.
In this paper, results from an investigation of average long-
term electrical efficiencies of different classes of CGUs are
presented. These values serve as a basis for economic calcu-
lations of biogas facilities. At the same time, exhaust gas emis-

5.2010 | LANDTECHNIK
 339

sions, in particular for formaldehyde and hydrocarbons were Table 1

measured to determine interaction between emission levels
and electrical efficiency of power production. Measuring equipment

Messaufgabe Messgeräte Einheiten

Materials and methods Measuring task Measuring equipment Units
The measurements were made at 10 CGU with different power
Gaszusammensetzung
outputs from 30 kW to 530 kW. During a 4-hour measurement, (CH4, CO2, O2, H2, H2S) AWITE %, ppm
all input streams to the CGU (gas flow, temperature, pressure, Gas composition
and composition as well as combustion air flow and fuel oil sup- Gasdruck und –temperatur Drucksensor, PT100
mbar, °C
Gas pressure and temperature Pressure sensor
ply) and output streams from the CGU (exhaust gas compositi-
on and electricity generation) were monitored (table 1). Total Testovent 410,
Luftvolumen Messimpeller
hydrocarbons were measured with a flame ionization detector m3 • h-1
Air volume Testovent 410,
(FID). Formaldehyde emissions were quantified according to measuring impeller
VDI 3862-2 (DNPH procedure). Zündölverbrauch Wägezelle
kg
Investigations in this project are ongoing. So far, some Consumption of ignition oil Load cell
trends can be recognized which provide insight into factors Gesamt-Kohlenwasserstoffe
Flammenionisations-
detektor (FID) mg • m-3
influencing the level of hydrocarbons in the exhaust gas inclu- Total unburned hydrocarbons
Flame ionization detector
ding formaldehyde. Additionally, the effectiveness of a catalytic
Abgaszusammensetzung
converter (Oxi-Kat) was examined. mg • m-3
(NOx, CO, CO2, O2, Temperatur) Testo 350
%, °C
Exhaust gas composition
Emissions of hydrocarbons (CnHm) DNPH-Verfahren nach
Hydrocarbons in the exhaust gas of a biogas-driven CGU con- Formaldehyd VDI 3862–2
mg • m-3
Formaldehyde DNPH procedure according
sist primarily of methane and are therefore often called „me- to VDI
thane slip“. Methane slip is favored by valve overlapping and
Strommenge
incomplete combustion of fuel due to high oxygen concentrati- KBR Multimess kWh
Electrificy production
on. Increased oxygen concentration for combustion (lean com- Elektrischer Wirkungsgrad Berechnung nach DIN 3046-1
%
bustion principle) is required to reduce NOx formation at high Electrical efficiency Calculation according to DIN
temperatures. While atmospheric oxygen cools the combustion,
an increased air-to-fuel ratio lowers the laminar flame veloci-
ty. This leads to imperfect combustion and higher hydrocarbon
emissions. to increase compression ratio and thereby electrical efficiency.
Depending on engine type and setting, hydrocarbon emis- This causes higher hydrocarbon emissions. The same principle
sions can differ considerably between individual CGUs. As a applies to the pilot injection engines that show similar emissi-
general rule, pilot injection gas engines have a higher methane ons. The 37 kWel pilot injection engine is a negative example
slip due to their higher compression ratio. Hydrocarbon emissi- of faulty engine setting which causes a loss of about 19 % of
on levels can be estimated from calculating energy loss during fuel energy (figure 1). Corresponding carbon emissions are up
combustion. Measured hydrocarbon emissions are regarded as to 900 g CO2-eq per kWh which is clearly above German grid
„methane slip“ and can be related to fuel energy input. At the emission levels.
same time, measured hydrocarbon emissions can be converted
to CO2-equivalents which can then be related to electricity ge- Emissions of formaldehyde
neration in kWh and compared with other methods of power Formaldehyde as part of hydrocarbon output in the exhaust gas
generation. was meanwhile classified as carcinogenic by the Federal Office
Figure 1 shows calculated values of methane slip and equi- for Risk Assessment (BfR). This was the reason for introducing
valent CO2 emissions from the measurements of ten different an „air pollution control“ bonus in the amended German Rene-
gas and pilot injection engines. The gas CGUs with power out- wable Energy Law (EEG) of 2009. An additional 1 ct per kWh
puts of 100 to 324 kWel showed a very low methane slip ran- of electrical energy fed into the grid is paid if the electricity is
ging from 0.3 to 0.7 % of fuel energy input. This corresponds generated in an engine that meets a limit value of 40 mg•m-3
to a carbon footprint of 17 to 41 g CO2-eq per kWh. The gas formaldehyde in the exhaust gas (as opposed to 60 mg•m-3
CGUs with 30 kWel and 526 kWel showed a methane slip of 2.5 according to the „Technical Instructions on Air Quality Cont-
to 3 % corresponding to emissions of 100 to 150 g CO2-eq per rol“, TA Luft) (LAI-decision in 2008). To date, there are few re-
kWh. These high values can be explained by constructional fac- liable data on the factors influencing formaldehyde emissions
tors. The 30 kWel engine is designed as a so-called „high-speed“ under real-world conditions. Measurements of the Technical
engine (3,000 rpm) which increases valve overlapping. In the University Munich at two research engines under test con-
case of the 526 kWel engine, the engine geometry was changed ditions indicated a connection between the levels of NOx and

5.2010 | LANDTECHNIK
340 ENVIRONMENT ENGINEERING

Fig. 1 Fig. 2

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(Oxi-Kat)
Gas-BHKW Oxidation Zündstrahl-BHKW
'ĂƐͲ,<t ƺŶĚƐƚƌĂŚůͲ,<t gas engine converter pilot injection engine
'ĂƐĞŶŐŝŶĞ WŝůŽƚŝŶũĞĐƚŝŽŶ ĞŶŐŝŶĞ
Methane emissions (methane slip) and CO2 equivalent NOx and formaldehyde measurements in the exhaust gas of different
emissions of different CHPU in practice CGUs

formaldehyde emissions [3]. Similar results were obtained from aldehyde level exceeded the limit value according to TA Luft
investigations at biogas facilities by the Saxon Agency for Envi- already for the NOx-optimized setting. For partial load, both the
ronment, Agriculture and Geology [4] and the Bavarian Agency results for emission levels and electrical efficiency were par-
for Environment [5]. ticularly poor with a very high output of hydrocarbons and a
In the engine, radical combustion of fuel to carbon dioxi- reduction of electrical efficiency by almost 4 % (figure 3).
de and water follows different steps, with formaldehyde as an
intermediate. If due to high combustion air input the flame ve- Catalytic converter (Oxi-Kat)
locity becomes too low, combustion becomes incomplete and The use of a catalytic converter is regarded as the cheapest and
formaldehyde cannot be further oxidized. This also applies to easiest solution to remove hydrocarbons and especially form-
certain zones in the combustion chamber. It is assumed that aldehyde from the exhaust gas. However, measurements of ex-
formaldehyde originates from the top land (space between pis- haust gas concentrations upstream and downstream of a cata-
ton and the first piston ring) where no combustion occurs [3]. lytic converter at the 526 kWel gas CGU (see figure 2) provided
Formaldehyde concentrations of individual CGUs measu- some interesting results. Despite a reduction of CO and form-
red in these investigations are rather low compared to the limit aldehyde concentrations in the Oxi-Kat by more than 90 %, no
value of 60 mg•m-3 (TA Luft) (figure 2). However, it can be reduction of other hydrocarbons could be detected (figure 4).
seen that low formaldehyde levels appear almost always in con- This means that while the output of formaldehyde and CO could
junction with NOx concentrations exceeding limit values. This be almost avoided by using a catalytic converter, there was no
indicates a considerable influence of engine settings on formal- effect on the emission of methane as a greenhouse gas. These
dehyde emission levels. findings were also confirmed by [7] who stated that catalytic
Furthermore the positive effect of a catalytic converter (Oxi- converters have no oxidation potential for CH4 as part of CnHm
Kat) can be recognized in figure 2. The use of an Oxi-Kat with emissions.
the 526 kWel gas CGU reduced the formaldehyde concentration
in the exhaust gas to 6 mg•m-3. However, a value of 38 mg•m-3 Conclusions
formaldehyde from the second measurement already indicated Hydrocarbon concentrations in the exhaust gas of biogas-dri-
damage of the Oxi-Kat due to excessive concentrations of H2S ven CGUs depend on several factors among which engine set-
in the biogas. ting plays a prominent role. Beside formaldehyde which is now
To examine the influence of engine settings on emission le- very much in the focus, methane emissions (methane slip) from
vels and combustion efficiency, several CGUs were measured in CGUs with combustion engines should not be neglected, as
three operating states: „NOx-optimized“, „efficiency-optimized“, they can considerably impair the carbon foot print of electricity
and „partial load“ [6]. Here, the influence of engine setting from biogas.
could be seen clearly (figure 3).
Literature
For the efficiency-optimized mode, the electrical efficien- [1] Aschmann, V.; Kissel, R.; Effenberger, M.; Eichelser, R.; Gronauer, A.
cy could be raised by almost 1.5 %, if increased NOx emissions (2007): Effizienzsteigerung, Emissionsminderung und CO2-Einsparung
durch optimierte Motoreinstellung bei Biogas-Blockheizkraftwerken zur
were accepted. The concentration of unburned hydrocarbons dezentralen Stromerzeugung. Abschlussbericht zum Forschungsvorha-
was slightly below the NOx-optimized setting, while the form- ben. Hg. Bayerisches Landesamt für Umwelt, Augsburg

5.2010 | LANDTECHNIK
 341

Fig. 3 Fig. 4
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Exhaust gas emissions and electrical efficiency of a biogas-driven Exhaust gas concentrations of NOx, CO, HCHO and hydrocarbons
pilot injection engine depending on engine setting (CnHm) before and after precatalytic converter (Oxi-Kat)

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Authors
Dipl.-Ing. (FH) Volker Aschmann is technical assistant within Biogas
Technology Working Group at the Bavarian Research Center for Agricu-
lture (LfL), Institute of Agricultural Engineering and Animal Husbandry,
Vöttinger Str. 36, 85354 Freising, E-Mail: [email protected]
Dr. Mathias Effenberger is postdoctoral research fellow within the Bio-
gas Technology Working Group at the LfL.
Dr. agr. Andreas Gronauer is head of this working group.

Acknowledgement
This work was funded by the Bavarian State Ministry of Nutrition, Agricul-
ture and Forestry.

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