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INTEGRATION OF A COGENERATION SYSTEM INTO A SWINE OPERATION (ENGINE GENERATOR, BIOGAS, SIMULATION)
Abstract
The integration of a biogas-fueled, engine-generator cogeneration system into a farrow-to-finish swine operation is investigated. The design basis and justification for selection of the size and type of components comprising the engine-generator set and the thermal energy storage and utilization system is presented. The cogeneration system was installed on the University of Nebraska Energy Integrated Farm. A model simulating the cogeneration system and farm electrical and hot water demands is developed to investigate the integration of the cogenerator into the daily operation of the farm. The model is written in a hierarchical approach such that subroutines can be modified or replaced to allow analysis of other cogeneration systems. Data was collected on the operation of the cogeneration system and the energy demands of the energy integrated farm. This data is used to validate the assumptions and modeling procedures used. Strategies of starting and operating the cogenerator, based on electrical demand, hot water demand, and biogas availability setpoints for summer, fall, and winter conditions are compared and evaluated using the model. A sensitivity analysis is conducted using winter conditions to indicate the effect of electrical demand setpoints and the constraint of minimum cogenerator operating time on the performance of the cogeneration system. The results of the model are compared by criteria including the frequency of cogenerator starting and the degree in which digester and space heating demands are met. An economic approach was also formulated to evaluate the results. This formulation involves representing the performance of a strategy by the percentage of cogenerated electricity sold to the utility (F(,E)) and the percentage of cogenerated thermal energy dissipated by the cogenerator radiator (F(,Q)). The economic results are presented in a general manner to allow comparison to other values of F(,E), F(,Q), and electricity and fossil fuel rates than those used for illustration.
Subject Area
Agricultural engineering
Recommended Citation
SIEBENMORGEN, TERENCE J, "INTEGRATION OF A COGENERATION SYSTEM INTO A SWINE OPERATION (ENGINE GENERATOR, BIOGAS, SIMULATION)" (1984). ETD collection for University of Nebraska-Lincoln. AAI8428208.
https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/dissertations/AAI8428208