Finding the Sweet Spot: Maximizing Regional Biosolids Energy Potential for the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission through the use of Combined Heat and Power

摘要

The Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission (WSSC) owns and operates five wastewater treatment plants in Maryland with varying amount of solids production. Collectively, significant amounts of solids can be consolidated into a centralized facility and potentially produce electricity when processed via anaerobic digestion and combined heat and power (CHP). A feasibility study was performed in-part to identify the best fit CHP system to achieve the most efficient use of the Biogas. The selected CHP system incorporates I/C engines to produce electricity and recover heat from the engines and exhausts to produce hot water and steam to meet process thermal demands. Capital cost estimates were prepared and used in a life cycle cost analysis (LCCA) to determine the economic viability of the CHP portion of the project over time. A conceptual design was developed for the new CHP facility and includes separate gas pre-treatment, engine, electrical, and control rooms.