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 wastewatertreatment plants in Maryland with varying amount of solids production. Collectively, significantamounts of solids can be consolidated into a centralized facility and potentially produceelectricity when processed via anaerobic digestion and combined heat and power (CHP). Afeasibility study was performed in-part to identify the best fit CHP system to achieve the mostefficient use of the Biogas. The selected CHP system incorporates I/C engines to produceelectricity and recover heat from the engines and exhausts to produce hot water and steam tomeet process thermal demands. Capital cost estimates were prepared and used in a life cyclecost analysis (LCCA) to determine the economic viability of the CHP portion of the project overtime. A conceptual design was developed for the new CHP facility and includes separate gaspre-treatment, engine, electrical, and control rooms.