OPTI-VFA

Novel monitoring and process control system for efficient production of VFA and biogas in anaerobic digestion plant

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 Obiettivo del progetto (Objective)

'The OPTI-VFA project focuses on improving the reliability, efficiency and profitability of AD processes by novel process monitoring and controlling tools. The main emphasis in the project will be in the development of production of VFA (Volatile Fatty Acids) as a route to bio-based materials, i.e. so-called VFA platform. In the VFA platform, the real time monitoring of VFA production will be of fundamental importance in the success of the further development of this process scheme. In the future scenarios, this platform is foreseen to play an important role in the material recycling in the bio-based economy.

The number of operating agricultural anaerobic digestion (AD) plants has remained insupportable low, despite the numerous environmental advantages of AD process. Therefore, these tools are also applied in the conventional biogas production. The main challenges in the traditional biogas production are high investment costs of digesters, low profitability of biogas and energy production as well as the stability problems of operation especially in co-digestion plants. In this process scheme, the more efficient process control provides an approach to reduce the size and price of newly-built digesters, or to improve the performance and profitability of existing AD plants.

The technological development in the process instrumentation in the OPTI-VFA project will focus on the MEMS-Fabry Perot based spectrometer and the science based calibration (SBC) method together with supervisory control and data acquisition systems for the effective control and optimization of both VFA and conventional biogas production. In all, an OPTI-VFA prototype with these new process instrumentation and automation features will be designed, fabricated, calibrated and tested in a modern AD pilot plant. The participating SMEs in the OPTI-VFA consortium cover the entire value chain in the monitoring and controlling business including sub-contractors for instrument vendors, a monitoring instrument vendor, a process automation company, AD process equipment vendor and an end-user company – an AD operator.'

Introduzione (Teaser)

Researchers are optimising biogas production so that fossil fuels for energy production can be substituted more easily.

Descrizione progetto (Article)

Biogas can be produced in an anaerobic digestion plant, which employs bacteria to degrade organic matter in the absence of oxygen (hence, anaerobic). Despite the positive environmental impacts of these plants, their successful application is hampered by high investment costs and low profitability and operational stability.

Better control and monitoring of biogas production would help increase profitability and stability. The EU-funded http://www.opti-vfa.eu/ (OPTI-VFA) project is aiming at developing a prototype of a novel monitoring and control system based on online volatile fatty acid (VFA) measurement in anaerobic digestion plants.

The prototype uses infrared light to detect changes in VFA concentrations within the digester, and control is achieved through a user-friendly software interface. Laboratory testing has shown that the system is capable of measuring online VFA concentrations, so it is currently being up-scaled for pilot testing at an anaerobic digestion plant.

Anaerobic digestion of organic residuals is eco-friendly because it reduces waste, and it produces green biogas. As such, the OPTI-VFA prototype is set to make a positive impact on this growing, green industry.