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HZI BioMethan complete initial Feed-In trial for French biogas upgrading project

Acting as general contractor, Hitachi Zosen Inova BioMethan GmbH (HZI BioMethan) is constructing a digestion line with a biogas upgrading facility in Brie-Comte-Robert, France. The initial feed-in of biomethane into the network of Gaz Reseau Distribution France (GRDF) in March 2017 marked a key milestone for the project, which is now on the verge of completion.

HZI BioMethan complete feed-in trial for Brie biogas upgrading project (photo courtesy HZI Biomethan).
HZI BioMethan complete feed-in trial for Brie biogas upgrading project (photo courtesy HZI Biomethan). HZI BioMethan complete feed-in trial for Brie biogas upgrading project (photo courtesy HZI Biomethan).

Germany-based Hitachi Zosen Inova BioMethan (HZI BioMethan), a subsidiary of Switzerland-headed engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) contractor HZI Group, has announced that it has successfully completed initial feed-in of biomethane into the network of Gaz Reseau Distribution France (GRDF) in Brie-Comte-Robert, France.

In addition to a digester system, the Brie project comprises a gas upgrading facility with membrane technology to deliver feed-in capacity of 130 Nm³ per hour of biomethane. The network operator’s so-called CRIGEN test was passed in March, with a one-week trial operation being followed by a three-week evaluation to analyze precisely whether the biomethane meets with GRDF’s gas quality requirements.

– The test is the network operator’s prerequisite for the feed-in and decisive for the finishing work. Thanks to the performance of the HZI membrane technology with above-average CO2 and methane selectivity, there were no issues, said Lars Kiaup, Project Manager at HZI BioMethan.

The initial feed-in of biomethane into the GRDF gas network thus took place even earlier than planned. The internal performance test run could subsequently begin at the end of March, with the parameters contractually agreed with the client being checked over a period of 72 hours. All that now remains for the project team to do is the final work and the handover to the client.

The concept behind the HZI biomethane facility is characterized by the flexibility it delivers in terms of upgrading capacity, producing an average of 130 Nm³ per hour. The operator plans to double this amount in a later phase of operations to 260 Nm³ per hour or 2.21 million Nm³ of biomethane per annum. As a result, HZI BioMethan has already taken this possibility for expansion into account in constructing the plant.

Brie is part of an overall contract for plant construction in France, under which five further projects are currently being constructed or developed by HZI BioMethan.

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