Use of the biogas from stabilization lagoons : outline of the Palmeiras project in Tumaco (Colombia)
Publicación:
Revista Palmas; Vol. 21 Núm. especial, (2000); 237-240
0121-2923
Revista Palmas; Vol. 21 Núm. especial, (2000); 237-240
0121-2923
Abstract
Palm Oil Mills generate contaminant effluents (P.O.M.E.) with high C.O.D. (+/- 60,000 ppm) and low pH. The most common treatment for these effluents is the ponds or lagoons in series. Nevertheless, these ponds have some environmental and operative drawbacks such as: a) Pollution of the underground water; b) Gradual clogging of the lagoons with the biological sludge generated by the degradation of the organic matter; c) The generation of big quantities of methane (biological gas) in the anaerobic lagoon(s); d)Odor generation when the system is failing. To avoid these inconvenient, which mainly arise as years go by, each mill usually implements and tests its "personal" solution. Although up to date very few of them have been able to avoid atmospheric methane contamination. The palm oil mill PALMEIRAS, located in Tumaco, Colombia, put in operation an efficient pond system many years ago, optimizing it to reduce its environmental impact (sludge, methane), and above all to collect and use the biological gas generated by its main anaerobic pond, considered worth 45.000 US$ per year, to generate electricity. The actual gas production has proved to be considerably more. With the use of technology for the covering of its lagoon with PVC liner (INGEOSINTETICOS) and the utilization of biological gas for electricity production with dual fuel engines (BIOTEC), PALMEIRAS has not only reduced the emanations of methane to the atmosphere, but has also obtained significant savings of diesel fuel which offer return on investment within two years. Las extractaras de aceite de palma generan efluentes contaminantes, de muy alta D.Q.O. (+/- 60.000 ppm) y bajo pH. El sistema más común de tratamiento de estos efluentes son las lagunas en serie. Estas lagunas tienen algunos inconvenientes ambientales y operativos como: a) la contaminación del agua freática; b) la colmatación paulatina de las lagunas con los lodos biológicos generados por la descomposición de la materia orgánica; c) la emanación de grandes cantidades de metano (biogás) en la (o las) laguna anaerobia.; d) la generación de olores cuando su funcionamiento es deficiente. Para lidiar con estos inconvenientes, la mayoría de los cuales se va presentando paulatinamente en los años que siguen a la puesta en operación, cada palmicultor suele improvisar su solución "personal", aunque a la fecha muy pocos han podido evitar la contaminación de la atmósfera con el metano. La Extractora PALMEIRAS (Tumaco) ya disponía de lagunas tradicionales eficientes y optimizó su sistema para reducir su impacto ambiental (lodos, metano) y sobre todo para recuperar y valorizar el biogás generado por su laguna anaerobia, evaluado inicialmente en unos 45.000 US$ por año, para la generación de la electricidad. La producción real de gas superó a las expectativas iniciales. Con la tecnología de cobertura de su laguna anaerobia con carpa PVC (INGEOSINTETICOS) y el aprovechamiento del biogás para la producción de electricidad (BIOTEC), PALMEIRAS no sólo ha reducido sustancialmente las emanaciones de metano a la atmósfera, sino que ha logrado economías importantes de combustible diesel que permiten amortizar en año y medio la inversión realizada.
Palm Oil Mills generate contaminant effluents (P.O.M.E.) with high C.O.D. (+/- 60,000 ppm) and low pH. The most common treatment for these effluents is the ponds or lagoons in series. Nevertheless, these ponds have some environmental and operative drawbacks such as: a) Pollution of the underground water; b) Gradual clogging of the lagoons with the biological sludge generated by the degradation of the organic matter; c) The generation of big quantities of methane (biological gas) in the anaerobic lagoon(s); d)Odor generation when the system is failing. To avoid these inconvenient, which mainly arise as years go by, each mill usually implements and tests its "personal" solution. Although up to date very few of them have been able to avoid atmospheric methane contamination. The palm oil mill PALMEIRAS, located in Tumaco, Colombia, put in operation an efficient pond system many years ago, optimizing it to reduce its environmental impact (sludge, methane), and above all to collect and use the biological gas generated by its main anaerobic pond, considered worth 45.000 US$ per year, to generate electricity. The actual gas production has proved to be considerably more. With the use of technology for the covering of its lagoon with PVC liner (INGEOSINTETICOS) and the utilization of biological gas for electricity production with dual fuel engines (BIOTEC), PALMEIRAS has not only reduced the emanations of methane to the atmosphere, but has also obtained significant savings of diesel fuel which offer return on investment within two years.
Palabras clave:
aceite de palma
plantas de beneficio
lagunas de estabilización
aguas residuales
biogás
combustibles
polución
control de la contaminación
Tumaco
aceite de palma
plantas de beneficio
lagunas de estabilización
aguas residuales
biogás
combustibles
polución
control de la contaminación
Tumaco