Processes

Capture and Extraction of Biogas

The process of capture and extraction of biogas is carried out through an underground network of high density polyethylene pipes resistant to the corrosion of the liquids contained in the garbage.

Pipe slotting

After studying the gas potential, the operations personnel are in charge of drilling the areas that are already in the stage of biogas production; subsequently, sections of slotted pipe known as gas collectors are inserted.

CAT-EZM Pile driver

The depth of the wells reaches up to 20 meters (65.6 ft.) and is done by the use of a CAT-EZM pile driver.

Pipe thermofusion

Subsequently, the collectors join the horizontal collector line that will transport the biogas to the next stage of the process. The union of collectors is done through thermofusion and electrofusion equipment.

Flow diagram of the gas collection system (sectors 1, 2 and 3).

The collectors are connected to modulators that have the function of maximizing the capture of biogas as well as maintaining a constant flow and concentration of methane gas through the opening and closing of electrovalves controlled by software specialized in interpreting the results of gas analysis, performed in real time and automatically by the sampling team.

Connecting wells to modulator and modulator

Modulator interior

Main line station

Biogas extraction pump

Electric Power Generation

Prior to the biogas being used as fuel, it is necessary to condition it by eliminating moisture and filtering potentially harmful solid particles to the internal combustion engines.
The drying and filtering station of Biogas works under the principle of cooling by heat exchange, which consists of condensing and precipitating the moisture contained in the biogas.
Once dry, the biogas is conducted through a system of coalescing filters whose function is to eliminate the particles of solid contaminants. The efficiency of this system is over 99%, which ensures that the fuel is ready for use within the generation equipment.
Already conditioned as fuel, it goes to the engine room where there are four internal combustion engines (Caterpillar G3520), each connected to a generator of 1.6 megawatts of electrical power.

This is where the noxious methane gas is converted into clean electrical energy that is used to supply the public lighting systems of Ciudad Juárez and the state capital of Chihuahua.

The high efficiency burner is used to destroy the biogas that is not used as fuel when the generation plant is out of operations due to maintenance work. In this way, it is guaranteed that there won’t be emissions of methane gas into the atmosphere.

Public Lighting Networks’
Energy Supply

The electricity generated by Biogas complies with the voltage and frequency standards required by the Secretariat of Energy; these standards are evaluated in real time through top notch electronic and computational technology that ensures the quality of the energy that is injected into the national electrical system through the point of interconnection to the federal network.

Once inside the network, the electric power goes to the public lighting circuits of the municipalities of Juárez and Chihuahua.
.

Telemetry System

To verify the energy consumption, Biogas carried out the telemetry project that consists in the installation of automated equipment that send the readings of consumption through the cellular network, from each location and to the central offices of The Federal Electricity Commission (CFE). The municipalities of Ciudad Juárez and Chihuahua are the first to have a network of telemetered public lighting throughout Mexico.