Frequently Asked Questions
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Frequently Asked Questions
Questions
  1. What is Peako BGES?
  2. How does Peako BGES generate electricity from biomass?
  3. Besides gasification, how can we make use of the biomass materials?
  4. Comparing biomass gasification with other applications, what are the advantages and disadvantages?
  5. What kind of biomass material can be used in Peako BGES?
  6. What are the Peako BGES requirements on the biomass material?
  7. What is the consumption rate of biomass material in Peako BGES?
  8. Comparing with other biomass gasification systems, what are the advantages of Peako BGES?
  9. What are the essential components in Peako BGES?
  10. What are the major components of Producer gas?
  11. Is the Producer gas poisonous?
  12. Why should we cool down the Producer gas?
  13. Why should we remove the ash and tar from the Producer gas?
  14. What is the use of water separator?
  15. What is the use of the Safety water seal?
  16. What are the risks of the high volt electrostatic precipitator? How to prevent?
  17. After using Peako ESP, what is the Tar content?
  18. What is gasifier sintering? How to prevent?
  19. What can we do if the gasifier sintered?
  20. How many workers are needed per shift?
  21. What is the noise level?
  22. What is the composition of exhaust gas?   Is it harmful?
  23. Is there much effluent from Peako BGES?
  24. What is the waste water in BGES? What is the composition? How to treat?
  25. What kind of solid waste produced? How to handle?
  26. Is there any secondary pollution?
  27. How long does it take to start up the gasifier?
  28. Besides electricity generation, is there any other application?
  29. What is the difference between the power generated from BGES and the conventional power stations?
  30. What are the standard models of Peako BGES?
  31. How long does it take to set up a Peako BGES? What kind of project preparation is required?
  32. Where is suitable for biomass power plant?
  33. How much investment is needed to set up a biomass power plant?
  34. What is the cost of electrical power production?
  35. What are the terms of payment for Peako BGES?
  36. What is the financial payback for investing Peako BGES?
  37. How about the tax?
  38. Can we pay by Letter of Credit (L/C)?
  39. Why doesn't Peako supply the Cooling Tower as well?
  40. Why doesn't Peako supply all main electrical output cables?
  41. Can Peako supply the Electrical Power Factor Improver?
  42. How come there is no pneumatic ash conveying system in new BGES?
  43. Can Peako supply all the ash screw conveyors?
  44. How about the permit applications, e.g. Permit to Build (PTB), Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)?
  45. How about the site installation manpower, tools, lifting crane, welding machine, Oxygen-Acetylene, etc?
  46. How about the cost of commissioning engineers?
  47. What is the amount of self-consumed power?
  48. What is the general technical specification of BGES?


Answers

1. What is Peako BGES?
Peako is the brand name of Peako Group.

BGES stands for Biomass Gasification Engine System.

2. How does Peako BGES generate electricity from biomass?
Biomass material is fed into Peako BGES gasifier, fluidized and heat up to about 750~800 oC in oxygen starving atmosphere to break down the biomass material to produce volatile vapor as a kind of combustible gas. The Producer Gas is cleaned and cooled before feeding into gas engines (e.g. four strokes spark ignition gas engines) to produce electrical power.

3. Besides gasification, how can we make use of the biomass materials?
Besides gasification, the biomass material can be used as feed stock in direct combustion, boiler fuel, anaerobic digestion to produce methane gas, production of solid fuel, production of ethanol, manufacturing of construction materials, etc.

4. Comparing biomass gasification with other applications, what are the advantages and disadvantages?
  1. Direct combustion : the investment is low but the overall efficiency is very low;


  2. Boiler fuel : technically feasible but economically not viable. Biomass can be efficiently used in large boiler plant of >10MW capacity. Besides the huge initial investment, very large quantities of biomass needed to run a >10MW boiler plant induces a very high biomass feedstock logistic cost. It is not suitable to small and medium scale application. Moreover, the high operators?qualification and the problem of slag fouling in boiler plant using biomass feedstock have created high operation and maintenance costs;


  3. Anaerobic digestion : methane gas produced is clean and with pretty high heat value, but the gas production rate is very low making it difficult for commercial application;


  4. Production of solid fuel : it requires much energy and the technology is not mature making it difficult for commercial application;


  5. Production of ethanol : there are available industrial technologies for ethanol production using biomass materials, but the initial investment is huge with high running cost and requires huge quantities of biomass materials. It is only suitable for large scale production and difficult for small or medium scale production;


  6. Production of construction materials : technology is not mature and the quality of construction material is difficult to control. The investment is low but the sales market is difficult;


  7. Biomass gasification : the conversion efficiency is reasonable. The producer gas can be used for electrical power generation, boiler fuel gas, and other heating applications. However, the gasification system is pretty complicated and the producer gas heat value is not high and storage is expensive.
5. How kind of biomass material can be used in Peako BGES?
The usual agricultural material or waste such as Rice Husk, Saw dust, Wood Chips, Straw, Cotton Stalk, Nut Shell, etc. Some biomass materials require shredding before they can be used in the fluidized bed gasifier.

6. What are the Peako BGES requirements on the biomass material?
Since Peako BGES uses Fluidized Bed Gasifier, the biomass material must be in the form of small particles. The size of the particles differs from types of biomass feedstock. For example, it can be as large as 40mm for wood chips. The water moisture content in the biomass material affects the conversion efficiency, and should be reasonably dried before feeding into the gasifier. The water moisture content is recommended to below 18%.

7. What is the consumption rate of biomass material in Peako BGES?
The consumption of biomass material varies with the type and moisture content of biomass material. For rice husk gasification, it needs 1.5~1.8 kg of rice husk to produce 1 kWh of electrical power.

8. Comparing with other biomass gasification systems, what are the advantages of Peako BGES?
  1. Complete system : Peako can provide package service for the entire biomass application;
  2. Modular design : occupy small footprint, less civil works, fast fabrication;
  3. Re-circulating water : Water is treated and recycled to eliminate secondary pollution;
  4. High volt electrostatic precipitator : Very low Tar content in the producer gas of <50 mg/Nm3;
  5. Services : Peako provide comprehensive technical support and after-sale services.
9. What are the essential components in Peako BGES?
  1. Raw biomass feeding system
  2. Gas production system
  3. Gas treatment & pressure control system
  4. Circulating water treatment system
  5. Gas engine and generator system
Per customer's requirements, we can also provide waste heat recovery, telemetry monitoring, etc.

10. What are the major components of Producer gas?
The gas composition varies with different types of biomass feedstock material, different water moisture content, different gasifier loading, etc.
As a general preliminary review, the Producer Gas composition generated from BGES rice husk as feedstock are as follows :
  • N2 : ( 50 - 60 %)

  • CO2 : ( 10 - 20 % )

  • CO : ( 10 - 18 % )

  • H2 : ( 3 - 9 % )

  • CH4 : ( 2 - 6 % )

  • CnHm : ( 0.5 - 3 % )

  • H2O, others : ( 0.5 - 3 %)


11. Is the Producer gas poisonous?
Yes, the content of CO and CH4 is harmful to human being.

12. Why should we cool down the Producer gas?
  • To suit the requirement for the gas engine.
  • To increase the gas energy density.
13. Why should we remove the ash and tar from the Producer gas?
To avoid damages and mitigate wearing of engine cylinder, piston rings, igniter, blockage of gas passages, etc.

14. What is the use of water separator?
It separates water and dust particulate from the gas stream, and also provides a gas buffer to mitigate pressure fluctuation impact to the fuel gas supply to gas engines.

15. What is the use of the Safety water seal?
As a safety feature to avoid overpressure in the gas system; To vent and flare the gas if needed.

16. What are the risks of the high volt electrostatic precipitator? How to prevent?
When the Oxygen content in the producer gas stream exceeds a predetermined limit, there is a risk of explosion inside the electrostatic precipitator. There is an online oxygen monitoring device to shut down the electrostatic precipitator when the oxygen level exceeds the preset limit. Also bursting discs are installed in the electrostatic precipitator and gas stream system to release any sudden build up of pressure in case of explosion or pressure surge.

17. After using Peako ESP, what is the Tar content?
< 50 mg/Nm3

18. What is gasifier sintering? How to prevent?
The gasification temperature may fluctuate or rise sharply due to many causes such as surge of air flow or biomass feed rate. The ash inside the gasifier may sinter together to form a kind of crystal bridge gradually obstructing fluidization gas flow and eventually block the passage. The gasification process should be cautiously controlled to maintain steady temperature, i.e. avoid sudden rise or fall of gasifier temperature.

19. What can we do if the gasifier sintered?
There is not much we can do but to shut down the gasifier. Then clear the sintered ash inside the gasifier, and restart the gasifier.

20. How many workers are needed per shift?
It depends on the mode, scale of operation and the skillfulness of the operators.

For a 400 ~ 1200 kW plant, 2 ~ 4 operators/shift are enough.

21. What is the noise level?
  • The noise level of the Roots blower is about 75 dB while the gas engine is about 110 dB.
  • The equipment shall be housed to mitigate noise impact.
22. What is the composition of exhaust gas?   Is it harmful?
The composition of the gas emission from the gas engine shall likely affected by the type of biomass feedstock, the different brand of gas engines, the loading of the gas engine, the loading of the gasifier, etc.
As a general guideline for preliminary review, the emission from BGES are as follows :
  • CO : ( 0.15 - 0.45 % )

  • HC : ( 10 ~ 30 ppm )

  • NOx : ( 140 ~ 280 ppm )

  • N2 : ( 70 - 80 % )

  • CO2 : ( 15 - 20 % )

  • O2 : ( 0 - 2 % )

It is harmful to human being because there is some CO and CO2.

23. Is there much effluent from Peako BGES?
  • Scrubbing water is treated and circulated for reuse.
  • BGES is designed to have no external discharge of waste water.
24. What is the waste water in BGES? What is the composition? How to treat?
The waste water is generated during the gas cleaning and cooling process, and is contaminated with ash and tar. The ash is settled and the tar is absorbed by the ash inside the waste water treatment system.

25. What kind of solid waste produced? How to handle?
The solid waste produced depends on the type of biomass material. For rice husk, the solid waste is the dry ash and wet ash. The dry ash is an inert material that can be dumped to landfill or recycled to use. The wet ash is dried and recycled to use in the gasification process.

26. Is there any secondary pollution?
Peako BGES is designed to eliminate secondary pollution.

27. How long does it take to start up the gasifier?
It depends on the skillfulness of the operator. Normally it takes 15 to 30 minutes.

28. Besides electricity generation, is there any other application?
Yes, the producer gas is a kind of fuel gas which can be used for combustion application.

29. What is the difference between the power generated from BGES and the conventional power stations?
There is not much difference. The electricity from BGES can be used to drive electrical appliances and it can also be fed to the existing power grid.

30. What are the standard models of Peako BGES?
The standard BGES models are :
  • Peako - 400 -BGES
  • Peako - 800 - BGES
  • Peako - 1200 - BGES
Standard models can be coupled to form larger output to suit the client's need and specific development stages. For example, two sets of Peako-1200-BGES can be operated in parallel to become a 2.4MW system.

31. How long does it take to set up a Peako BGES? What kind of project preparation is required?
It takes about 9 months.
  • Project feasibility study (3 months)
  • Permit application & civil construction (3 months)
  • BGES fabrication and installation (3 months)
32. Where is suitable for biomass power plant?
Areas where there are surplus biomass materials, e.g. rice mill, lumber factory, nut factory, agricultural & forestry areas.

33. How much investment is needed to set up a biomass power plant?
The investment varies with different area, scale and specific requirements. Peako shall recommend options and budget for consideration. For investment budget preparation, the cost of using Peako BGES is about 60~75% of an equivalent coal fired power plant.

34. What is the cost of electrical power production?
It is mainly affected by the cost of the biomass material. For rice husk gasification plant where there is no cost for the rice husk, the power production cost is about US$ 0.02 - 0.04 per kWh. The running cost fluctuates significantly with the mode of plant operation and the local operating conditions. The potential BGES buyers should review their specific parameters to find out the appropriate running cost in their territories.

35. What are the terms of payment for Peako BGES?
  • 30% deposit upon signing of contract
  • 60% before delivery from factory
  • 5% after successful commissioning
  • 5% retention for one year
36. What is the financial payback for investing Peako BGES?
The payback period depends on the project scale and the mode of plant operation. When the BGES is larger, the payback period usually becomes shorter. Based on our experience, the payback period is about 3 ~ 4 years for a 400 ~ 1200 kW plant where the biomass feedstock is merely of any cost. The potential BGES buyers should review their specific operating parameters to work out the project economics.

37. How about the tax?
The Contract price covers the Chinese taxes (including but not limited to customs duty, value added tax, direct or indirect social contribution, stamp duty, and fees not mentioned here) in China. All other taxes or fees (including but not limited to customs duty, value added tax, direct or indirect social contribution, stamp duty, and fees not mentioned here) outside China shall be borne by the Buyer and paid directly by the Buyer to the respective authorities.

38. Can we pay by Letter of Credit (L/C)?
Yes, but the L/C issuing bank must be a reputable bank acceptable to HSBC.

39. Why doesn't Peako supply the Cooling Tower as well?
The Cooling Tower with the associated water pump is bulky with expensive transportation cost. It is more cost effective to purchase by the client locally, while Peako shall provide the cooling requirement.

40. Why doesn't Peako supply all main electrical output cables?
Peako can supply the large diameter output cables at additional cost. But it is more cost effective for the client to buy the cables as the client knows the exact routing and length of the cables.

41. Can Peako supply the Electrical Power Factor Improver?
Yes, Peako can supply the Electrical Power Factor Improver. Peako has specifically developed the Peako Power Factor Capacitance Banks to tailor for BGES operation at a very competitive price. There is not much maintenance needed, but the overall system efficiency is obviously enhanced with the excellent rate of return of investment.

42. How come there is no pneumatic ash conveying system in new BGES?
Peako has developed a speed controllable screw ash conveyor to replace the previous pneumatic ash conveying system. The new screw conveyor is cost effective and environmental friendly.

43. Can Peako supply all the ash screw conveyors?
Yes, but the exact location of the ash silo in relation to BGES must be confirmed so that Peako can design and build the appropriate screw conveyors accordingly.

44. How about the permit applications, e.g. Permit to Build (PTB), Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)?
The client should be responsible for all the local permits application, but Peako shall assist as required.

45. How about the site installation manpower, tools, lifting crane, welding machine, Oxygen-Acetylene, etc?
Peako shall provide installation supervision only. The client shall provide all labors for site installation, as a minimum it comprises of welder, rigger, causal labor, electrician, co-ordination engineer, translator, etc. The client shall provide all workshop tools for assembly, including two welding machines and Oxygen-Acetylene sets respectively. The client shall provide at least 25mt hydraulic lifting cranes for equipment unloading and assembly.

46. How about the cost of commissioning engineers?
The cost, duration and numbers of commissioning engineers shall be stipulated clearly in the sales contract. In general, the client shall provide the freight, food & lodging, local living allowance, local transportation for the commissioning engineers. Peako is responsible for the salary and insurance of the commissioning engineers.

47. What is the amount of self-consumed power?
About   20 ~ 40   kW for 400-BGES;
About   40 ~ 60   kW for 800-BGES;
About   60 ~ 80   kW for 1200-BGES.

48. What is the general technical specification of BGES?

  • Biomass consumption   :   1.5 ~ 2.0 kg/kWh

  • Gas heat value   :   4500 ~ 5500 kJ/Nm3

  • Gas capacity, max.   :   1200, 2400, 3600 Nm3/hr for 400/800/1200 BGES

  • Gasification efficiency   :   > 70 %

  • Self consumed power   :   20 ~ 80 kW

  • Continuous elec. Output   :   85% of rated value