Call for innovative solutions for online monitoring of biogas plants

The objective of this call for project is to implement online solutions (tools/sensors) in order to optimize the operation of  Anaerobic Digestion (AD) plants performed in wet and dry processes to produce biogas. 

We are looking for tools ensuring a better control of the process to overcome the industrialization challenges of AD, particularly, digitalization. 

• The main objective is the online analysis of complex matter, more or less fluid (digestates), that circulate in pipes.
• Another objective can be the real time analysis of mixes in tanks, before or after digestion.

This  call is open at the international level. However, a Proof of Concept (PoC) will take place in France and the first units will probably be installed in France too. Therefore the technical and operational documentation should be available in French and in English at least.

The solution must be at TRL 7 minimum and ready to be industrialized.

Deadline for submission: 2021/03/31

• The winner will be invited to participate in a Proof of Concept (PoC) in order to test the solution in real conditions, in collaboration with several ENGIE entities involved in biogas industrialization.
• The implementation on an existing biogas plant will allow to identify or verify the real interests, limits and performance at operational scale. All the performance tests, analyses should be carried out in the PoC.
• If the solution is satisfying according to the PoC, its deployment on all ENGIE Biogas plants could be recommended at the group level.

The solution should allow through the on-line instrumentation to carry out a real time monitoring of the digester functional parameters such as Dry Matter (DM), Volatil Solids (VS) or Organic Matter (OM), Volatil Fatty Acids (VFA or FOS), Total Alcalinity (TAC), NH4+, pH, solved gases(H2, CO, O2)

The objective is:

• To obtain a real-time monitoring of the above parameters
• To reduce the time and costs devoted to laboratory analyses 
• Consequently, to improve the operator's reactivity to face of potential problems on the biology of digesters (such as VFAs accumulation or high nitrogen concentration) inhibiting the proper functioning of microorganisms 
• Ultimately to improve the operational performance of biogas plants.

The tool should be able to be connected or integrated to ENGIE's digital tools in order to recover data from sites. ENGIE’s digital tools include our hypervision Darwin as well as onsite automation systems and SCADA, which technologies varies for almost each site. The interfaces and integration will be part of the PoC.

The PoC will be conducted through a close cooperation with several ENGIE entities, under the general supervision of the CEIGAR:

• The CEIGAR (Centre d’Expertise Industrielle sur les Gaz Renouvelables), an operational corporate team supporting ENGIE’s biogas projects and road map, will coordinate the call and some aspects of the PoC such as design and construction issues, global operation and evaluation
• ENGIE Lab CRIGEN, research center of ENGIE Group, will support the call and the PoC thanks to strong experiences in AD and monitoring technologies. 
• ENGIE DIGITAL and the DARWIN team will be in charge of the technical issues for including the solution in the hyper vision system
• A Business Unit will provide the access to one site in France for the operation implementation (to be determined)

The PoC shall not, in any case, disturb the operation team and thus the tests will be conducted between the company and a dedicated ENGIE Team (no direct contact allowed).

A close cooperation with ENGIE DIGITAL and the DARWIN team will be required: the condition for this cooperation shall be agreed before the signature of the PoC.

The selection is based on the study of application files (see « Application content » in attachment) 

• Q&A through ENGIE Innovation’s platform https://innovation.engie.com/en/calls-for-projects
• Preliminary selection by the committee
• « Pitch » from the finalists to the committee (on site or digital meeting)
• Final Q&A if necessary
• Selection

Contact : Marianne Gallardo, Calls for Projects Manager.

Email : marianne.gallardo@engie.com