
Organics to Energy - Food Waste Cogeneration
Implementing a secure, uniform site-wide system for enhanced safety and emergency response.
Challenge
The installation of an anaerobic digester in a large high-rise in New York City presented several unique challenges. The digester, sourced from Europe, was among the first of its kind in the U.S., requiring meticulous integration with existing building systems. The project demanded precise design for a 1,000 MBH boiler, 165 kW cogeneration engine, and gas conditioning skid, all in the constrained basement space of an operational building, with minimal disruptions to its daily functions.
Solution
Hallam-ICS served as the engineer of record, delivering a comprehensive MEP design and construction administration for this innovative system. The team provided advanced designs for:
- Gas conditioning for the biogas by drying, filtering and mixing with natural gas as needed.
- Cogeneration engine with the power produced tying into the existing electrical system and the heat recovery water used for building heat, kitchen services, domestic water and aiding in the digestion process.
- Existing electrical usage studied to determine best tie-in point for generator.
- Boiler used when the engine is not operational to burn the continuously produced gas and provide hot water for the heat recovery loop.
- Digester, engine and boiler installed in the basement of an existing building. All services had to be tied into operating systems with minimal interruption.
- Control system for all heat recovery and balance of plant equipment to communicate with owners existing building management system.
Results
Our team accomplished the following:
- Designed and commissioned an innovative biogas conditioning system to optimize gas usability by drying, filtering, and mixing biogas with natural gas.
- Engineered the cogeneration system to produce power and heat, repurposing it for building heating, kitchen operations, and digestion processes.
- Successfully integrated all systems into a live operational building, minimizing interruptions while ensuring compliance with stringent local regulations.