ANALYSIS OF THE ENERGY USE OF BIOGAS IN THE EXISTING COGENERATION PLANT OF A FOOD INDUSTRY
Cogeneration, Biogas, GateCycle, Energy Efficiency.
The concept of energy efficiency when applied in industries can result in significant economic and environmental gains. In most of these plants, there is the demand for thermal and electric energy, making cogeneration systems an adequate application, especially when it comes to food industries. In its processes, there is the generation of waste and effluents with high organic load that need adequate treatment, which is often biodigestion with the formation of biogas. However, for existing cogenerations, the insertion of biogas as a fuel is possible under different energy arrangements, requiring an evaluation of the model that provides the highest cost-benefit ratio. Thus, the present work seeks to determine the most appropriate energy system in terms of efficiency and electric generation for the existing cogeneration of a food industry considering the insertion of biogas as fuel through simulations in the GateCycle software. In addition, a cost-benefit analysis was performed between the energy arrangements studied, considering their implementation and maintenance costs. As a result, all the proposed arrangements are technically viable. However, the one that brings the best financial return to the investor is the insertion of the biogas in the existing boiler, having its co-combustion with biomass.