Demonstration of Industrial System with Real-time Response to Fuel Stock Variability: Ultraclean Fuel-switching Industrial Heater to Augment California’s Biogas Energy Production

This project sought to demonstrate a low-emissions combustion system capable of switching from biogas, a renewable fuel, to a conventional gaseous fuel, either natural gas or propane, in real time without disrupting the operation of the boiler. This system was tested in a commercial boiler installation at the Chiquita Water Treatment Plant operated by the Santa Margarita Water District. Fuel-switching combustion systems such as this will encourage small to medium buildings, such as hospitals, hotels, and large supermarkets, to use their waste streams to fulfill their energy needs. This technology benefits California by promoting a larger renewable energy portfolio and improving air and water quality. The development involved advancements in burner, fuel sensing, and control technologies. Based on laboratory tests that showed the capability of these technologies to perform real-time fuel switching with ultra-low emissions, a fully functional pre-commercial burner and control system was designed and installed on the boiler. Regrettably, the demonstration could not proceed due to time and administrative constraints coupled with host-site availability. However, results and knowledge gained from developing this demonstration project have clearly shown the technical feasibility of using a real-time fuel-switching system in industrial settings.