Biomethane for Transportation: Viking 32 Hybrid Vehicle and the Vander Haak Dairy Western Washington University Vehicle Research Institute Eric Leonhardt

Vehicle Research Institute Background Why Use Biomethane for Transportation? Challenges with Biogas Experience with Viking 32 Hybrid Future Direction Questions

Vehicle Research Institute

Eric Leonhardt Whitman College, B.A. Economics, 1991 Western Washington University, Vehicle Research Institute, B.S. Industrial Technology, 1995 University of Michigan, M.S. Automotive Systems Engineering, 2000 DaimlerChrysler, CAx Research and Development Electronic Data Systems, Manufacturing Consulting and Implementation Services

Why Use Biomethane for Transportation? Improve economics of the anaerobic digester Alternate market for gas production Provide low-cost fuel to consumers, public transportation, or farming equipment Sufficient fuel quantity Support low emission vehicles Reduce dependence imported oil

Digester Economics Relate electrical energy production to value of CH 4 gas 1)1200 cows x 60 ft^3/CH 4 per day = ft^3 day or 3000 ft^3/hour 2)Produce = $14 per hour or $336/day 3)Lower heating value of CH 4 : ~904 BTU/ft^3 with 90% CH 4 4)BTU per $: (904 BTU/ft^3 x 3000 ft^3/hour) / ($14/hour) Result: 193,700 BTU/$ Compare with Gasoline at $2.50/gallon (West Coast avg): 115,500 BTU/gallon * 1 gallon/$2.50 = 46,200 BTU/$ Roughly 4.2 times more energy per $ for Biomethane (193,700 BTU/$ / 46,200 BTU/$)

Whatcom County Fuel Quantity 66,000 cows * 60 ft ^3 = 3.96x10 ^6 ft ^3 /day CH x10 ^6 ft ^3 * 904 BTU/ ft ^3 =3.58x10^9 BTU 3.58x10^9 BTU / 115,500 BTU/gal ( gasoline ) Result: 30,994 gallons of gasoline equivalent energy per day Over 11 million gallons of gasoline equivalent energy per year

Natural Gas Emissions

Biogas Challenges for Transportation 1.Digester biogas contains ~40% carbon dioxide 2.Biogas contains ~3000 ppm hydrogen sulfide 3.Biomethane must be compressed to 3600 psi to provide sufficient range in vehicle 4.Special fuel system and calibration required for biomethane or natural gas 5.Tank size is four times size of gasoline tank

Solution: Clean Biogas Remove CO 2 Remove H 2 S Common Industrial Process –Petroleum Refining –Wastewater Treatment South Seattle Waste Water Treatment Facility Tacoma Waste Water Treatment Facility

Viking 32 Experience

Viking 32 Objectives Challenge Partnership for a New Generation Vehicle—80 MPG “Family” vehicle Parallel Hybrid 200 HP 2000 lb curb weight 4 Seats

Carbon Fiber Front Impact Absorber

Viking 32 Features Rear Drive: 100 HP Natural Gas Honda Civic 1.7 liter 4 cylinder Front Drive: 100 HP Uniq Mobility DC Brushless Motor Carbon fiber epoxy body and chassis Variable ride height from 6” to 9” 50 MPGe with Natural Gas 44 MPGe with Biomethane

Biogas Scrubber Three stage process 1)Column of iron chips 2)Sodium Hydroxide 10% aqueous solution 3)Desiccant 1.4 scfm pump compressed refined gas to ~1700 psi Iron chips Sodium Hydroxide Desiccant

Results 93.6% CH ppm H2S ~2000 ft3 Gas Collected

Tour de Sol

Lessons Learned Sodium hydroxide is caustic, corrodes metals and equipment Process requires replacement of “Drano” Must have a renewable process for 24/7 operation High gas flow rates require significant gas compression facilities Hydrogen Sulfide at 850 ppm is too high

Future Steps Develop a refining capacity of 7200 ft^3/day or 10% total digester flow Refine with several techniques: MEA – monoethanolamine Polyethylene Glycol Iron Oxide Biological: Thiobacillus with Oxygen

Next Generation Counter flow >80 linear feet 24”x 26” base 4” diameter PVC Modular Units Bioball media

Goals 7200 scf biomethane, ~10% total 15 ppm Hydrogen Sulfide 7200 scf * 904 BTU/gal = 6.5 million BTU Equivalent of 56 gasoline gallons equivalent per day At 30 MPGe, 1690 miles (30 cars served) At 40 MPGe, 2254 miles (41 cars served) Based on 20k miles/year At $1.50/gasoline gallon equivalent, adds $84/day or $30,660 gross per year

Thank you!