Combined Heat and Power Distributed Generation Renewable Energy

Palmdale Water Reclamation Plant DFC 300 Fuel Cell Digester gas fueled 225 kWe plus heat recovery 73% Electric and thermal eff. Near zero air emissions

39300 30th Street East Palmdale, California Background In 2003, Sanitation District No. 20 entered into an agreement with Quinn Power Systems to demonstrate a Fuel Cell Energy 250 kW fuel cell on digester gas. This program is the first digester gas application of the 250 kW unit. Water Reclamation Plant The Palmdale WRP provides primary and secondary treatment (aerated oxidation ponds) for up to 15 million gallons of wastewater per day. The plant has the capacity to serve a population of approximately 150,000 people. All of the effluent is used for the irrigation of trees and fodder crops on property leased from Los Angeles World Airports. Power Generation and Heat Recovery At full power the fuel cell will produce 250 kW of electricity and sufficient hot water to heat the WRP digesters. The 225 kW net power output represents 34% of the plant demand.Approximately 60% of the available digester gas is consumed by the fuel cell. Digester gas is known to contain moisture and silica compounds that can be harmful to power generation equipment. This facility utilizes gas chilling for moisture removal followed by gas reheat and a series of carbon beds for gas contaminant removal. The molten carbonate fuel cell operates at high temperature to achieve an efficiency of 47%. An internal reformer converts the methane containing fuel into the hydrogen needed to produce electricity Benefits The completed project will provide economical electricity and hot water to supply the plant’s energy needs with a combined electrical and thermal efficiency of up to 73%. Environmental benefits include a reduction of greenhouse emissions, near zero air emissions that are much less than the gas flares, and the reduction of air emissions associated with less consumption of utility central generating plants. By generating power where it is needed there is also a reduced need for utility transmission and distribution facilities. The Sanitation Districts funded this project with assistance from the California Public Utilities Commission’s Self-Generation Incentive Program. As a result of this funding and savings in electrical purchases, the facility is expected to produce electricity cost savings for many years.