EVALUATION OF BIOGAS PRODUCTION AND USAGE POTENTIAL

The aim of the research is the development of theoretical and methodical bases for determining the feasibility of plant raw materials growing for its further bioconversion into energy resources and technological materials to maximize profit from business activities. Monograph, statistics, modelling and abstract logical methods have been used during the research. Directions of biogas usage have been examined. Biogas yields from different crops have been analyzed. It has been determined that high methane yields can be provided from root crops, grain crops, and several green forage plants. So, forage beet and maize can provide more than 5,500 m3 of biogas per hectare. Attention is paid to the use of by-products of biogas plants, especially carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide is an important commodity and can increase profitability of biogas plant operating. It can be used for different purposes (food industry, chemical industry, medicine, fumigation, etc). The most important parameters of the biogas upgrading technologies have been analyzed. If output of an upgrade module is more than 500 nm(3)/h, investment costs of different available technologies are almost equal. According to experts, it is economically feasible to use anaerobic digestion biogas systems to upgrade biomethane provided their performance is equivalent to 3,000 litres of diesel fuel per day. The economic and mathematical models have been suggested to determine the feasibility of growing plant materials to maximize the gross profit. The target function is the maximum gross income from biogas utilization. It has the following limitations: annual production of biogas, consumption of electricity, heat and motor fuels. The mathematical model takes into account both meeting own requirement and selling surplus energy resources and co-products including carbon dioxide. In case of diesel fuel substitution, an ignition dose of diesel fuels has been considered. The algorithm for making a decision on construction of a biogas plant has been offered.