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ThyssenKrupp Nirosta Supplies Stainless for one of World’s Largest Biogas Plants
04/15/2009 - ThyssenKrupp Nirosta is the sole supplier of stainless steel for one of the biggest biogas plants in the world, which is currently under construction in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany.
ThyssenKrupp Nirosta is the sole supplier of stainless steel for one of the biggest biogas plants in the world, which is currently under construction in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany.
The 13-hectare biogas park is being built by WELtec BioPower in the town of Könnern, near Halle. The eco-friendly plant will feature an innovative treatment process that allows the biogas to be fed directly into the natural gas grid.
ThyssenKrupp Nirosta’s stainless steel will be used for stainless steel for tanks and internal components in the plant’s 16 digesters, a central part of the plant in which biological reactions take place. Digesters are characterized by very aggressive gas that attacks most materials.
After full commissioning in 2009, the new biogas park will process around 120,000 tonnes of liquid manure and maize delivered to the site by 30 local farmers. It will use special bacteria to produce around 30 million cubic meters of raw biogas per year. The biogas will be transformed into approximately 15 million cubic meters of biomethane which will be fed directly into the natural gas grid, providing enough energy to heat roughly 10,000 homes for a year. Biomethane production, which optimally utilizes the energy stored in methane, is also CO2-neutral, an additional benefit for the environment. The remaining part of the biogas will be converted into electricity.
The central elements of the plant are the 16 digesters, huge tanks that are 6.30 meters tall and 25 meters in diameter. During biogas production, undesirable components such as sulfur and ammonia are also formed. “These components are very corrosive, placing high demands on the material for the digesters. That’s why we use stainless steel exclusively for our plants,” said Hajo Schierhold, Head of Sales and Marketing at WELtec BioPower. “Comparable solutions using concrete or enameled steel are either too prone to corrosion or much more expensive.”
ThyssenKrupp Nirosta has supplied a total of 1,500 tonnes of material over the past two years for various projects carried out by the Vechta-based plant builder.
The central elements of the plant are the 16 digesters, huge tanks that are 6.30 meters tall and 25 meters in diameter. During biogas production, undesirable components such as sulfur and ammonia are also formed. “These components are very corrosive, placing high demands on the material for the digesters. That’s why we use stainless steel exclusively for our plants,” said Hajo Schierhold, Head of Sales and Marketing at WELtec BioPower. “Comparable solutions using concrete or enameled steel are either too prone to corrosion or much more expensive.”
ThyssenKrupp Nirosta has supplied a total of 1,500 tonnes of material over the past two years for various projects carried out by the Vechta-based plant builder.
“The majority of our deliveries have been our standard sheet steel Nirosta 4301,” said Martin Stöckl, a member of the ThyssenKrupp Nirosta sales team. “What’s particularly important for WELtec BioPower is the cold-worked condition, 2H. This means that thinner steel can be used to build the digesters without any loss of strength and stability. It also means a significant cost saving.”
Another advantage is the extremely smooth surface. “The dense surface of Nirosta 4301 2H gives aggressive substances no opportunity to attack the material,” says WELtec BioPower Sales Chief Schierhold. “Bacteria have no chance to take hold, so corrosion is nipped in the bud, which is an important factor for longevity and efficiency.”
The first units of the new biogas plant are due to start operation in August.
ThyssenKrupp Nirosta GmbH, the biggest single company in the ThyssenKrupp Stainless group, is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of stainless steel flat products with plants in Krefeld, Bochum, Düsseldorf-Benrath and Dillenburg. In fiscal 2007/08 it employed roughly 4700 people and achieved sales of around €3.2 billion.
WELtec BioPower GmbH was founded in 2001 by its parent companies Stallkamp and WEDA. Employing around 50 people, the Vechta-based business designs and builds complete biogas plants using stainless steel and is one of the world market leaders in this sector, having already built more than 200 plants in Europe, the U.S., Japan and Cyprus.
WELtec BioPower GmbH was founded in 2001 by its parent companies Stallkamp and WEDA. Employing around 50 people, the Vechta-based business designs and builds complete biogas plants using stainless steel and is one of the world market leaders in this sector, having already built more than 200 plants in Europe, the U.S., Japan and Cyprus.
