Introduction:
The customer’s company operates in the wastewater treatment sector, focusing on the production of biogas through aerobic or anaerobic digestion of various biodegradable materials. The resulting gas, which consists of 60/70% methane, serves as fuel for both the digester’s boiler and electric generator engines. We should have implement IoT for Biogas monitoring system.
To comply with strict safety regulations and normative requirements, a reliable and precise reporting of batch measurement data is essential for the efficient logistics of the company. Therefore, the implementation of a trustworthy data monitoring system plays a crucial role in this industry.
Requirements:
To optimize operations, the customer requires the monitoring of gas flow from the biodigester and the maintenance of a comprehensive data log.
For instance, immediately after feeding the digester, there is typically a significant increase in gas production. Additionally, seasonal variations, such as cold temperatures, can impact gas production. Hence, the customer seeks effective methods, including wastewater level sensors and a wastewater monitoring system, to measure and manage wastewater accurately.
Additionally, the customer is interested in exploring advanced wastewater treatment equipment to enhance the overall process.
Proposal
The proposed system is based on an industrial data logger, plus two gas flow meter sensors.
Two key points are the installation environment and the properties of the gas to be measured.
A data logger with an IP67 protection level is required due to the external installation. For this reason, the selected data logger is the NEXT Industries’ NI400 model (151 mm x 136 mm x 90 ).
This compact instrument has an IP67 cabinet, and the internal electronic boards have a complete conformal coating. Conformal coating, a layer of transparent plastic film, acts as protection against moisture and other contaminants. The NI400 can withstand in this way harsh environments, and the high-precision measurement characteristics can be maintained for a long time.
This data logger has a powerful 32-bit CPU, with two GB (4.000.000 measure) of internal non-volatile memory that provides a very long autonomous data logging capability.
But the NI400 electronic circuits are also designed to reduce the power supply requirements to the minimum. This device can work for some months (up to 12 months with 4 channels acquiring everyday data sending) with one using the internal battery pack.
The alarm-generation capability, that required by the customer, is fulfilled by the internal GPRS wireless modem. Based on the measured data, the system can send SMS messages, and/or FTP, and/or emails. In case of an alarm, a relay output can be activated.
Of course, this wireless connection can transmit the measurement data, but it is also possible to download it with a simple USB key.
The gases are mainly methane and CO2, but also H2S and wet vapor are present, and this has corrosive effects. For this reason, specific gas flow sensors have to be installed. We used two BFM mass flow meters: one on the digester output and one to measure the burned methane in the boiler.
Each flow meter has two 4-20 mA outputs: one for the gas flow and another for the temperature. The flow meters are connected to the four 4-20 mA inputs of the NI400.
Smartphone and tablet
Plant monitoring on the web with a tablet or smartphone is possible thanks to cloud service. IoT Cloud Web Portal is a web service to monitor and control remotely all your field devices. By logging in at Zionos, you face a hosting portal of “cloud management services” that enable you to monitor and control your equipment in a fast, efficient, and professional way.
Conclusion
An IoT for Biogas Monitoring system has recently been implemented, integrating advanced measurement and communication capabilities. The system allows for the seamless monitoring and data logging of various parameters related to wastewater treatment, including wastewater level sensors and other cutting-edge monitoring equipment.
Utilizing cloud services, users have the added flexibility to effortlessly customize and configure their dashboards by simply dragging and dropping widgets. These highly customizable dashboards serve as a powerful tool to display critical information, enabling users to make well-informed decisions that lead to increased system efficiency and improved overall performance.
By implementing this innovative IoT for Biogas Monitoring system, organizations can expect significant benefits in terms of system behavior and operational efficiency. With its ability to accurately measure and monitor wastewater, streamline data collection, and provide real-time insights, the system promises to enhance wastewater treatment processes and equipment in a cost-effective manner. The return on investment for this solution is anticipated to be swift, making it an invaluable asset for businesses seeking to optimize their wastewater treatment capabilities.