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Facilities emitting 25,000 metric tons of CO2e each year are required by the EPA to report annual greenhouse gas emissions per EPA mandate 40 CFR Part 98. Subpart II covers reporting for methane emissions from industrial wastewater treatment facilities to even ethanol production and food processing.
Biogas
Methane (CH4) in the form of biogas naturally occurs from the decomposition of organic material in the absence of oxygen, which typically occurs in an anaerobic reactor or anaerobic lagoon. Biogas usually contains approximately 65% CH4 and 35% CO2 and traces of other gases.
Digesters break down the waste in the wastewater process, and digester gas (methane and carbon dioxide) is created. Digester gas can be converted to renewable energy to fuel onsite boilers and flare the excess. Other systems can use the gas to generate electricity, sell the power to local industries, or even create fuel for natural gas-fueled vehicles.
Anaerobic digester gas is dirty, wet, and contains contaminants that can collect within the piping. A thermal flow meter has no moving parts making it an optimum choice for this application. Most wastewater digester gas applications function at low pressure, and thermal mass flow meters have no pressure drop. The SAGE Meter has an extremely low-end sensitivity, which is needed to handle the very low flow typical of digester gas. Gas mass flow meters are used throughout this process to optimize the process and comply with EPA regulations.
Because of their low-end sensitivity, the SAGE flow meter can accurately measure extremely low velocity, down to 5 SFPM, making it extremely useful for biogas, digester gas, landfill gas, and flare gas operations.
Summary
With EPA now requiring emitters to report annual GHG emissions, flow meters are being scrutinized to find the best ways to measure and report data. Thermal mass flow meters are becoming the preferred choice to monitor and measure GHG emissions in various applications. One of the primary advantages a thermal mass flow meter has over volumetric meters is that it measures mass flow. The SAGE products are state-of-the-art, and the manufacturer is the first to bring a digitally-driven sensor, a graphical display, and onsite calibration verification to market. The SAGE meter is the only TMFM that provides a convenient, in-situ, and in-line calibration check that assures the flow meter retains the original NIST traceable calibration and is accurate.
To read the Sage Metering white paper “Greenhouse Gas Emissions Monitoring Using Thermal Mass Flow Meters,” visit Sage GHG Emissions White Paper.
