OCSD Case Study
Hydrogen from Sewage
SCAP Energy Management Committee Meeting
July 28, 2009
Layne Baroldi
Environmental and Regulatory Affairs Supervisor
Orange County Sanitation District
OCSD Service Area
471
220
2.5
21
568
16
2
square miles
million gallons per day
million population
cities, 3 special districts
miles sewer lines
pumping facilities
treatment plants
Orange County,
California
La Habra
Brea
Fullerton
Buena
Park
La Palma
Cypress
Anaheim
Anaheim
Los Stanton
Orange
Alamitos
Garden Grove
Westminster
Seal
Beach
Santa Ana
Reclamation
Plant No. 1
Pacific
Ocean
Yorba Linda
Placentia
Fountain
Valley
Huntington
Beach
Costa
Mesa
Tustin
Irvine
Newport
Beach
Treatment
Plant No. 2
Ocean Pipeline
Villa
Park
Wastewater Plant Diagram
Influent
Effluent
Preliminary Primary
Treatment Treatment
Secondary
Treatment
Solids
Processing
Solids
Reuse
Solids
Dewatering
Digestors
Central Power
Generation System
Engines
Full-scale
Hydrogen Energy
Station

300kW molten
carbonate fuel cell

From digester gas

Natural gas as a
back up fuel source

Co-produce electric
power, hydrogen
and thermal energy
Participants
+
+
12-Month Study

Determine quantity
and quality of hydrogen

Maximize electricity
and hydrogen

Optimize process efficiency

Establish a hydrogen
fueling station

Analyze data to determine
economic and environmental
benefits
Environmental Goals

Create an alternative
to gasoline

Governor’s “Hydrogen
Highway”

Emissions reduction from
digester gas combustion

Clean / renewable energy
source
Renewable H2 Energy Station Vision
Treatment
Plant
Heat
Power
Biogas
Heat
Solids
Treatment
Fuel
Cell
Hydrogen
Fueling
Station
Digesters
Natural gas (backup)
Hydrogen Co-Production using MCFC
Air
WGS Shift
Biogas
Heat
Exchangers





Heat recovery
Water gas shift
Cooling and water recovery
Hydrogen recovery
Tailgas integration
H2
Purification
Hydrogen
Digester Gas Fed DFC® Power Plants
Wastewater Treatment,
Santa Barbara, CA
Sierra Nevada
Brewery, CA
Kirin Brewery, Japan
Provided by:
Fuel Cells can contribute
to reducing targeted emissions
Target Reduction
VOCs – 250 to 30 ppm (88%)
NOx – 40 to 11 ppm (73%)
CO
– 600 to 200 ppm (67%)
Fuel Cell Reduction
VOC – ND
NOx – 0.3 ppm
CO – 10 ppm
Layne Baroldi
(714) 593-7456
lbaroldi@ocsd.com
Orange County Sanitation District
www.ocsd.com
Central Power Generation System
at Plant No .1
CNG Facility
CNG Dispensers