BioMet2020 project final report

BioMet2020 was a joint research project funded by the Business Finland a Finnish government organization for innovation funding and trade, travel and investment promotion. Project was implemented together with AGCO Power, Dinex Finland, Doranova, Jepuan Biokaasu, Valtra, Vilakone and VTT. Project duration was April 2018 - June 2020.
BioMet2020 focused on reducing the obstacles from biomethane usage as a fuel for vehicles by performing research on three different areas:
•Research and develop further a novel biogas upgrading concept developed at VTT
•Research the performance and potentiality of bi-fuel ethanol-methane spark-ignition (SI) heavy-duty engine for NRMM applications
•Perform a literature review of different storage methods for methane in intermediate and vehicular storage
Investigated novel biogas purification concept showed that over 96 vol-% methane concentration is achievable in ambient pressure by using after purification. The test results indicate that efficient regeneration of the soda solution was the bottle neck to reach better biomethane purity.
Storage review showed that new technologies for compressed methane storage is under development. New high pressure technologies allows up to 30 % higher energy content at 250 bar. Adsorbed natural gas storage technologies have demonstrated at 50 bar (MOF) and 100 (AC) bar similar storage capacity as traditional high pressure vessel at 250 bar.
Developed spark-ignition bi-fuel methane-ethanol engine showed great potentiality against the Stage V legislative limit values. Low gaseous emissions were demonstrated with all fuel options: NG, ethanol, DF50 mode and E85. NOx emissions under 10 mg/kWh was achieved in many NRSC and full load test points. Thermal efficiency around 37 % was achieved with methane in multiple full load test points. Results showed that further optimization of engine components and ECU calibration would offer lower emissions and higher efficiency.