The ongoing development and optimisation processes in the field of biogas plant construction present a range of fluidic and thermal challenges. These extend from the optimisation of stirring processes in the fermenters, where the biogas itself is produced, to the technical preparation of the biogas and the combined heat and power plants.
However, another flow-related issue can arise during the approval process for a biogas plant: wind loads. Most biogas plants include not only converters but also other buildings and facilities, such as gas processing plants. Due to their height, these are exposed to strong wind loads that need to be determined. Although biogas plants are often located on level, undeveloped terrain, VDI guidelines for determining wind loads would lead to inaccurate results due to the aerodynamic interactions between individual buildings and facilities.
For this reason, FlowMotion was commissioned to determine the wind loads on the gas processing plants using flow simulations (Computational Fluid Dynamics - CFD). First, a 3D model of the relevant buildings and the processing plant, including all supply and discharge pipes, was created. The surrounding flow field was then divided into individual cells, known as a computational grid.
The simulated buildings were then subjected to real wind conditions, and a transient simulation was performed. This allowed for the determination of not only time-averaged forces but also vortex-induced dynamic forces on the facility.
The subsequent analysis of the simulation results clearly demonstrated that the facility would not be at risk even under extreme wind conditions.
