At the largest University campus AD/Biogas plant in the United States, a chopper pump made by Landia has now completed eight years of continuous robust service, despite the very tough environment of being in a food waste and FOG (fats, oils and greases) reception pit.
The facility at Michigan State University (MSU), which converts over 22,000 tons of food waste annually (from campus dining halls and local food processors, plus manure from MSU’s dairy farm) into renewable energy, opened in 2013, complete with the same Landia Chopper Pump (model DG-I 105).
Contributing towards the process of generating 2.8 million kilowatt-hours of electricity per year from the organic waste, the Chopper Pump (which was invented by Landia in 1950), reduces particle sizes as it transfers approximately 5,000 to 10,000 gallons per day into the digester mix tank.
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‘Durable and low on maintenance’
Louis Faivor, Farm Assistant Manager at MSU (South Campus Anaerobic Digester Operator), said:
“Considering the amount of delivered food waste we receive that is contaminated with gloves, bags, dishes and various other debris, the Landia Chopper Pump continues to prove reliable. In fact, it has only received its second rebuild just recently in the whole of the eight years since it was installed when the AD plant first opened back in 2013, which proves just how durable and low on maintenance it is”.
Designed with a unique knife system at its inlet that continually reduces solids in size and ensures no clogging or blockages, the Landia Chopper Pump is easy to service and also low on energy consumption.
‘Very tough indeed’
Dana Kirk, an Associate Professor from MSU’s Department of Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering, who oversees the AD operation, added: “Since the plant opened eight years ago, we have managed to reduce contamination levels, but food waste is always susceptible to debris that can damage equipment. The more we can keep the trash out, the longer time period we can go without replacing wear parts. The second rebuild was common wear parts, including the impeller and seals. It is very tough indeed”.
A separate reception pit contains cow manure from the MSU Dairy Teaching and Research Center, while the food waste transferred by the Landia Chopper Pump is sourced from several campus dining halls, food processing and manufacturing facilities in southern Michigan – plus fat, oils and grease from local restaurants. The feedstocks from both the manure and food waste reception pits are pumped into the 10,000-gallon mix tank, where they are blended.
From the power created, only about 20% is needed to sustain the AD process; the rest offsets energy consumption in 10 MSU south campus buildings; equivalent to generating enough energy to power about 250-300 homes. The nutrient-rich fertilizer created through the biogas operation is used on agricultural land.
Landia Ltd
- 0194 8661 200
- info@landia.co.uk
- http://www.landia.co.uk
- Waymills Industrial Estate, Whitchurch, Shropshire, SY13 1TT GB
About us
Landia's headquarters are located in Lem, which is how it has been since 1933. Today, Landia has subsidiaries in England, Germany, Norway and the US, and a sales office in China. In addition, Landia products are sold in 45 countries worldwide. Landia supplies pumping and mixing solutions to many different industries, with the most important ones being agriculture, wastewater, biogas plants and the fish industry. In general, you will find Landia's products wherever there is a difficult medium to be pumped or mixed. Landia survives by selling quality solutions in close partnership with the customers.
Landia is not a supermarket where customers select products from the shelves. Our technical sales people are always in close discussions with customers, which ensures solutions that work. For Landia, quality in every phase a matter of course, and we have been ISO9001 certified since 1994. Quality also means that many of Landia's products have been in operation for 20-25 years even though the operating conditions may be extreme. In that way, Landia's customers achieve the lowest lifespan costs, while resource consumption is minimised, which further results in a positive impact on the environment.
Where we supply to
Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia, South America, North America
Industries we supply to
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