Ensure the safety of your staff, assets, and revenues with Assentech’s collection of biogas products. These devices are designed to mitigate the risks of fires and explosions, effectively diminish atmospheric emissions, and contribute towards environmental preservation.

Our offerings are uniquely suited to cater to the distinct treatment processes found in municipal, agricultural, landfill gas, as well as food and beverage applications.

In addition, we supply biogas control valves and assemblies that commonly integrate with multiple digester gas systems, anaerobic digesting systems, and other wastewater treatment processes to streamline operations and enhance safety.

When Small Changes Create Big Risks: Valve Adjustments in Biogas Applications

During a recent biogas inspection, we found that the pressure relief valves had been manually modified. Site personnel had added around 4 kg of weight to the pressure pallet in an effort to reduce emissions.

 While the goal may have been to minimise gas loss, this unverified change increased stress on the digester and posed a serious risk, especially once the valves had been serviced and restored to leak tight condition.  That may not sound like much but it added 15,000 kg of lifting force to the digester roof.

 Increasing set pressures without confirming the digester’s design pressure can compromise system integrity.

 Our advice: Any such modification should go through a formal Management of Change process. If higher operating pressures are essential, confirm that the digester can safely accommodate them. Otherwise, settings should be reverted.

We also identified corrosion pitting in aluminium vacuum pallets, caused by elevated H₂S levels. While aluminium was originally chosen to reduce costs, this application likely requires stainless steel for better long term resilience, especially at the current -5 mbarg setting which can support heavier components.

This case highlights the value of informed engineering decisions over improvised fixes. We are here to support you with the right materials, pressure settings, and change control procedures.

 Need support reviewing your relief valve strategy? Let’s talk.