BIOENERGY CASE STUDY
Longer Service Intervals for Biogas Engines
See how a German farm’s biogas plant used Tan Delta oil condition monitoring to extend engine service intervals and reduce maintenance costs and oil consumption.
400 HOURS
Previous service interval
800 HOURS
Revised service interval
50% REDUCTION
Maintenance costs and oil consumption
THE OPERATION
A German Farm’s Biogas Plant
The case study covers a 150-hectare farm in Germany cultivating mixed crops and livestock. Its biogas plant operated two anaerobic digesters and two biogas-fuelled engines, supplying electricity to the grid.
The operator needed to reduce maintenance costs and downtime while maintaining engine reliability.
THE CHALLENGE
Variable Fuel, Fixed Service Intervals
Variations in biogas composition placed demands on the engines’ lubricating oil. Fixed 400-hour servicing did not account for actual oil condition, leading to usable oil being discarded and unnecessary maintenance downtime.
The operator needed better information to guide servicing while maintaining reliability.
THE SOLUTION
Condition-Based Biogas Engine Servicing
Tan Delta SENSE-2 kits were retrofitted to both engines to continuously monitor oil condition. The readings helped the operator assess when maintenance was needed, rather than relying on fixed operating-hour intervals alone.
Continuous Oil Monitoring
SENSE-2 kits track oil condition while the engines are operating, providing ongoing visibility of changes between scheduled services.
Condition-Based Servicing
Oil condition data helps the operator plan servicing around actual engine need. Abnormal changes can prompt earlier investigation and preventative maintenance.
THE OUTCOME
Average Service Intervals Doubled
Using oil condition data to guide servicing, the operator increased the interval from 400 hours to an average of 800 hours. Tan Delta reports a 50% reduction in maintenance costs and oil consumption for this application.
The operator also reported fewer unexpected breakdowns, with continuous monitoring supporting earlier investigation and preventative maintenance.
Source: Tan Delta Systems’ published bioenergy case study. Results relate to this application and will vary with equipment, operating conditions and maintenance practices.
LOCAL TAN DELTA SUPPORT
Discuss Your Biogas Engine Monitoring Requirements
Speak with Oreflow about monitoring your biogas engines and supporting equipment. We can help assess your equipment, installation and data-access requirements to identify suitable Tan Delta monitoring options.