CO2-Neutral Bio Converter Using Ammonia Cracking and Activated Carbon
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current biodigester technologies face challenges in achieving high methane yield and purity, efficient carbon dioxide conversion, and safe hydrogen storage, with limitations in using activated carbon masses due to low hydrogen absorption capacity and complex gas scrubbing requirements.
Innovation Solution
A carbon dioxide-neutral biodigester plant design that utilizes elemental hydrogen and hydrogenotrophic/methanogenic archaea in conjunction with activated carbon masses, where hydrogen is generated through ammonia cracking and injected into the fermentation liquid, allowing for enhanced methane production and purification, and utilizing activated carbon masses that can bind heavy metals for safe fertilizer use.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If activated carbon masses are added to increase methane yield, then biogas production is improved, but hydrogen absorption capacity remains insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical and chemical parameters of the carbon material by using activated carbon masses with specific surface area and pore structure characteristics. This modification enables enhanced hydrogen absorption capacity while maintaining the methane yield enhancement effect, resolving the contradiction between productivity and hydrogen storage capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite material structures combining activated carbon with other functional materials to create a synergistic system. This composite approach allows the material to simultaneously provide methane yield enhancement and improved hydrogen absorption capacity, addressing both requirements without compromise.
2Productivity
If hydrogen is introduced into the fermentation liquid, then methane production is enhanced, but safety risks increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary substance or system that facilitates safe hydrogen delivery to the fermentation liquid. This intermediary mechanism enables hydrogen to be introduced in a controlled manner, maintaining high methane production while mitigating safety risks through proper hydrogen handling and delivery systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical hydrogen delivery systems with alternative methods such as chemical hydrogen carriers or catalytic hydrogenation systems. This substitution allows hydrogen to be introduced more safely and controllably, reducing the risks associated with high-pressure gas handling while maintaining enhanced methane production.
3Manufacturing precision
If complex gas scrubbing is implemented to purify biogas, then methane purity increases, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes only the essential gas scrubbing functions from complex multi-stage systems. By identifying and implementing only the necessary purification steps, the patent achieves high methane purity while significantly reducing device complexity, eliminating unnecessary components from traditional gas scrubbing systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent designs a gas scrubbing system where a single component or process step performs multiple functions simultaneously. This multi-functional approach achieves high methane purity through integrated purification mechanisms, reducing the need for separate dedicated scrubbing stages and thereby reducing overall device complexity.
4Adaptability or versatility
If electrolysis is used to produce hydrogen, then hydrogen availability is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a continuous hydrogen production system that operates alongside the fermentation process. By maintaining continuous hydrogen availability through integrated production mechanisms, the system reduces the need for energy-intensive batch electrolysis operations, thereby lowering overall energy consumption while ensuring consistent hydrogen supply.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a self-service hydrogen production system where the fermentation process itself generates hydrogen as a byproduct. This self-service approach eliminates the need for separate energy-intensive electrolysis operations, as the system produces its own hydrogen requirement through the biological degradation of organic materials, significantly reducing energy consumption.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution achieves a significant increase in methane yield with high purity (>90 vol.%) and complete carbon dioxide conversion, eliminating the need for complex gas scrubbers and enabling the use of digested biomasses and activated carbon as safe fertilizers, while providing a carbon dioxide-neutral and energy-efficient process.
Implementation Method 1
the digestion of biological, in particular organic, materials with the aid of microorganisms (bacteria, fungi and/or other cell cultures). However, fermentation can also be accomplished by the addition of metabolically activated enzymes or other biologically activated molecules, such as nutrient substrates of the microorganisms
Implementation Method 2
utilizing activated carbon masses that can bind heavy metals for safe fertilizer use
Implementation Method 3
hydrogen is generated through ammonia cracking and injected into the fermentation liquid
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a carbon dioxide-neutral bio converter facility (BKA) according to FIG. 1, comprising: —at least one bio converter (BK) for a single-stage or multistage production of biogas (BG) by fermenting biomass (BM) in a fermentation liquid (GF) which is moved using agitation means in the presence of elemental hydrogen, hydrogenotrophic and methanogenic archaea, and activated carbon compositions (K; KM), —an ammonia store (NH3) which, by means of an ammonia line (NH3L), is connected to—an ammonia cracker (AC) for producing hydrogen and nitrogen (H2/N2) by catalytically cracking ammonia, and—a line (LH2/N2) for introducing the generated hydrogen (H2) or the hydrogen-nitrogen mixture (H2/N2) into the at least one bio converter (BK), and/or—a device (VBK) for treating the activated carbon compositions (K; KM) with hydrogen (H2) at a high pressure, comprising a pressure line (25) and an injection lance (28) for injecting the hydrogen-containing carbon compositions (K; KM) into the fermentation liquid (GF), wherein the ammonia is produced using renewable energy, and the ammonia cracker (AC) is operated using the renewable energy. The invention also relates to a conversion method, to a method for injecting hydrogen-containing carbon compositions (H2K; H2KM), and to the use of the fermentation products (KBM).