Trickle Bed Bioreactor Methanation for High Conversion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methanation processes using trickle bed reactors have limited space-time yield and low methane concentration, with hydrogen conversion less than 60% and methane yield maximally 56.5%, making them economically inefficient for biochemical methane production from carbon dioxide and hydrogen.
Innovation Solution
A process involving a series of trickle bed reactors with immobilized methane-forming microorganisms, where gaseous substrates are adjusted to stoichiometric ratios in the gas phase, and the process liquid is circulated to maintain optimal pH and nutrient supply, with controlled gas residence time and pressure to enhance conversion efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If gaseous substrates are injected into conventional biogas reactors, then methane production can be increased, but high pressure is required for injection and gas distribution is poor
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a trickle bed reactor design where gas flows through a packed bed of immobilized microorganisms, utilizing gas flow dynamics and liquid trickling to achieve effective mass transfer without requiring high-pressure injection systems. The gas permeates through the porous structure of the packed bed, eliminating the need for complex injection infrastructure.
2Productivity
If gaseous substrates are injected into biogas reactors, then methane yield can be increased, but residence time of gases cannot be controlled
Solution Approach 1:
The reactor design pre-establishes a packed bed structure with immobilized microorganisms that creates defined flow paths and residence time distribution. The gas flow rate and bed characteristics are predetermined to ensure optimal contact time between substrate and microorganisms, eliminating the need for dynamic residence time adjustment during operation.
3Productivity
If trickle bed reactors are used for methanation, then space-time yield can be improved, but methane concentration remains below possible levels
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes multiple parameters including gas flow rate, liquid trickling rate, packed bed composition, and operational pressure to simultaneously achieve high space-time yield and high methane concentration. By adjusting these parameters, the system balances conversion efficiency with product purity, overcoming the limitation of low methane concentration in conventional trickle bed reactors.
4Productivity
If hydrogen is supplied to methanogenic archae, then methane can be produced, but hydrogen conversion is less than 60% and methane yield is maximum 56.5%
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes a packed bed with porous structure that provides high surface area for immobilizing methanogenic microorganisms. This increases the effective biomass concentration and active sites for hydrogen conversion, thereby improving both conversion efficiency and methane yield compared to conventional reactor configurations.
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
This approach significantly increases methane concentration to over 99% and hydrogen conversion to 95-100%, improving the economic viability of methanation by maintaining optimal conditions for methanogenic microorganisms and avoiding acidification.
Implementation Method 1
process for the methanation of gaseous substrates... biochemical production of methane from carbon dioxide and hydrogen
Implementation Method 2
dissolution of the gaseous substrates in the process liquid... mass transfer between gas and liquid
Data Source
Figure 1a~1b
Figure 1c
Figure 2~3
AI summary
The invention relates to a method for gas methanation using sprinkle bioreactors, as well as to a device for carrying out said method. The invention describes a method for methanating gaseous substrates in which the following steps are carried out: a) providing a reactor, filled with culture beds, with methane-forming micro-organisms that are immobilised on the surface of said culture beds; b) sprinkling the culture beds that have the methane-forming micro-organisms immobilised thereupon, with a process liquid, c) supplying a mixture of gaseous substrates to the reactor, the mix ratio of the substrates in the gas phase being selected such that dissolving said gaseous substrates in the process liquid results in a stoichiometric ratio of the gaseous substrates dissolved in said process liquid, and d) conducting the obtained gas mixture out of the reactor. The invention also describes suitable devices for carrying out the method and suggests culture beds which are designed as rotatable discs and arranged in the longitudinal axial direction of the cylindrical region of the reactor. The described method and device make the use of gas methanation more economical, particularly in the biochemical production of methane from carbon dioxide and hydrogen.