three innovative methanation technologies

TATIONpRÆSEN

AARHUSUNIVERSITYDEPARTMENT OF ENGINEERING

THREE INNOVATIVE METHANATION TECHNOLOGIES

Workshop for the promotion of biomethane in DenmarkAgro Food Park12 September 2013

Anders Peter S. Adamsen

12 SEPTEMBER 2013

ANDERS PETER S. ADAMSEN


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THREE METHANATION TECHNOLOGIES

Background

Fluctuating production of electricity from wind turbines

Excess or inexpensive electricity requires solutions

Difficult to store electricity

Easy to store and transport methane where access to natural gas grid

The solutionExcess electricity can be converted to methane by methanation of

carbon dioxide, e.g. in biogas

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Energinet.dk’s vision for fossil fuel freeDenmark in 2050 – The Wind Scenario

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El- Transmission

Gas Transmission

Peak Shave:Gas Turbine

SOFC

Catalysis:MeOH, DME

Gasoline, SNG

District Heating

GasSystemStorage

UpgradeTo

Methane

District Heating

District Heating

SOECElectrolysis

Gasifier/Digester

Capture

Biomass

Air

Low priced

DH

DH

O2

Hea

t

High priced

Cleaning

Compress

Green Synfuels



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Haldor Topsøe’schemical methanation process

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Fuel Cell and Electrolyser12 SEPTEMBER 2013



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Synergy between SOEC and fuel synthesis

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THREE METHANATION TECHNOLOGIESBiogas to SNG via SOEC and methanation of the CO2 in the biogas

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Biogas

Oxygen

Water

Condensate

SNG

SteamMethanator

SOEC



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Gasclean up for sulfur and other impurities in the biogas

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Biogas

Hydrogen

Catalyst AActive Carbon Catalyst B

Cleaned gasto methanator

Test for > 800 hours at Aarhus University, Foulum have shown sulfur removal to be ~100%



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THREE METHANATION TECHNOLOGIES 12 SEPTEMBER 2013



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Biological methanation of biogas – the Electrochaea processConsortium:› Electrochaea.dk ApS› E.ON.› Nordjysk Elhandel AS› Aarhus University

Key numbers:› Period: Jan. 2012 – Dec. 2013› Support from EUDP: 6.6 million DKK› Total budget: ~12 million DKK

› 250 kW as methane› Demonstration over 3,000 hours under

realistic market conditions for electricity and gas

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Power-to-Gas Overview

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Electrochaea: technlogy basic:› Converting Power to Biomethane Using Biological Catalyst

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Electrochaea Process Flow Steps

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Electrochaea’s Biocatalyst› Methanogenic archaea, a single-celled microorganism

› Anaerobic extremophiles› Selectively evolved, not genetically modified

› Oxygen tolerance› Mass conversion efficiency› Reaction kinetics

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Electrochaea’s Biocatalyst: properties

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Direct addition of hydrogen to biogas or the biogas broth – the DTU processDeveloped by Gang Luo, Postdoc, and Irini Angelidaki, Professor

The principle:› CO2 together with H2 could be used by hydrogenotrophic methanogens

for methane production› 4H2+CO2=CH4+2H2O

› In Denmark, H2 could be obtained by electrolysis of water using the surplus electricity from wind mills

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DTU’s upgrading concepts

DTU has developed both ex-situ and in-situ biogas upgrading technologies which are patented:

› Direct injection in a biogas reactor (in-situ upgrading). Important points

for efficient upgrading in in situ upgrading system› Co-digestion with acidic wastes to keep pH to below 8.0

› Distribution of H2 through hollow fibre membranes

› Injection of H2 to a gas flow biogas reactor

› Separate treatment of biogas in a separate biogas reactor (ex-situ

upgrading)

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Concept 1: In-situ biogas upgrading

Very simple process for biogas upgrading

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Concept 2: ex-situ biogas upgrading

An alternative method which does not affect the anaerobic process in the biogas reactor

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Status on the DTU concept

› Currently, CH4 content of 98-99% in the biogas is achieved by

both technologies in the lab.

› The technologies are ready for up-scaling.

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The challengesThe ongoing demonstrations will provide important information on:› Need of gas cleaning – sulfur gasses etc. (Haldor Topsøe)

› Ramp up and ramp down time› Robustness› System integration› Maturity level› CAPEX› OPEX

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Acknowledgement› Haldor Topsøe: John Bøgild Hansen

› Electrochaea: Jeff Fornero

› DTU, BioEnergy Research Group: Gang Luo & Irini Angelidaki

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three innovative methanation technologies

Documents

methanation technologies

methanation of carbon

inexpensive electricity

solutionexcess electricity

fuel synthesis612

fossil fuel freedenmark

wind turbinesexcess

wind scenario312