Biogas upgrading

01.03.2004 - 20.02.2009
Research funding project
Biogas produced from grass or energy crops is a gas mixture containg methane (60-75%), carbon dioxide (23-38%), hydrogen (approx. 2%) and traces of hydrogen sulfide and ammonia. Biogas when produced is saturated with water. Biogas can be used for several purposes: direct combustion, combined heat and power generation, compression and usage as fuel, and the usage as a natural gas substitute after upgrading and compression. For the usage as a natural gas substitute it is important to develop an efficient and robust technology to remove carbon dioxide, humidity and the traces of ammonia and hydrogen sulfide for the specific requirements in rural areas. Current technologies have certain disadvantages: water absorption, for instance, is not capable of reaching the required methane concentration for the direct usage as a natural gas substitute. Investment costs are usually high and the specific energy consumption as well as the consumption of other resources (e.g. cooling water) are rather high. It is the main goal of this project to develop a modern efficient method based on a membrane separation technology and to test the technology in combination with a biogas fermenter for the digestion of energy crops. Another goal of the project involves the screening of new gas analysis techniques for the online monitoring of the product gas. Safety measures for the scale up of the technology and suitable control techniques will be investigated and recommendations will be given. Finally a simulation tool will be developed to model and scale up the investigated technology.

People

Project leader

Project personnel

Institute

Grant funds

  • FFG - Österr. Forschungsförderungs- gesellschaft mbH (National) Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG)

Research focus

  • Climate Neutral, Renewable and Conventional Energy Supply Systems: 30%
  • Sustainable Production and Technologies: 50%
  • Modeling and Simulation: 20%

Keywords

GermanEnglish
Biogasbiogas
Biogasaufbereitungbiogas upgrading
Gaspermeationgas permeation
Pilotanlagepilot plant

Publications