Production of Synthesis Gas Comprising Carbon Monoxide and Hydrogen

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This invention presents a process and device for efficiently producing synthesis gas (syngas) containing carbon monoxide (CO) and hydrogen (H2). The process uses a feed gas, preferably biogas (a mixture of methane and carbon dioxide), which is first transformed into an intermediate gas using a fuel cell. This intermediate gas, mainly carbon dioxide and water vapor, is then converted into syngas via electrolysis (co-electrolysis). The system can also use the electricity generated during the process to help power the electrolysis step, boosting overall efficiency.

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• Production of synthesis gas from biogas for the chemical industry
• Manufacture of synthetic fuels such as methanol, synthetic natural gas, or formaldehyde
• Cleaner fuel supply for vehicles using synthetic fuels, supporting the transition from fossil to renewable sources
• Decentralized power-to-gas or power-to-liquid plants at biogas facilities or renewable energy sites
• Utilization of waste biogas from agricultural or municipal sources

BenefitsContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Higher efficiency in syngas production due to process integration (coupling fuel cell to co-electrolysis)
• Reduces greenhouse gas emissions by using biogas and capturing carbon dioxide
• Enables the generation of valuable chemicals and fuels from renewable sources
• Electricity produced in the fuel cell can offset some of the energy needed for electrolysis, reducing external power demand
• The design allows for modular and scalable implementation suitable for different facility sizes

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Patent Abstract

The invention relates to a method for producing a synthesis gas comprising carbon monoxide and hydrogen, comprising: a) providing a feedstock gas comprising methane and carbon dioxide, b) converting the feedstock gas into an intermediate product gas comprising carbon dioxide and water vapor and c) converting the intermediate product gas obtained in step b) into the synthesis gas comprising carbon monoxide and hydrogen by means of electrolysis. A synthesis gas comprising carbon monoxide and hydrogen can be obtained from biogas with particularly high efficiency by means of the described method and the described apparatus (1). To this end, the conversion of the biogas in a fuel cell (2) is coupled with co-electrolysis in an electrolysis cell (8).