Process for Generating Methane And/or Methane Hydrate from Biomass

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This patent describes a highly efficient process for generating methane gas and/or methane hydrate from biomass (such as wood, manure, sewage sludge, or even certain organic wastes). The method involves converting biomass into a pulp, compressing and heating it to supercritical conditions, removing disruptive solids and salts, then performing catalytic gasification to yield methane-rich gas. The process can create either compressed methane gas or easily transportable solid methane hydrate, maximizing methane yield and catalyst longevity.

Use CasesContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Production of renewable natural gas from agricultural waste, forestry byproducts, manure, and sewage sludge.
• Creation of methane-based fuels for automotive, industrial, and residential heating uses.
• Integration into biogas plants to improve output efficiency and extend feedstock versatility (enabling processing of wetter or otherwise non-fermentable biomass).
• Generation of solid methane hydrate for easier storage and long-distance transportation.
• On-site generation of methane for remote industrial facilities or power plants using local biomass waste.
• Production of salts rich in nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium as byproducts for use as agricultural fertilizers.

BenefitsContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• High thermal and energetic efficiency compared to traditional biomass gasification methods, with potential 70-80% practical efficiency.
• Ability to use a wide variety of organic feedstocks, including materials traditionally difficult to ferment, such as woody biomass and wet wastes.
• No need for prior drying of wet biomass, reducing energy consumption and cost.
• Efficient removal of salts and disruptive solids improves catalyst life and process stability.
• Production of methane hydrate allows for convenient and economical storage or shipping of methane.
• Process can operate under high pressure, enabling direct feeding of methane to gas grids or fuel cylinders without requiring further compression.
• Byproduct salts can be recovered and used as fertilizers, supporting circular and sustainable agricultural practices.

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Patent Abstract

A process for generating methane from biomass has the following steps: (a) a biomass pulp is produced from the biomass by setting an optimum dry matter content, (b) the biomass pulp is put under pressure, (c) in order to liquefy the solid organic components of the biomass pulp, the biomass pulp is heated under pressure, (d) the thus pressurised and heated biomass pulp is further heated up to at least the critical temperature of the mixture, (e) solids deposited under pressure and increased temperature are separated from the remaining fluid phase, and (f) at least part of the remaining fluid phase is gasified in a reactor under pressure and increased temperature to form a methane-rich gas. This provides a highly efficient process because a large part of the substances which hinder catalytic gasification, in particular salts, can be separated from the mixture by precipitation in supercritical conditions. A high methane yield and a high reaction speed can thus be achieved for catalytic gasification, at the same time as a long service life of the catalyst.