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Renewable Energy

Nanoparticles in CO2 separation

31 March 2023 by AEGLE TECHNOLOGY

Introduction:

The continuous increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) levels due to human activities, such as burning fossil fuels and deforestation, has led to global warming and climate change. One of the solutions to mitigate the harmful effects of CO2 emissions is to separate and capture CO2 from industrial and biogas emissions. Several methods have been developed to achieve this, but the use of nanoparticles in CO2 separation from biogas has shown great potential due to its benefits. 

Captured CO2 presents an opportunity elsewhere as, globally, some 230 million tonnes (Mt) of carbon dioxide (CO2) are used every year. The largest consumer is the fertiliser industry, where 130 Mt CO2 is used in urea manufacturing, followed by oil and gas, with a consumption of 70 to 80 Mt CO2 for enhanced oil recovery. Other commercial applications include food and beverage production, metal fabrication, cooling, fire suppression and stimulating plant growth in greenhouses. Most commercial applications today involve direct use of CO2.

Biogas is a renewable energy source that is produced by anaerobic digestion of organic waste such as animal manure, crop residues, and food waste. Biogas typically contains about 50-70% methane (CH4) and 30-50% carbon dioxide (CO2), as well as trace amounts of other gases such as hydrogen sulfide (H2S) and water vapor. The CO2 in biogas must be separated before it can be used as a fuel, as the presence of CO2 reduces the heating value of the gas and can cause corrosion in pipelines and equipment.

Traditional methods for separating CO2 from biogas include physical absorption, chemical absorption, and membrane separation. However, these methods have limitations such as low selectivity, high energy consumption, and high capital costs. Nanoparticles offer a promising alternative for CO2 separation from biogas, as they can provide high selectivity, low energy consumption, and low capital costs. This white paper discusses the benefits of using nanoparticles in CO2 separation from biogas.

Nanoparticles and CO2 separation from biogas:

Nanoparticles are particles with sizes ranging from 1 to 100 nanometers. They exhibit unique properties such as high surface area to volume ratio, high reactivity, and size-dependent optical, electrical, and magnetic properties. These properties make nanoparticles attractive for various applications, including CO2 separation from biogas.

Nanoparticles can be used in two main ways for CO2 separation: as sorbents or as membranes. In the sorbent approach, nanoparticles are dispersed in a liquid or solid matrix and used to selectively adsorb CO2 from biogas. In the membrane approach, nanoparticles are incorporated into a polymer matrix to form a thin film that allows the selective permeation of CO2 while blocking other gases.

Benefits of Nanoparticle-based CO2 Separation

  1. High selectivity:

Nanoparticles can be engineered to have high selectivity for CO2 over other gases in biogas, such as CH4 and H2S. This means that they can selectively capture CO2 while leaving other gases behind. Nanoparticles have a high surface area-to-volume ratio, which allows them to adsorb CO2 effectively. This results in a higher purity of captured CO2 and lower energy consumption for downstream purification with minimal loss of CH4, which is the main component of biogas.

  1. Improved kinetics:

The use of nanoparticles in CO2 separation from biogas improves the kinetics of the separation process. Nanoparticles have a high diffusion coefficient, which means that CO2 molecules can diffuse into the pores of the nanoparticles quickly. This results in a faster separation process, leading to a higher CO2 capture rate.

  1. Reduced energy consumption:

The use of nanoparticles in CO2 separation from biogas can reduce the energy consumption required for separation. The high selectivity and improved kinetics of nanoparticles reduce the energy required for downstream purification. Additionally, nanoparticles can be regenerated at lower temperatures, resulting in lower energy consumption during regeneration. Nanoparticle-based CO2 separation processes can operate at lower temperatures and pressures than traditional methods, which reduces energy consumption and operating costs.

  1. Scalability:

The use of nanoparticles in CO2 separation from biogas is scalable. Nanoparticles can be produced in large quantities, making them suitable for large-scale industrial applications although producing high quality and consistent nanoparticles is challenging. Additionally, the use of nanoparticles does not require significant changes to existing separation processes, making them easy to integrate into existing systems.

  1. Cost-effective:

The use of nanoparticles in CO2 separation from biogas is cost-effective. Nanoparticles are relatively cheap and can be produced using a variety of methods, including sol-gel, precipitation, and nanospray-drying. Additionally, the reduced energy consumption and scalability of nanoparticles lead to lower costs of separation and capture. Nanoparticle-based CO2 separation processes require less equipment and infrastructure than traditional methods, which lowers capital costs.

 

Which nanoparticles are most promising for CO2 separation?

Several types of nanoparticles have been investigated for CO2 separation, but some have shown more promise than others.

  1. Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs): MOFs are a class of porous materials that consist of metal ions or clusters coordinated to organic ligands. They have high surface areas and tunable pore sizes, making them attractive for CO2 separation. MOFs have shown high selectivity and fast kinetics for CO2 separation from biogas.
  2. Zeolites: Zeolites are porous materials with a crystalline structure that consist of aluminum, silicon, and oxygen atoms. They have a high surface area and well-defined pore structure, making them suitable for CO2 separation. Zeolites have shown high selectivity for CO2 separation from biogas, but their kinetics can be slower compared to other nanoparticle types.
  3. Metal Oxides: Metal oxide nanoparticles, such as silica and titania, have also shown promise for CO2 separation. They have high surface areas and can be functionalized to increase their selectivity for CO2 separation. Metal oxide nanoparticles can be synthesized using a variety of methods and are relatively inexpensive compared to other nanoparticle types.
  4. Carbon-based nanomaterials: Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are cylindrical carbon molecules with high aspect ratios and high surface areas. They have shown high selectivity and fast kinetics for CO2 separation. CNTs can be synthesized using a variety of methods, but their production can be expensive compared to other nanoparticle types. Also graphene-based materials have been explored for CO2 separation due to their high surface area, tunable pore structure, and chemical stability. They can be functionalized with various chemical groups to enhance their CO2 selectivity and adsorption capacity.
  5. Silica nanoparticles: Mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) and other silica-based materials have been studied for CO2 capture because of their high surface area, tunability, and stability. They can be functionalized with amine groups, which have a high affinity for CO2, to improve their separation performance.
  6. Polymer-based nanoparticles: Nanoparticles encapsulated within or adsorbed to polymers, such as polyvinylamine (PVAm) and polyethyleneimine (PEI), have also been investigated for CO2 separation. These materials can be synthesized with a high density of amine functional groups, which can selectively capture CO2 through chemisorption.

It’s important to note that research in this field is ongoing, and the most promising nanoparticles for CO2 separation may change as new materials are developed and existing materials are further optimized.

Market potential for using nanoparticle for CO2 separation.


The market potential for using nanoparticles for CO2 separation is significant and is expected to grow in the coming years. The global demand for CO2 capture technologies is driven by several factors, including increasing regulations on CO2 emissions, the need to mitigate climate change, and the growing demand for cleaner energy sources. The use of nanoparticles for CO2 separation offers several advantages, including high selectivity, improved kinetics, reduced energy consumption, scalability, and cost-effectiveness.

According to a report by MarketsandMarkets, the global market for CO2 capture, utilization, and storage is projected to reach $4.9 billion by 2027, growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 15.1% from 2022 to 2027. The report states that the use of advanced materials, including nanoparticles, for CO2 capture is one of the key drivers of market growth.

Image source: www.marketsandmarkets.com

Carbon capture and storage (CCS) technologies have been identified as crucial components in the fight against climate change, and nanoparticles could potentially improve the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of these processes. Some of the factors contributing to the market potential include:

  1. Increasing CO2 emissions: As global industrial activities continue to grow, CO2 emissions are expected to increase as well, leading to greater demand for effective and efficient carbon capture technologies.
  2. Regulatory policies and incentives: Governments worldwide are implementing stricter regulations on CO2 emissions and providing incentives for companies to invest in carbon capture technologies. This will likely drive the adoption of innovative solutions, such as nanoparticle-based separation techniques.
  3. Advancements in nanotechnology: Ongoing research and development in nanotechnology are leading to the discovery of new materials and methods that can improve the efficiency of CO2 separation. This can lower the costs of carbon capture and make it more attractive for industrial applications.
  4. Growing interest in clean energy: The global shift toward clean and renewable energy sources is driving the need for technologies that can help reduce greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuel-based power plants and other industrial processes.

Potential applications across industries: Nanoparticle-based CO2 separation technologies can be employed across various industries, such as power generation, cement production, steel manufacturing, and chemical production, among others.

However, it is essential to note that the market potential is also subject to several challenges, including the need for further research to optimize the use of nanoparticles, the scalability of the technology, and the potential environmental and health risks associated with nanoparticles.

Challenges and Future Directions

Despite the benefits of using nanoparticles for CO2 separation from biogas, there are still some challenges that need to be addressed. One of the main challenges is the scalability of the nanoparticle-based processes. While large-scale production and processing of nanoparticles is a common place, high quality, size-consistent and high purity nanoparticle production can be challenging and expensive. Another challenge is the potential toxicity of some nanoparticles, which may pose environmental and health risks if released into the environment.

Future directions for research on nanoparticle-based CO2 separation from biogas include the development of more efficient and selective nanoparticles, the optimization of process conditions for maximum separation efficiency, and the evaluation of the environmental and health impacts of nanoparticle-based processes.

Conclusion:

The use of nanoparticles in CO2 separation from biogas offers several benefits, including high selectivity, improved kinetics, reduced energy consumption, scalability, and cost-effectiveness. These benefits make nanoparticles an attractive option for CO2 capture and separation from biogas emissions. Further research and development are needed to optimize the use of nanoparticles in industrial applications, but their potential as a solution to mitigate CO2 emissions is promising.

MOFs, zeolites, metal oxides, CNTs, graphene, silica and Polymer based nanoparticles have all shown promise for CO2 separation from biogas. Each nanoparticle type has its advantages and disadvantages, and their suitability depends on the specific separation application. Further research is needed to optimize the use of nanoparticles in CO2 separation and to determine the most promising nanoparticle types for large-scale industrial applications.

The market potential for using nanoparticles for CO2 separation is significant and is expected to grow in the coming years. The increasing demand for CO2 capture technologies, coupled with the advantages offered by nanoparticles, makes them a promising solution for mitigating climate change and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. However, the actual growth of this market will depend on the development of effective, cost-efficient, and scalable solutions, as well as supportive regulatory policies and incentives.

Filed Under: Advanced Materials, BGplus, biomethane, Nanotechnology, Renewable Energy Tagged With: Advanced Materials, BIogas, CO2

Energy crisis? the beginning of the end for gas-fired power in Europe

6 January 2023 by AEGLE TECHNOLOGY

Gas-fired power generation, which is currently part of Europe’s electricity backbone, is being threatened by high prices, market challenges and the declining cost of renewable energy. Rystad Energy research shows that with recent gas prices, it would be 10 times more expensive to operate gas-fired power plants in the long-term than to build new solar PV capacity in Europe.

While gas prices are not expected to remain at such high levels in the medium-to-long-term, when and if they fall, gas will struggle to remain competitive in Europe’s power mix.

This research uses the levelized cost of energy (LCOE) for gas and coal-fired power generation at different price levels and compares it to the LCOE of solar PV and wind.

Original article from Rystad Energy: https://www.rystadenergy.com/news/energy-crisis-the-beginning-of-the-end-for-gas-fired-power-in-europe

Filed Under: Renewable Energy Tagged With: Aegle Technology, Energy Independence, Europe

Biogas optimisation investment opportunity

4 July 2022 by AEGLE TECHNOLOGY

Biogas is:

  • A mixture of gases, primarily consisting of methane (CH4), carbon dioxide (CO2) and small amounts of hydrogen sulphide (H2S)
  • Produced by anaerobic digestion using micro organisms inside a digester, biodigester or bioreactor
Biogas optimisation investment opportunity BGplus BioGAS+
  • A useful by-product of processing waste from a variety of industrial sources
  • A renewable fuel and energy source for heating, cooking, and power generation

Biogas Market Analysis

A Biogas producer’s revenues are generated by:

  • Fees for waste processing
  • Sale of biogas for heat and electricity generation
  • Sale of biomethane
  • Sale of digestate (fertilizer and other uses)
  • Various subsidies
Biogas optimisation investment opportunity BGplus BioGAS+

The global biogas market size was valued at USD 60.06 billion in 2021

The EU biogas market alone is currently worth EUR 24 billion and is estimated to double by 2030

Biogas optimisation investment opportunity BGplus BioGAS+

BGplus (BioGAS+) is a ready to use additive that increases the production of Biogas and the ratio of Methane (CH4) to CO2 without overdosing or harming the resident microbiota.

BGplus contributes directly to the metabolism of microbes, with the bioavailable minerals needed at each moment, for any microbe, and for any feedstock

Tests show that BGplus:

  • Significantly Increases biogas production by at least 30% (up to 300%)
  • Shortens the time taken to process waste
  • Restores and rescues biodigesters, saving time and money

Competitive advantage

  • BGPlus is available for sale now in a proven formulation
  • Barriers to manufacturing the product are extemely high
  • Technical knowledge needed to formulate the advanced materials based based substrate is not readily available
  • Aegle technology has existing stock and the means to manufacture more, in large quantities as required
  • BGplus has been submitted as a registered trademark

We are looking for Euro 1 million investment to:

  • Run trials in large biogas facilities
  • Ramp up production
  • Hire sales representatives
  • Cover management costs

Investors will receive shares in Aegle Technology SL, a company incorporated in Barcelona, Spain, NIF: B-09728221

For more information contact us:

AEGLE TECHNOLOGY SL

Rambla de Catalunya, 25 1-1, 08007 Barcelona, Spain

Christopher W. Young (CEO)

Cameron Dewey (Chief Investment Officer)

chris.y@aegle_technology.es

cameron.dewey@aegle_technology.es

Filed Under: BGplus, BioGas, BioGAS+, biomethane, investment, Renewable Energy

BioGAS+ partnerships – optimising the biogas industry!

25 June 2022 by AEGLE TECHNOLOGY

  • Are you a consultant or service provider to the Biogas industry?
  • Would you like to earn additional revenue while helping your customers?
  • Does your customer have a recalcitrant feedstock, unstable digester, odour problems with sulphur or a dying microbiota? 
  • Or would they just like to increase their production yield?
  • We can help you, to help your customers!

About Us

Aegle Technology (https://aegle-technology.es) is an advanced materials innovation, commercialization, and production company.   

We research and develop new advanced material solutions, take to market our own, and third-party, patents and have the know-how and facilities to manufacture products of the highest quality.

We are based in Barcelona, Spain, and work closely with both scientific experts and industry leaders to further technology innovation.

Introduction

BioGAS+ is the first ready-to-use additive for anaerobic digestion based on advanced materials.  It has obtained the highest ever-reported improvement of biogas production +285% and other significant benefits (following DIN-38414 standard)[1], with cellulose as feedstock.

A world first

BioGAS+ contributes directly to the metabolism of microbes, with doses of bioavailable minerals that they need at each moment, for any microbe and for any feedstock. 

This is a paradigm shift in the Biogas Production optimisation.

BioGAS+ is an additive based on safe and sustainably engineered advanced material optimisation of anaerobic digestion processes increasing the production of biogas and concentration of Methane.

BioGAS+ partnerships

The process that converts organic waste into gas is optimised simply by adding a small dose of BioGAS+ to either a large waste treatment reactor, a septic tank, or a homemade bio-digester.

BioGAS+ is a disruptive technology

BioGAS+ obtains the highest ever-reported improvement of biogas production: triples (200% increase) the biogas yield with cellulose as feedstock in laboratory conditions and obtains over a +30% methane ratio increase in real industrial settings, with real feedstock and with optimal concentrations below the 1% (with respect to the Volatile Solids). 

Existing technologies approach this problem by pre-treatment of the biomass, thermalisation of the waste and combination of feedstock but only obtain modest production increases. Moreover, many tend to be costly to implement requiring structural changes in the biogas production plant or process. 

Beyond an unprecedented methane production increase, BioGAS+ also offers additional advantages, including:

Optimises production

  • Reduction of the digestate fraction (more biogas means more digestion).
  • Higher waste degradation (the digestate is less, and less reactive).
  • Increase digestion process stability (more reproducible).
  • Reduction in retention/residential time by accelerating the digestion process.
  • Proven to reduce H2S levels (precipitated in the form of pyrite).
  • Reduction on the amount of foam produced (small particles trap detergents decreasing foam).
  • Enrichment of the residual material (digestate) with iron ions to obtain by-products with increased economic value such as high-quality fertilizers.
  • Reduce aerobic digestion (AD) plant energy consumption.
  • Minimize undesirable side effects in biogas plants such as the odours associated to Hydrogen Sulphide and Ammonia, thus reducing the cost of associated conditioning measures.
  • Precipitation of phosphorus (into ferric and ferrous phosphate).

Easy to use

  • Simple additive that can just be added onto the incoming sewage (it does not require any change in the biogas plant industrial process).
  • No requirement to pre-treat the substrate/feedstock or maintenance to preserve the microorganisms.
  • Can be used with any kind of anaerobic digester
  • Process is fully scalable.

Improves biomass

  • Increase in the diversity of biomass feedstock (oil, fat, meat) as it has been proven very suitable for “difficult to digest” (recalcitrant) feedstock.
  • More efficient use of biomass feedstock (low energy waste) due to the increased biogas/methane production.

Restores and rescues

  • Disinfection of pathogens and multi-resistant bacteria.
  • Solution to inhibitory substances. 
  • Rescue of digesters with problems.

Our offer

Aegle Technology is interested in partnering with Biogas experts who look to further their capability to solve their customer’s problem’s and provide added value through combining our product and their know-how. 

Aegle Technology offers BioGAS+ partners a 15% commission.

For more information:

Please contact us for additional information on BioGAS+ partnerships, and to begin to optimize your own business with BioGAS+.

BioGAS+ BGplus effectiveness case study
BioGAS+ BGplus

Aegle Technology SL

Rambla de Catalunya, 25, 1º

08007 Barcelona, Spain

+41 78 600 8995

sales@aegle-technology.es


[1]  E Casals, R Barrena, A García, E González, L Delgado, M Busquets‐Fité et al. Programmed iron oxide nanoparticles disintegration in anaerobic digesters boosts biogas production. Small 10, 2801-2808, 2014

Filed Under: BGplus, BioGas, BioGAS+, Renewable Energy

BioGAS+ with Biostarter by Metanogenia SL –  Case Study – June 2022

23 June 2022 by AEGLE TECHNOLOGY

About Us

Aegle Technology (https://aegle-technology.es) is an advanced materials innovation, commercialization, and production company.   

We research and develop new solutions, bring our own, and third-party, patents to market, and have the know-how and facilities to manufacture products of the highest quality.

We are based in Barcelona, Spain, and work closely with both scientific experts and industry leaders to further technology innovation.

Introduction

BioGAS+ is the first ready-to-use additive for anaerobic digestion (AD) based on advanced materials, offered by Aegle Technology. It has obtained the highest ever-reported improvement of biogas production +285% and other significant benefits (following DIN-38414 standard)[1], with cellulose as feedstock.

Biostarter is an innovation developed by Metanogenia S.L. (Badajoz, Spain) based on high-efficiency anaerobic cell cultures adapted to the treatment of specific agricultural and food industry waste and by-products. In this case study, microbiota for slaughterhouse and oil mill by-products was selected.

Using knowledge extracted from preliminary studies, a round of BMP assays was carried out at optimized Hydraulic Retention Times (HRT) and BioGAS+ dosing (0.01% of Fe3O4NPs vs total volatile solids, w/w) in digesters with slaughterhouse by-products as feedstock. Additionally, an extra assay with goat’s dairy farm by-products (goat’s cheese whey + manure) was carried out in parallel.

Three combinations of substrate, HRT and BioGAS+ dosing were studied:  

Slaughterhouse Waste: 

  • 0.01% BioGAS+ dosing and 31 days HRT
  • 0.01% BioGAS+ dosing and 27 days HRT

Goat’s cheese whey + manure:

  •  0.1% BioGAS+ dosing and 20 days HRT

Addition of BioGAS+ yielded increases to biogas production, biomethane production, biomethane richness and energy yields for all three assays. Of special relevance are the absolute and relative increases of energy yields obtained when BioGAS+ is added.  

Figure 1. Relative increases in biogas production and energy yield when applying BioGAS+ compared to baseline production

These are remarkable results considering that BioGAS+ was added to reactors already highly optimized with the use of Biostarter adapted to each substrate and only marginal (if any) increases were expected. Higher production increases are to be expected if added to reactors which are not already optimized. 

RESULTS 

Slaughterhouse Waste: 

0.01% BioGAS+ dosing and 31 days HRT:

A +36% in biogas and a +40% in biomethane production per m3 of substrate vs baseline. A 59% decrease on Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) of the digestate.

0.01% BioGAS+ dosing and 27 days HRT:

A +5% in biogas and a +9% in biomethane production per m3 of substrate vs baseline. A 62% decrease on COD of the digestate.

Table 1 summarizes the effect of adding of Biogas+ to a reactor that already works with Biostarter. In other words, what BioGAS+ contributes to Biostarter.

Table 1. Quantification of the effects of applying Biogas+ to Biostarter for slaughterhouse by-products

Goat’s cheese whey + manure:

0.1% BioGAS+ dosing and 20 days HRT:

A +10% increase in biogas and a +16% in biomethane production per m3 of substrate vs baseline. A 51% decrease on COD of the digestate (in this case, a decrease of a 29% also in comparison with the “Biostarter alone” baseline).

Higher energy yields are obtained with added BioGAS+, showing an increase from 32.2 to 37.3 Nm3 methane/m3substrate. A similar effect is observed on the methane richness of the produced biogas, increasing from 67% to almost a 71%. 

In this case, the addition of BioGAS+ (0.1% dose) also yielded to a noteworthy decrease of COD of a 29% when compared with the baseline without BioGAS+. 

Table 2 summarizes the comparison of using and not using BioGAS+ in reactor that already works with Biostarter on the digestion of this substrate. 

Table 2. Quantification of  the effects of applying Biogas+ to Biostarter for goat’s cheese farm by-products

Conclusions

It is important to state that in all cases BioGAS+ was added to high stability reactors already working with the given feedstock and highly adapted microbiota with operational logs of over 1 year data was used as baseline. 

Absolute values of energy yields obtained when BioGAS+ is added for the slaughterhouse by-products, values of 41.2 and 37.5 Nm3 methane/m3substrate for 31 and 27 days HRT respectively are obtained, compared with 29.4 and 34.5 Nm3 methane/m3 substrate when not using BioGAS+. For the goat’s cheese by-products, the mean increase is from 32.2 to 37.3 Nm3 methane/m3 substrate.

In terms of activity of the resulting digestate, decreases of COD were notable for all three assays with added BioGAS+. In the case of the digestion of goat’s cheese farm by-products, the addition of BioGAS+ (0.1% dose) also yielded to a noteworthy decrease of COD of a 29% when compared with the baseline without BioGAS+. COD values of the digestate are related to non-converted organic matter. This added to a biomethane increase of almost a 16%, makes us reassert our previous findings that BioGAS+ presents greater advantages when applied to more recalcitrant substrates. 

For more information:

Please contact us for additional information and to begin your own trial of BioGAS+.

BioGAS+ BGplus effectiveness case study
BioGAS+ BGplus

Aegle Technology SL

Rambla de Catalunya, 25, 1º

08007 Barcelona, Spain

+41 78 600 8995

sales@aegle-technology.es

Filed Under: BGplus, Advanced Materials, BioGas, BioGAS+, biomethane, Case Study, Renewable Energy

BioGAS+ Effectiveness Case Study – June 2022

21 June 2022 by AEGLE TECHNOLOGY

About Us

Aegle Technology (https://aegle-technology.es) is an advanced materials innovation, commercialization, and production company.   

We research and develop new advanced material solutions, take to market our own, and third-party, patents and have the know-how and facilities to manufacture products of the highest quality.

We are based in Barcelona, Spain, and work closely with both scientific experts and industry leaders to further technology innovation.

Introduction

Biomass transformation into biogas is a potential solution to the pressing problems of a decrease in mineral oil resources, increase in energy demand, [1] and the need to improve organic waste processing towards a sustainable scenario for waste management all over the world. [2] 

Additionally, increased biogas production efficiency will favour the implantation of tailored-size reactors fed with local biomass in isolated areas. [3] 

Recent world events as well as the launch of the REPowerEU Plan, by the European Union, only accelerate the need for energy savings, diversification of energy supplies, and accelerated roll-out of renewable energy to replace fossil fuels in homes, industry and power generation.

The process, methanogenesis (biomethanation), is performed by the methanogen microorganism Archaea, which has an important role in the carbon cycle, participating in the decay of organic matter in anaerobic ecosystems, such as sediments, marshes and sewage. Therefore, bacterial colony performance enhancement has been greatly explored, [4] including co-digestion and pre-treatments of the biomass, by selective hydrolysis, heating the waste, [5] or adding iron salts. [6]

It is already well known that trace elements are necessary for anaerobic digestion, and have been used in studies as additives at μM to mM concentrations, [7] however the results were disappointing and did not show long-term gains

With this in mind, BioGAS+ was designed to disperse and then progressively dissolve over an extended period of time to yield the dietary supply of essential minerals, including trace and ultratrace elements, for the microorganisms in the reactor.

Results

When 100 ppm of BioGAS+ additive was introduced into an anaerobic waste treatment reactor, the biogas production per gram of organic matter increased by up to 180%, which approaches the theoretical limits of organic matter into biogas conversion (Figure 1) [8]. The results presented correspond to the cumulative biogas production obtained. 

The composition of the biogas produced at different time points was determined by gas chromatography. 

Note that results show not only an enhancement of biogas production, but also that this is richer in methane (8% more CH4 respect controls in the final measure). The measured CH4 percentage in the biogas is 48% in the control experiments and 56% in the case of BioGAS+. This represents a total increase in methane production of 234%. The rest is majorly CO2 while there is less than 1% of other gases as H2S. 

BioGAS+ BGplus effectiveness case study

Figure 1. Biogas production boosted by the sustained release of trace element ions.

Biogas production of the anaerobic digestion processes using BioGAS+ (black line, solid circles), 10 mM TMAOH (black line, hollow circles) and control experiment is shown. Three replicate experiments were performed for each case. 

It is worth noting that, in the anaerobic methanogenic conditions of the closed digester, addition of BioGAS+ gives rise to insoluble precipitates of ferric hydroxide that are reduced to Fe2+ which is soluble and therefore becomes bioavailable.

Experimental method (in brief)

Anaerobic assays were performed in 600 mL gas-tight reactors, equipped with a pressure transducer to monitor biogas production. [11] Each anaerobic reactor contained: 250 mL of bacterial inoculum from a local waste-management plant (Consorci per a la Defensa de la Conca del riu Besòs, Granollers, Spain), the sample (an ammonium salt as Tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAOH) 10 mM solution as control solvent or nanoparticle suspension), 1.7 g of cellulose, and water up to 500 mL. The pH value of each reactor was adjusted to 8 (if necessary) with citric acid, and nitrogen gas was used to purge oxygen from the system, prior to incubation at 37 Celsius for 60 days. The 60 day process took place in a closed reactor and it could not be interrupted, as every time that the reactor is opened this allows oxygen to get in, killing a fraction of the bacterial productive substrate.

Control experiments with 10 mM of TMAOH showed no biogas production enhancement (Figure 1).

If we compare the biogas production profiles in the presence and absence of BioGAS+ (Figure 1), we observe that while in the latter case, the biogas production is virtually over at day 21, the production of biogas in the presence of BioGAS+ still runs up to day 40, where all of the organic substrate is consumed.

As at this point there is still a significant amount of remaining BioGAS+ in the reactor; this indicates that biogas production could be further increased with the same BioGAS+ if more organic matter were supplied. It is also important to note that there is a delay in the increase of biogas production when the BioGAS+ are present. 

Summary

Production of biogas by conversion of biomass is an important source of fuel that will help to overcome challenges of energy shortage. Addition of the BioGAS+ additive to an anaerobic bacterial reactor demonstrated a clear increase biogas production, without giving rise to toxicity and excess reactivity. 

Acknowledgments

The original study, containing full details on the experimental method and additional information regarding results is available from the following source: Casals E, Barrena R, García A, González E, Delgado L, Busquets-Fité M, Font X, Arbiol J, Glatzel P, Kvashnina K, Sánchez A, Puntes V. Programmed iron oxide nanoparticles disintegration in anaerobic digesters boosts biogas production. Small. 2014 Jul 23;10(14):2801-8, 2741. doi: 10.1002/smll.201303703. Epub 2014 Apr 1. PMID: 24692328. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/smll.201303703

 

For more information:

Please contact us for additional information and to begin your own trial of BioGAS+.

BioGAS+ BGplus effectiveness case study
BioGAS+ BGplus

Aegle Technology SL

Rambla de Catalunya, 25, 1º

08007 Barcelona, Spain

+41 78 600 8995

sales@aegle-technology.es

 

Additional References:

[1] a) A. Jess , Energy Policy 2010 , 38 , 4663 ; b) C. Wolfram , O. Shelef , P. Gertler , J. Econ. Perspect. 2012 , 26 , 119 .

[2] a) A. Distaso , Int. J. Sust. Dev. 2012 , 15 , 220 ; b) D. Y. Hou , A. Al-Tabbaa , P. Guthrie , K. Watanabe , Environ. Sci. Technol. 2012 , 46 , 2494 .

[3] A. D. Karve , Science 2003 , 302 , 987 .

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Filed Under: BioGas, BGplus, BioGAS+, biomethane, Case Study, Effectiveness, Leadership, Renewable Energy Tagged With: BGplus, BioGas+, Case Study, Effectiveness

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