Classifications

• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C12—BIOCHEMISTRY; BEER; SPIRITS; WINE; VINEGAR; MICROBIOLOGY; ENZYMOLOGY; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING
  • C12M—APPARATUS FOR ENZYMOLOGY OR MICROBIOLOGY; APPARATUS FOR CULTURING MICROORGANISMS FOR PRODUCING BIOMASS, FOR GROWING CELLS OR FOR OBTAINING FERMENTATION OR METABOLIC PRODUCTS, i.e. BIOREACTORS OR FERMENTERS
  • C12M33/00—Means for introduction, transport, positioning, extraction, harvesting, peeling or sampling of biological material in or from the apparatus
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C12—BIOCHEMISTRY; BEER; SPIRITS; WINE; VINEGAR; MICROBIOLOGY; ENZYMOLOGY; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING
  • C12M—APPARATUS FOR ENZYMOLOGY OR MICROBIOLOGY; APPARATUS FOR CULTURING MICROORGANISMS FOR PRODUCING BIOMASS, FOR GROWING CELLS OR FOR OBTAINING FERMENTATION OR METABOLIC PRODUCTS, i.e. BIOREACTORS OR FERMENTERS
  • C12M21/00—Bioreactors or fermenters specially adapted for specific uses
  • C12M21/04—Bioreactors or fermenters specially adapted for specific uses for producing gas, e.g. biogas
• • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
  • Y02E—REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
  • Y02E50/00—Technologies for the production of fuel of non-fossil origin
  • Y02E50/30—Fuel from waste, e.g. synthetic alcohol or diesel

Definitions

• the invention relates to a transport device for biomass in a fermenter for producing biogas according to claim 1, a large fermenter for producing biogas from biomass according to claim 7 and a method for operating such a large fermenter according to claim 11.
• biogas technology has mainly focused on the "wet gasification" of manure and / or bio-waste from the municipal sector.
• Plants and devices for generating biogas from biomass using the wet fermentation process are e.g. B from publications AT 408230 B 1 WO 96/12789, DE 3228391 A1, AT 361885 B and DE 19746636 A1.
• DE 3228391 A1 discloses a digester in the form of an elastic hose in which the biomass is conveyed through the hose by means of an artificially generated peristalsis.
• the peristaltic movement is generated by means of loops which are pulled over the tube and which are drawn together, by means of cuffs which are drawn over the tube and are pressurized with compressed air or by means of stamps distributed over the length of the tube which successively press into the tube.
• digester in the form of a round silo is known, the actual digester being arranged in the center of the round silo and surrounded by an annular intermediate area.
• AT 361885 B also discloses a digester in the form of a round silo, which has a cylindrical outer wall and a cylindrical one
• the liquefied biomass is fed in, flows through the transport and is removed again.
• AT 361885 B it is known from AT 361885 B to provide a cylindrical middle wall between the inner and the outer wall, as a result of which an inner and an outer transport channel ring are formed.
• Renewable raw materials with high dry matter contents e.g.
• Corn, grass, whole plant silage) or solid manure can only be added to a limited extent in these "liquid” processes.
• dry fermentation makes it possible to methanate pourable biomass from agriculture, from organic waste and municipal care areas without converting the materials into a pumpable, liquid substrate.
• Biomass with up to 50% dry matter can be fermented. This dry fermentation process is described, for example, in EP 0 934 998.
• the material to be fermented is not stirred into a liquid phase, as is the case, for example, with the liquid fermentation of bio-waste. Instead, the fermentation substrate introduced into the fermenter is kept constantly moist by pulling the percolate off the bottom of the fermenter and spraying it again over the biomass. In this way, optimal living conditions for the bacteria are achieved.
• the temperature can also be regulated, and there is the possibility of adding additives for process optimization.
• a bioreactor or a fermenter in the form of a prefabricated garage is known from WO 02/06439, which is operated according to the principle of dry fermentation in the so-called batch process.
• the fermentation substrate is filled with wheel loaders in the fermenter.
• the fermentation tank which is built like a garage, is closed with a gas-tight gate.
• the biomass is fermented in the absence of air, there is no further mixing and no additional material is added.
• the percolate seeping out of the fermentation material is drawn off via a drainage channel, temporarily stored in a tank and sprayed again over the fermentation substrate for moistening.
• the fermentation process takes place in the mesophilic temperature range at 34-37 0 C, the temperature is controlled by means of floor and wall heating.
• DE 3341691 A1 also discloses a method and a device for the anerobic treatment of organic substances with a high solids content, in which biogas is also produced.
• the biomass is subjected to a peristaltic movement that moves and is thus conveyed through the digester.
• the peristaltic movement is achieved in that the edges of the channel execute an up and down movement parallel to one another.
• pockets are pressed into the channel to generate the walking movement.
• the resulting biogas can be used in a combined heat and power plant to generate electricity and heat.
• several fermentation tanks are operated at different times in the dry fermentation plant.
• the fermenter room is completely emptied and then refilled.
• the fermented substrate is fed to post-composting, so that a conventional compost of comparable organic fertilizers is created.
• Such a system has been running successfully in Kunststoff for several years.
• Known large fermenters generally work in batch mode, i.e. the fermenter biogas production must be interrupted for loading and unloading and the fermenter filled with biogas must be flooded with air.
• Loading area is transported to an unloading area.
• a closed composting device is known from WO 93/17091, in which bubbles can be acted upon by compressed air in the bottom of the container - A -
• a transport device for biomass in fermenters is known from WO 2005/085411 A2, in which transport cushions are arranged on the bottom and on the side walls of the fermenter, which can be acted upon by a fluid in succession and thus generate a wave movement around the biomass through the fermenter to move. Under certain operating conditions of the fermenter, the transport performance of such transport cushions is restricted.
• the transport device comprises a plurality of transport cushions arranged one behind the other in the transport direction, which are successively filled with fluid and emptied again.
• the transport cushions are additionally arranged and fastened on the base plate of the digester. The up and down movement of the transport cushions creates a wave movement that transports the biomass across the entire width of the transport channel.
• the transport cushions on the floor are preferably operated with liquid, in particular with warm water, while the transport cushions on the cover are preferably operated with a gas which does not form an explosive mixture with the biogas.
• a transport cushion cover prevents biomass from being stored between the transport cushions and remaining there.
• transport cushions can also be assigned to one another in pairs and arranged opposite one another on the side walls. This also achieves or supports a peristaltic movement of the biomass through the transport channel.
• the transport device according to the present invention can be installed in conventional bioreactors or fermenters, as are known for example from WO 02/06439 A or WO 2005/085411 A2.
• large fermenters according to the invention are provided according to claim 7.
• fresh biomass is introduced in a loading area via a lock into the large fermenter which constantly produces biogas.
• the biomass is transported from the loading area to an unloading area by the transport device.
• biogas is generated and the biomass is "used up".
• the unloading area the "used” biomass is removed via a lock. This also means that continuous operation is possible using the principle of solid methanation.
• round containers are therefore known which have fewer corners and edges with sealing problems. These round tanks are not used in solid methanation in large fermenters due to the problems with loading and unloading in batch mode. Due to the transport device according to the present invention and the continuous operation that this enables, round containers can also advantageously be used in “dry fermentation” - claim 9.
• the round design of the large fermenter significantly reduces sealing problems, since the outer wall and the inner wall are only subjected to pressure or tension. The usual tightness problems of corners and edges are avoided.
• the construction with an annular inner wall and an annular outer wall surrounding the inner wall results in an annular fermenter container with an annular transport channel.
• This circular cylinder is divided by a partition.
• the biomass is continuously supplied on one side of the partition in a loading area and continuously removed on the other side of the partition at the end of the transport channel in an unloading area.
• the supply of the fresh biomass in the loading area and the removal of the used biomass in the unloading area takes place via locks, for example through a liquid bath in the manner of a siphon.
• a push cushion is provided in the area of the loading device, which can be expanded in the transport direction and thus also pushes the biomass in the transport direction - claims 8 and 11.
• Another object of the present invention is to provide a method for operating a large fermenter according to the present invention.
• the high liquid content of the biomass can lead to excessive liquefaction of the biomass in the digester. This would lead to a severe impairment of the transport effect of the transport device with transport pillows.
• the fact that the semi-fermented biomass is removed from the digester after one pass, dewatered and put into the digester for a second pass prevents the excessive liquefaction.
• the percolate extracted from the semi-fermented biomass is filtered and the resulting filtrate with the microorganisms concentrated therein is fed back to the fermenter. This improves biogas production.
• FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of an elongated large fermenter whose bottom is covered with transport pillows.
• FIG. 2 shows a top view of the transport channel of the embodiment according to FIG. 1 with a push cushion;
• 4a-4c are sectional views to illustrate the wave movement generated by the transport cushions by means of an alternative control
• FIG. 6 shows an alternative embodiment, in which the transport cushion is provided with a cover, which transmits the wave movement to the biomass lying above it;
• Fig. 7 is a schematic representation of a large fermenter in a circular design according to the present invention.
• FIG. 8 is a plan view of the bottom of the round large fermenter according to FIG. 7 with a correspondingly shaped transport cushion;
• FIG. 9 shows a sectional view through the transport channel of the embodiment according to FIG. 1 or FIG. 7;
• FIG. 10 shows an alternative embodiment of a round large fermenter.
• FIG. 1 schematically shows an elongated, rectangular large fermenter 2 with a rectangular base plate 4, a top wall 5, a right side wall 6, a left side wall 7, an end wall 8 and a rear wall 9.
• the large fermenter 2 comprises one at one end Loading area 10 with a loading device 12 passing through the end wall 8 - indicated by an arrow - and at the other end a unloading area 14 with a loading device 16 passing through the rear wall 9 - also if indicated by an arrow.
• a transport channel 18 delimited by the two side walls 6 and 7 is formed between the loading area 10 and the unloading area 14.
• the transport channel 18 is provided with a transport device 20.
• the loading device 12 continuously supplies fresh biomass 22 in the loading area 10.
• the biomass 22 is transported by the transport device 20 to the other end of the large fermenter 2 to the unloading area 14.
• Biomass 22 is removed from the unloading area 14 by means of the unloading device 16.
• the supply of fresh biomass and the discharge of the fermented biomass can also take place through the ceiling 5 or the side walls 7 and 8.
• the transport device 20 consists of a plurality of transport cushions 24-i arranged directly adjacent to one another in the transport channel 18 on the base plate 4.
• the individual transport cushions 24-i extend over the entire width of the large fermenter 2 and have the shape of cylinders halved in the vertical direction with an oval base area. That is, the top of the transport pillow is curved and not as straight as it appears in the illustrations in Fig. 1 to 6.
• the upward extension of the individual transport cushions 14-i can be periodically increased and decreased by periodically supplying and removing fluid by means of a fluid control device 26. By supplying and removing fluid from immediately adjacent transport cushions 24-i, a wave movement can be generated by which the biomass 22 is transported from the loading area 12 to the unloading area 14.
• FIG. 2 shows a top view of the front part of the transport channel 18 of the large fermenter according to FIG. 1.
• a push cushion 25 is arranged on the end wall 8, which pushes biomass in the transport direction by repeated application of fluid.
• a plurality of push cushions 25 arranged one above the other can also be provided.
• FIGS. 3a, 3b and 3c The continuous transport of biomass 22 through the transport cushions 24-i is shown in FIGS. 3a, 3b and 3c for one filled with biomass 22
• Large fermenter 2 is shown schematically.
• 3a, 3b and 3c each show ten transport cushions 24-1 to 24-10 distributed over the transport channel 18 to illustrate the transporting shaft movement. No transport cushion is provided in the unloading area 14.
• fluid is pumped into the last transport cushion 24-10 in front of the unloading area 14 against the weight of the biomass 22 stored on the last transport cushion 24-10, and the biomass 22 stored on the last transport cushion 24-10 is raised and partially falls into the free unloading area 14.
• the fluid is then removed or pumped out of the last transport cushion 24-10.
• 3b fluid is simultaneously pumped into the penultimate transport cushion 24-9. Then the transport cushion 24-8 is inflated while the transport cushion 24-8
• FIGS. 4a to 4c show an alternative control of the individual transport cushions 24-i in order to effect the transport of the biomass 22 in the transport channel 18 from the loading area 10 to the unloading area 14.
• a wave movement in the transport direction is suitable. This is shown schematically in FIGS. 4a to 4c.
• liquid is pumped into the first transport cushion 24-1 in the loading area 10 against the weight of the biomass 22 stored on the first transport cushion 24-1 and the liquid above the first transport cushion 24-1 is displaced.
• the second transport pad 24-2 is inflated with liquid - see Fig. 4a.
• the liquid is drained from the first transport cushion 24-1 and at the same time the third transport cushion 24-3 is inflated, while the second transport cushion 24-2 remains inflated.
• the liquid is drained from the second transport cushion and the fourth transport cushion 24-4 is inflated, while the third transport cushion remains inflated.
• a “transport wave” is generated in the transport direction, which transports the biomass 22 from the loading area 10 to the unloading area 14. In this case, the unloading area 14 is not free of biomass 22.
• FIG. 5 schematically shows an alternative embodiment of the transport cushion in such a way that the surface of the transport cushion 16-i is inclined in the transport direction in the inflated state.
• the funding effect is increased by this configuration.
• FIG. 6 shows a further embodiment of the transport device according to the invention, which differs from the previously described embodiments in that the biomass 22 does not rest directly on the transport cushion 24-i, but on a transport cushion cover 28 in the form of a film which is on the transport cushion 24 -i rests. This prevents biomass from being permanently stored between adjacent transport pillows 24-i and 24-i + 1.
• 7 shows a large fermenter 40 in a circular design with a circular cylindrical digester 42.
• the large fermenter 40 comprises a flat bottom plate 44.
• a circular cylindrical outer wall 46 extends from the bottom plate 44.
• the circular cylindrical outer wall 46 encloses a circular cylindrical inner wall 48 with a smaller diameter.
• a cover not shown, the space between the outside and inner wall 46, 48 closed.
• the gas-tight bottom plate 44, the outer wall 46, the inner wall 48 and the cover form the digester 42.
• the digester 42 is divided on the inside by a partition 52.
• a loading area 54 with a loading device 56 passing through the outer wall 46 is provided on one side of the partition wall 52.
• an unloading area 58 is provided with an unloading device 60 passing through the outer wall 46.
• an annular transport channel 62 defined by the inner wall 48 and the outer wall 46 is formed between the loading area 54 and the unloading area 58.
• a transport device 64 of the type described with reference to FIGS. 2 to 5 is provided in the transport channel 62, which comprises a plurality of transport cushions 66-i which are arranged on the base plate 54 directly adjacent to one another.
• the transport cushions 66-i have approximately the shape of pieces of cake with a topped tip, i. H. they are wider in the area of the outer wall 46 than in the area of the inner wall 48.
• the double arrow 50 in FIG. 7 denotes an unloading and loading device which is arranged penetrating the outer wall 46 between the loading area 54 and the unloading area 58.
• Semi-fermented biomass 22 is removed from the digester 42 via the unloading and loading device 50, dewatered and returned to the digester 42. Dewatering can take place, for example, using a separator. The percolate obtained in the separator is filtered and the resulting filtrate is returned to the fermenter. The conversion rate of the biomass 22 is increased by the microorganisms contained in the filtrate and the biogas production is thereby improved.
• FIG. 8 shows a sectional view through the transport channel 18 or 62 of the embodiments of the invention according to FIG. 1 or 7.
• upper transport cushions 67-i are also arranged on the cover 5.
• the upper transport cushions 67-i are arranged on the cover 5 as a mirror image of the lower transport cushions 24-i, 66-i.
• lateral transport cushions 68-i can also be provided on the side walls 6, 7 or on the outer wall 46 and the inner wall 48.
• the mutually opposite side transport cushions 68-i are each assigned to one another in pairs and are controlled synchronously.
• the upper and lower transport cushions 24-i, 66-i and 67-i can also be controlled in pairs. Otherwise, the transport cushions 67-i and 68-i are actuated analogously to the control of the lower transport cushions 24-i and 66-i.
• the upper, lower and side transport cushions in one plane can be controlled synchronously, so that a perestaltic movement results in the manner of an intestine.
• FIG. 10 shows an alternative embodiment of a transport device 70 in a representation corresponding to FIG. 8.
• the transport device 70 also comprises a plurality of lower transport cushions 72-i, which are distributed in an inner transport channel ring 74 and an outer transport channel ring 76.
• the inner and outer transport channel rings 74, 76 are separated from one another by a central wall 78 arranged concentrically with the inner and outer walls 48, 46.
• the number of transport cushions 72-i in the outer transport channel ring 76 is greater than in the inner transport channel ring 74.
• the number of transport cushions 72-i in the outer transport channel ring 76 is twice as large as the inner transport channel ring 74 taken into account the fact that the transport path in the outer transport channel ring 76 is longer than in the inner transport channel ring 74.
• the transporting shaft movement is generated in an analogous manner to the embodiments according to FIGS. 1 and 7.
• lateral and upper transport cushions can also be provided.
• a transport cushion cover according to FIG. 6 can also be provided for the transport devices 64 and 70.
• the configuration of the top of the transport pillow according to FIG. 5 can also be provided.
• the transport devices 64 and 70 as shown in FIG.
• one or more push cushions 25 can be arranged in the loading area 54 on the dividing wall 52 in order to transport the biomass away from the dividing wall 52 support.
• the large fermenters according to the invention for continuous operation are particularly suitable for biomass from renewable raw materials, since, due to their homogeneity, they can be easily transported through the transport device according to the invention.
• the representations described above are not to scale, but are basic representations.

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• Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Organic Chemistry (AREA)
• Zoology (AREA)
• Bioinformatics & Cheminformatics (AREA)
• Wood Science & Technology (AREA)
• Molecular Biology (AREA)
• Genetics & Genomics (AREA)
• Biotechnology (AREA)
• Microbiology (AREA)
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• Biomedical Technology (AREA)
• Biochemistry (AREA)
• General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Oil, Petroleum & Natural Gas (AREA)
• General Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Processing Of Solid Wastes (AREA)
• Apparatus Associated With Microorganisms And Enzymes (AREA)
• Treatment Of Sludge (AREA)
• Fertilizers (AREA)

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• 2005
  • 2005-12-07 DE DE202005019132U patent/DE202005019132U1/de not_active Expired - Lifetime
• 2006
  • 2006-12-07 BR BRPI0619581-4A patent/BRPI0619581A2/pt not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 2006-12-07 WO PCT/EP2006/011778 patent/WO2007065688A1/de active Application Filing
  • 2006-12-07 JP JP2008543735A patent/JP2009518172A/ja active Pending
  • 2006-12-07 EA EA200870009A patent/EA013339B1/ru not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 2006-12-07 CN CNA2006800459270A patent/CN101326278A/zh active Pending
  • 2006-12-07 EP EP06829394A patent/EP1957628A1/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 2006-12-07 US US12/096,602 patent/US20080307705A1/en not_active Abandoned

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