Chemistry: molecular biology and microbiology – Miscellaneous
Patent
1979-11-06
1982-10-26
Warden, Robert J.
Chemistry: molecular biology and microbiology
Miscellaneous
71 10, 71 12, 71 23, 210180, 2101951, 210258, 210603, 210613, 435167, 435314, 435315, 435801, 435813, 435819, C12M 102
Patent
active
043562698
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a method for the production of methane from a substrate comprising an organic material, by way of example manure, in a process by means of a culture of anaerobic and preferably thermophile microorganisms, which in a processing chamber is brought into contact with the organic material and in which the generated gas is collected.
The present invention also relates to a plant comprising a receptacle including a chamber forming a processing chamber and intended to enclose a substrate containing the culture of microorganisms, and in the upper portion of the chamber means for the removal of the gas from said space.
Background art
Methane (CH.sub.4) is known as a useful source of energy for heating purpose and as fuel for internal combustion engines for the driving of working machines or for the production of electric power. By means of anaerobic microorganisms methane can be produced with a biological mass as substrate. As biological material can for example manure from cowsheds or swineries, vegetable or animal waste from farms and food-production industries be used. Also sewer sludge can be utilized, if it substantially contains organic material. In order to carry out the process, there are certain requisites, which are important to fulfil in order to obtain a high yield of gas, a reasonable processing time, a high plant utilization factor, and low handling costs, viz.: microorganisms can be maintained for an uninterrupted gas production; that the capacity of the plant due to volumetric efficiency can be utilized to the greatest possible extent, and any periods of standstill for supply and removal of material will not be required; processing time and a high gas yield will be obtained; pumps and not involve any essential manual labour.
Especially in large plants of capacity in the order of a few or several hundred cubic meters of substrate, these requisites have turned out to be difficult to fulfil by the technique of the prior art. Thus, a heating is necessary by use of types of anaerobic microorganisms, which in plants of the said size means a considerable sacrifice of costs with respect to construction and energy.
Technical problem
It is an object of the present invention to provide a method for the production of methane from cultures of microorganisms from organic waste, by means of which method said requisites are fulfilled.
It is another object to provide a plant, which is simple in operation, by means of which said method can be carried out.
Solution
The object of the invention is obtained by means of a method according to the present invention which is characterized by that the substrate is introduced into an ante-chamber for pretreatment which is provided with heating means with the substrate heated in the pre-chamber to at least the temperature that it is intended to have during the process or preferably to a higher temperature, whereafter it is transported to the processing chamber and brought into contact with the culture of microorganisms. Said objects are also reached by means of a plant which is characterized by a second chamber with a separate space forming an ante-chamber and including means for the introduction of fresh substrate, means for heating the substrate, and means for the transport of the treated substrate to the first said chamber for the supply for the fresh, heated substrate to the substrate containing the culture of microorganisms.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
Four embodiments of the installation according to the invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
FIG. 1 shows a central vertical cross-section of a first embodiment of the plant according to the invention;
FIG. 2 shows the same embodiment along the line II--II in FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 shows in a variant a detail
and FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 illustrate the second, the third and the fourth embodiment respectively in central cross-sectional views.
BEST MODE OF CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
According to FIG. 1 the plant according to the first embodiment comprises a cyl
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Ronnow Peter
Thomsen Ove
A-Betone AB
Warden Robert J.
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