SCOPE
Use of hydrogen as a raw material
Maturity Level
TRL 6
Development Level
Pilot plant
Protection Level
In process
Prototypes for conversion of hydrogen and biogas into renewable methane gas
Entity:
Development of catalysts and reactors to convert biogas and hydrogen to renewable methane gas, fully compatible with the current gas grid. The prototype is specially designed for application in rural areas, in plants with low biogas capacity. The reactors have been designed with the simplest possible technology, in order to reduce implementation costs, both in terms of investment and operation. In this regard, the reactor uses the heat generated by the reaction itself and does not require auxiliary heat exchange equipment. The working pressure is the same as the injection network.
Challenges met
The combination of biogas with hydrogen enables:
- Storing and transporting hydrogen with the current infrastructure
- Promoting the installation of electrolysers in rural areas
- Valorising all the carbon present in the biogas (CO2 + CH4)
- No prior separation is required
- Decarbonising the current gas network
- Reducing external dependence on fossil gas
Scope of application
- Waste managers (validation with other carbon sources, gasification, captured CO2, water purification)
- Engineering (operational demonstration, process scaling)
- Hydrogen producers (transport to the end user)
- Industry (decarbonisation of gas consumption)
Main publications
- A. Alarcón, R. Busqué, T. Andreu, J. Guilera*. Design of a Multi-Tubular Catalytic Reactor Assisted by CFD Based on Free-Convection Heat-Management for Decentralised Synthetic Methane Production. Catalysts. 2022, 12, 1053. https://doi.org/10.3390/catal12091053
- J. Guilera*, T. Andreu, N. Basset, T. Boeltken, F. Timm, I. Mallol, J.R. Morante. Synthetic natural gas production from biogas in a waste water treatment plant. Renewable Energy. 2020, 146, 1301-1308. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.renene.2019.07.044
Related projects
- 2022-23 RURALGAS. Validation of biogas recovery devices for rural areas. Funds: Catalonia Government (Technology Transfer )
- 2016-19 CoSin: Synthetic fuels. Co-funds: Feder-Acció (Ris3Cat Energia)
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