CO2 membranes for biogas
From research conducted at the Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht Centre for Materials and Coastal Research
Biogas is one of the most important forms of renewable energy in Germany, but biogas plants have a CO2 problem: they produce a gas mixture that contains up to 40 percent CO2. Before biogas is fed into the gas grid, this CO2 must be removed.
Researchers at the Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht have developed polymer membranes and membrane processes that are well suited for this task. They consist of several layers of polymer, which allow the CO2 to preferentially pass through while retaining most of the methane when biogas is fed to the membrane module under elevated pressure. The membranes have undergone extensive tests and can be manufactured on an industrial scale. Even when used continuously under real conditions in a biogas plant run by our industrial partner BORSIG Membrane Technology, the membranes showed their worth as a simpler technical alternative to other CO2 separation technologies such as gas scrubbing and active carbon filters.
Uta Deffke
Media about the subject
Links
- Polymer Materials for Membrane based Processes
- Institute of Materials Research: Sustainable Energy Technology
- Membrane Technology to Combat Climate-damaging Gas
- BORSIG Membrane Technology: Gas Conditioning
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