Paul Scherrer Institut

Fachhochschule Nordwestschweiz Fhnw

Frédéric Vogel

Samuel Stucki

Gaël Peng

Joachim Reimer

Hemma Zoehrer

Erich De Boni

Thanh-Binh Truong

Maurice H Waldner

Peter Ruppen

Hemma Zohrer

Maurice Waldner

Fabienne Mangold

Tobias HÜBNER

Markus Roth

A salt separator separates salts and/or solid materials from a pumpable aqueous fluid mixture under process conditions, which lie in the range of the critical point for the fluid mixture. The salt separator contains a reaction zone in a cavity for transforming the pumpable aqueous fluid mixture into a raw mixture, e.g. a methanation reaction, and a feed opening for the pumpable aqueous fluid mixture to the cavity. The feed opening is realized in a rising pipe that protrudes into the cavity. A first extraction opening is provided for the raw mixture freed of salts and/or solid materials. The first extraction opening is arranged in the upper region of the cavity and a second extraction opening is provided for a brine containing the salt and/or the solid materials. The second extraction opening is arranged in the lower region of the cavity and is located lower down than the feed opening.

Salt separator and a method for producing a methane-containing gas mixture from biomass using a salt separator

To generate methane from biomass, a biomass pulp is produced from the biomass with a desired dry mass content being set, and the biomass pulp is placed under pressure. The biomass pulp is heated under pressure in order to liquefy the solid organic components of the biomass pulp. The pressurized and heated biomass pulp is heated further to at least the critical temperature of the biomass pulp. Solids precipitated under pressure and increased temperature are separated from the fluid phase. At least a part of the remaining fluid phase is gasified under pressure and increased temperature by means of a reactor to form a methane-rich gas.

Process for generating methane and/or methane hydrate from biomass

Growing community of inventors

Erlinsbach, Switzerland

Frédéric Vogel