Agraferm Technologies Ag

Tutech Innovation Gmbh

Technische Universitat Hamburg-harburg

Hans Friedmann

An-Ping Zeng

Jürgen Kube

The invention relates to an apparatus for the conversion into biogas of fermentation stillage arising as a waste product of ethanol production. This apparatus comprises a separation unit for the separation of the fermentation stillage into a thin fraction and a thick fraction, at least one biogas reactor for fermenting the thin fraction and/or the thick fraction, and a storage tank. According to a first aspect of the present invention, two biogas reactors are provided, to separate the thin fraction and the thick fraction independently of one another. According to a second aspect of the present invention, a nitrogen sink is provided downstream of the storage tank to provide, from the reactor effluent, process water with low or no nitrogen content which may then be fed to the reactor and/or the bioethanol plant. According to a third aspect the invention is characterized by a combination of a single-stage separation unit and a heavy-duty biogas reactor with a pore-free flow path.

Apparatus and process for the conversion into biogas of fermentation stillage arising as a waste product of ethanol production

The process according to the invention for the microbial production of a specific product and methane comprises the following steps: a) the production in a bioreactor () of a specific product from a specific substrate using a specific organism, the producer, wherein during the production of this product metabolites such as e.g. low-molecular alcohols, aldehydes and acids, hydrogen and CO, which may inhibit the production of the product, are obtained; and b) the production of methane by means of a methanogen, wherein in the production of the methane at least one metabolite is decomposed and by this means removed from the bioreactor () and its energy is made usable.

Growing community of inventors

Scheyern-Fernhag, Germany

Hans Friedmann