Thin Biofilm Can Transform Co₂ Into Renewable Energy

Nibio has contributed to developing a method for turning greenhouse gases like co₂ Or co into biomethane – a renewable energy source. Using thin layers of microorganisms, so-called biofilms, greenhouse gases can be transformed into clean-burning fuel.

Carbon-Based Gases Such as Carbon Dioxide (Co₂) And Carbon Monoxide (CO) Are often Associated with Pollution and Climate Change. But what if these gases could be turned into somenting useful instead-Like Clean-Burning Fuel?

This is what Dr. Lu Feng and Other Researchers have been working on. The goal of the collaboration has been to develop a new method for producing green biomethane, a sustainable alternative to natural gas.

Through five scientific papers, The Researchers Have DOCUMENED HOW BIOFILM-Based Processes Can Be Used To Produce BiomeThane with Over 96% Purity.

The papers appear in Biomass and bionergy, Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering, Bioresource Technology Reports, Bioresource Technology and Biotechnology for biofuels and bioproomcts,

Engineered Biofilm for targeted conversion

A biofilm is a layer of microorganisms that grow on surfaces. The Microbes Work TOGETHER and Form a Kind of Community that Can Process Gases and Turn Them Into Meethane.

“INTEAD OF Decomposing Organic waste, as is done in traditional biogas production, the biofilm method captures and processes gas gas streams using self-selected Microorganisms Harbored with BioFilmred with BioFilm Us Oxygen-free conditions, “Dr. Feng explains.

“Biofilms are widespread in nature,” He Continues. “Our aim has been to engineer the biofilm to work for us for targeted conversion, eite by using fixed or moving bed reactors. This opens new options to convert climate climate climate Energy. “

Among other things, the researchrs experienced with adding selected microorganisms – a process knowledge as bioaugmentation – To Improve Methane Production.

“By Introducing Specific Meethane-Producing Microbes Into The Reactors, We We WERE ALE SCEER THE STEER THE SCEER THE STEEER TOWARS TOWARAME Feng.

Biofilm reactors MainTain High Meethane Quality and Tolerance

The researcher says that the biofilms they have developed provide a stable and efficient process.

“They Help Retain the Microbes, Improve Gas -Liquid Contact, And Largely Increase Contact Surface for the reaction. They also tolerate harmful substans that would get OtherWise disrupt Gasrupt GasRupt GasRupt GasRupt GasRupt.”

In Particular, Biofilms Can Help Manage Challenges Such as High Levels of Ammonia and Hydrogen Sulfide (h₂S). These are Substances often found in Industrial Gas Streams and Can Be Problematic in Conventional Bireactors.

“In one of our studies, we tested how biofilm reactors handle h₂S which is a toxic gas that can significantly Reduce Methane Production, “Says Dr. Feng.

“The Results Showed That Systems without Biofilm Lost Up to 30% of the Methne, While The Biofilm Reactors MainTaned High Meethane Quality Even At Extremely HIGH HIGH HINDI₂S content. “

The researchers also examined the effect of ammonia, which usually inhibits methane production. In this study, they used a type of reactor called anmbbr (anaerobic moving bed biofilm reactor), and found that the biofilms was alive to produce methene at all the high ammonia concentrations.

“High Ammonia Can Be Accumulated when Fish Sludge, Animal Slurry, or Food Waste Are Used To Produce Biogas”, Says Dr. Feng.

“Our analysis showed that the biofilm contained microbes that tolerate ammonia, including a group called Methermobacter, which can use h₂ and co₂ to produce methane. “

Unlocks Great Potential from Unconventional Substrates

In another study, the researchers tested the biofilm method on Syngas – A Combination of Hydrogen and Carbon Monoxide.

“This would unlock the potential of using waste to produce biomethne, for example, plastic waste and woody biomass, which under normal corcumstans does not degrade in a bioproise,” Feng says.

The Researchers found that adding extra hydrogen could increase methane production.

Too Much Hydrogen, However, LED to Imbalance in the process.

“This shows that biofilm reactors have great potential, but that they require careful control to function optimally at an Industrial Scale,” Says Dr. Feng.

“Biofilm-based processes offer a robust and flexible platform for future biogas production. Energy, “He Adds.

Provided by Nibio – Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research