Abstract: A bioreactor having improved gas yield is described, wherein the necessary residence time of the biomass in the digestion tank is reduced. During the fermentation of dry, i.e. non-pumpable biomass, percolating juices, so-called percolate, is generated as a result of the moisture contained in the biomass, which percolate is withdrawn via a drainage system and, if necessary, recirculated from the top onto the biomass to be fermented. It has now been found that the biomass yield is significantly increased—in the region of between 10% and 40%—when the resultant percolate is not immediately withdrawn by way of the drainage system, but is accumulated in the digestion tank up to a specific level. This is achieved by a technical device wherein the digestion tank is liquid-tight, i.e. also the flap for loading and unloading the digestion tank must be liquid-tight and also be designed in a correspondingly solid manner in order to withstand the resultant liquid pressure.

Abstract: A combined installation is disclosed for the production of biogas and compost, including a dry fermentation fermenter for producing biogas in a batch mode, a biogas outlet, a purging gas inlet, a biogas line connected to the biogas outlet, a waste gas line, a waste gas chimney connected to the biogas outlet via a first biogas/waste gas line, a waste gas flare connected to the biogas outlet via a second biogas/waste gas line, a fresh air line connected to the purging gas inlet, a control means for connecting the biogas outlet to the biogas line or the biogas/waste gas chimney via the first biogas/waste gas line or the waste gas flare via the second biogas/waste gas line and for connecting the purging gas inlet to the waste gas line or the fresh air line, and a measurement means connected to the control means for detecting methane and carbon dioxide concentrations.

Abstract: A novel method reduces methane slack when operating a biogas fermenter. When starting up a freshly charged fermenter, the methane portion of the produced biogas is initially so low and the portions of carbon dioxide and nitrogen are so high that the biogas cannot be directly used in a combined heat and power plant. Conventionally, the biogas generated during the startup phase has a small portion of methane that is discharged directly into the atmosphere or is flared off if the methane fraction is larger. The initially produced methane is consequently not used and becomes methane slack. To reduce methane slack, the biogas with the low methane fraction is fed to a gas treatment unit in which non-methane components of the gas mixture are partially separated, and the remaining gas mixture with a higher methane content is returned to the biogas fermenter until the methane fraction is sufficiently high.

Abstract: A novel method reduces methane slack when operating a biogas fermenter. When starting up a freshly charged fermenter, the methane portion of the produced biogas is initially so low and the portions of carbon dioxide and nitrogen are so high that the biogas cannot be directly used in a combined heat and power plant. Conventionally, the biogas generated during the startup phase has a small portion of methane that is discharged directly into the atmosphere or is flared off if the methane fraction is larger. The initially produced methane is consequently not used and becomes methane slack. To reduce methane slack, the biogas with the low methane fraction is fed to a gas treatment unit in which non-methane components of the gas mixture are partially separated, and the remaining gas mixture with a higher methane content is returned to the biogas fermenter until the methane fraction is sufficiently high.

Abstract: A novel method reduces methane slack when operating a biogas fermenter. When starting up a freshly charged fermenter, the methane portion of the produced biogas is initially so low and the portions of carbon dioxide and nitrogen are so high that the biogas cannot be directly used in a combined heat and power plant. Conventionally, the biogas generated during the startup phase has a small portion of methane that is discharged directly into the atmosphere or is flared off if the methane fraction is larger. The initially produced methane is consequently not used and becomes methane slack. To reduce methane slack, the biogas with the low methane fraction is fed to a gas treatment unit in which non-methane components of the gas mixture are partially separated, and the remaining gas mixture with a higher methane content is returned to the biogas fermenter until the methane fraction is sufficiently high.

Abstract: A biogas plant for methanizing biomass having a high solids fraction includes a digestion tank system having a plurality of digestion tanks adapted to be closed in a gas- and liquid-tight manner, each of which includes a charging and withdrawing opening for charging with biomass and withdrawing the biomass, a biogas discharge means, a percolate reservoir, a percolate drainage means for discharging percolate from the plurality of digestion tanks and supplying the percolate to the percolate reservoir, a percolate distributing means for distributing the percolate from the percolate reservoir over the biomass in the plurality of digestion tanks, and a percolate regulating means for regulating the percolate level in the plurality of digestion tanks. The percolate reservoir includes a first and a second percolate container, and supplying and discharging of percolate to/from the first and/or the second percolate container takes place with the aid of the percolate regulating means.

Abstract: A reactor has multiple reactor modules for endothermic reactions. Each reactor module comprises a reaction channel enclosed by a tubular boundary wall and having first and second ends. The reactor module has an inlet element for introducing reactants into the reaction channel. The inlet element is arranged at the first end of the reaction channel. The reactor module has an outlet element for discharging the reaction products from the reaction channel. The outlet element is arranged at the second end of the reaction channel. The reactor module has a heat supply device in the form of a porous burner arrangement that is arranged on the outside of the tubular boundary wall of the reaction channel. Because a porous burner arrangement is used instead of a heat source having catalytic combustion, high reactor performance is achieved at an economical price. The porous burner is substantially less expensive than a combustion catalyst.

Abstract: A biogas installation for production of biogas from biomass and methods for starting and shutting down a fermenter are disclosed. When biomass in a fermenter is used up, biogas production must stop, the fermented biomass removed, and the fermenter filled with fresh biomass. Biogas production and utilisation is maintained for as long as possible. When the methane concentration in the biogas outlet falls below an upper limit, the biogas line is disconnected. The biogas/off-gas mixture is fed out via an exhaust chimney until the methane concentration has fallen to a lower limit. The fermenter to be shut down is purged with fresh air, and the off-gas/biogas/fresh air mixture is fed out via the exhaust chimney until the carbon-dioxide concentration in the off-gas/biogas/fresh air mixture has fallen to a first limit. The fermenter is then opened to unload the consumed biomass and load fresh biomass.

Abstract: A biogas installation for production of biogas from biomass and methods for starting and shutting down a fermenter are disclosed. When biomass in a fermenter is used up, biogas production must stop, the fermented biomass removed, and the fermenter filled with fresh biomass. Biogas production and utilization is maintained for as long as possible. When the methane concentration in the biogas outlet falls below an upper limit, the biogas line is disconnected. The biogas/off-gas mixture is fed out via an exhaust chimney until the methane concentration has fallen to a lower limit. The fermenter to be shut down is purged with fresh air, and the off-gas/biogas/fresh air mixture is fed out via the exhaust chimney until the carbon-dioxide concentration in the off-gas/biogas/fresh air mixture has fallen to a first limit. The fermenter is then opened to unload the consumed biomass and load fresh biomass.

Abstract: Disclosed is a bioreactor in which a supporting wall (100) or a retaining mechanism (100) that represents pressure relief for a gas-tightly embodied flap is provided behind the flap (14) used for filling and emptying the bioreactor while percolate is prevented from accumulating between the gas-tight flap and the retaining mechanism. The gas-tightly closable flap, which has a sufficiently large size, makes it easy to fill biomass into the container and remove the remaining biomass following the methanation process. The biomass applies substantial or at least a certain amount of pressure to the retaining system when the container is closed, whereby the flap is relieved of the load and can be embodied in a light and accurately sealing manner.

Abstract: A biogas installation for production of biogas from biomass and methods for starting and shutting down a fermenter are disclosed. When biomass in a fermenter is used up, biogas production must stop, the fermented biomass removed, and the fermenter filled with fresh biomass. Biogas production and utilisation is maintained for as long as possible. When the methane concentration in the biogas outlet falls below an upper limit, the biogas line is disconnected. The biogas/off-gas mixture is fed out via an exhaust chimney until the methane concentration has fallen to a lower limit. The fermenter to be shut down is purged with fresh air, and the off-gas/biogas/fresh air mixture is fed out via the exhaust chimney until the carbon-dioxide concentration in the off-gas/biogas/fresh air mixture has fallen to a first limit. The fermenter is then opened to unload the consumed biomass and load fresh biomass.

Abstract: A biogas plant for methanizing biomass having a high solids fraction includes a digestion tank system having a plurality of digestion tanks adapted to be closed in a gas- and liquid-tight manner, each of which includes a charging and withdrawing opening for charging with biomass and withdrawing the biomass, a biogas discharge means, a percolate reservoir, a percolate drainage means for discharging percolate from the plurality of digestion tanks and supplying the percolate to the percolate reservoir, a percolate distributing means for distributing the percolate from the percolate reservoir over the biomass in the plurality of digestion tanks, and a percolate regulating means for regulating the percolate level in the plurality of digestion tanks. The percolate reservoir includes a first and a second percolate container, and supplying and discharging of percolate to/from the first and/or the second percolate container takes place with the aid of the percolate regulating means.

Abstract: A method for the volume and bulk reduction of domestic waste is disclosed, comprising comminution of the domestic waste, separation of the organic fraction of the domestic waste, generation of biogas from the separated organic fraction by anaerobic fermentation along the principal of dry fermentation in a biogas plant, relocation of the organic fraction from the biogas plant into an aerobization container, aerobization and composting of the organic fraction by supplying air, and drying of the composted organic fraction by injection of air.

Abstract: A combined installation is disclosed for the production of biogas and compost, including a dry fermentation fermenter for producing biogas in a batch mode, a biogas outlet, a purging gas inlet, a biogas line connected to the biogas outlet, a waste gas line, a waste gas chimney connected to the biogas outlet via a first biogas/waste gas line, a waste gas flare connected to the biogas outlet via a second biogas/waste gas line, a fresh air line connected to the purging gas inlet, a control means for connecting the biogas outlet to the biogas line or the biogas/waste gas chimney via the first biogas/waste gas line or the waste gas flare via the second biogas/waste gas line and for connecting the purging gas inlet to the waste gas line or the fresh air line, and a measurement means connected to the control means for detecting methane and carbon dioxide concentrations.

Abstract: A biogas installation for production of biogas from biomass and methods for starting and shutting down a fermenter are disclosed. When biomass in a fermenter is used up, biogas production must stop, the fermented biomass removed, and the fermenter filled with fresh biomass. Biogas production and utilisation is maintained for as long as possible. When the methane concentration in the biogas outlet falls below an upper limit, the biogas line is disconnected. The biogas/off-gas mixture is fed out via an exhaust chimney until the methane concentration has fallen to a lower limit. The fermenter to be shut down is purged with fresh air, and the off-gas/biogas/fresh air mixture is fed out via the exhaust chimney until the carbon-dioxide concentration in the off-gas/biogas/fresh air mixture has fallen to a first limit. The fermenter is then opened to unload the consumed biomass and load fresh biomass.

Abstract: The invention provides a transporting arrangement for transporting biomass (22), in particular biomass from energy crops, in a fermenter (2) for generating biogas, it being possible for large-scale fermenters (2) to be operated continuously, in accordance with the principle of the methanation of solid matter, by means of this transporting arrangement. The transporting arrangement (20) comprises a plurality of transporting cushions (24-i) which are arranged one beside the other and have liquid pumped into them, and discharged again, one after the other. This generates a wave movement which transports the biomass (22) through the fermenter (2) from a loading region (10) to an unloading region (14). The invention also specifies a large-scale fermenter having such a transporting arrangement (20).