BIOREACTOR AND USE THEREOF, METHOD FOR PRODUCING AN ORGANIC NUTRIENT SOLUTION AND FOR CARBON DIOXIDE STORAGE
20220363608 ยท 2022-11-17
Assignee
Inventors
Cpc classification
C12M29/04
CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
C12M47/10
CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
C12M25/16
CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
Y02W30/40
GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
C05F17/20
CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
C12M43/08
CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
Y02E50/30
GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
C12M23/36
CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
C12M47/00
CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
International classification
C05F17/20
CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
C05F17/10
CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
C12M1/107
CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
C12M1/12
CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
Abstract
A bioreactor (1, 2, 3) and use thereof for converting organic residual and/or waste materials into an organic nutrient solution with a proportion of at least 10% plant-available mineralized nitrogen relative to the total nitrogen content of the nutrient solution. A process for preparing an organic nutrient solution is also provided, as well as an organic nutrient solution, use of an organic nutrient solution as an absorbent for carbon dioxide storage, use of an organic nutrient solution as an agent for binding carbon in plants and soils and to a nutrient production and carbon dioxide storage system.
Claims
1. A process for producing an organic nutrient solution with a fraction of at least 10% of plant-available, mineralized nitrogen, based on a total nitrogen content of the organic nutrient solution, the process comprising the steps of: in a seeding step, seeding a carrier element (10) with a seed material which comprises ammonifying and/or nitrifying bacteria, forming a biofilm (12) with at least one of ammonifying or nitrifying bacteria on the carrier element (10), in an incubating step, incubating at least one of an organic residual or an organic waste material with the biofilm (12), where the at least one of the ammonifying or the nitrifying bacteria convert organically bonded nitrogen in the at least one of the residual or waste material into mineralized nitrogen, where during implementation of individual or all the steps, oxygen is introduced into at least one of the reaction vessel (5) or the carrier element (10) by an aerating device (8), and where subsequently, in a carbon dioxide storage step, the organic nutrient solution produced is treated with a carbon dioxide-containing gas, such that gaseous carbon dioxide is bound by the organic nutrient solution.
2. The process as claimed in claim 1, further comprising performing a surface enlargement of the organic nutrient solution in the carbon dioxide storage step.
3. A bioreactor (1, 2, 3) for converting at least one of organic residual or organic waste materials into an organic nutrient solution with a fraction of at least 10% of plant-available mineralized nitrogen, based on a total nitrogen content of the nutrient solution, the bioreactor comprising: a reaction vessel (5) that has a feed line (6) via which a suspension (4) is introducible into the reaction vessel (5), and a drain line (7), via which the suspension (4) is dischargeable from the reaction vessel (5), an aeration device (8) configured to introduce oxygen into the reaction vessel (5) and into the suspension (4) contained therein, at least one carrier element (10) having a colonization surface (11) for formation of a biofilm (12) of microorganisms disposed in a receiving space (9) of the reaction vessel (5), the at least one carrier element (10) is configured to be subjected to a flow of the introduced suspension (4) and the introduced oxygen at least one of around or through said element, and a surface-to-volume ratio of the carrier element (10) is greater than a surface-to-volume ratio of the receiving space (9), wherein the aeration device (8) comprises a hydrogen peroxide reservoir and at least one catalyst by which hydrogen peroxide flowing out of the hydrogen peroxide reservoir during an aeration procedure is convertible or is converted into water and oxygen in a catalytic reaction.
4. The bioreactor (1, 2, 3) as claimed in claim 3, wherein at least one catalyst is disposed between the hydrogen peroxide reservoir and an outlet opening of the aeration device (8).
5. The bioreactor (1, 2, 3) as claimed in claim 4, wherein the at least one catalyst comprises at least one of manganese(IV) oxide, manganese oxide, manganese dioxide, or manganite.
6. An organic nutrient solution, produced by the process as claimed in claim 1, having a fraction of at least 10% of plant-available mineralized nitrogen, based on a total nitrogen content of the organic nutrient solution.
7. The organic nutrient solution as claimed in claim 6, wherein the organic nutrient solution has at least one of an ammonium fraction of at least 10% of the total nitrogen content of the organic nutrient solution, a potassium fraction of at least 10% of a total solids content of the organic nutrient solution, a calcium fraction of at least 5% of the total solids content of the organic nutrient solution, a magnesium fraction of at least 1% of the total solids content of the organic nutrient solution, or a protein fraction of at least 15% of the total solids content of the organic nutrient solution.
8. A method of storing at least one of CO.sub.X, NO.sub.X, or SO.sub.X using the organic nutrient solution as claimed in claim 6, the method comprising treating the organic nutrient solution is treated with the at least one of the a CO.sub.X, NO.sub.X, or SO.sub.X-containing gas such that the organic nutrient solution absorbs CO.sub.X, NO.sub.X, or SO.sub.X.
9. A nutrient generation and carbon dioxide storage system (37) comprising: a fermentation apparatus (38) for generating at least one of an organic residual material or an organic waste material, a bioreactor (1, 2, 3) for converting the at least one of the organic residual materials or organic waste materials into an organic nutrient solution, and a carbon dioxide storage apparatus (40) having a carbon dioxide storage space (41), in which there is disposed at least one scrubber device (42) which is configured to perform a liquid-gas reaction between a carbon dioxide-containing gas and the organic nutrient solution produced by the bioreactor (1, 2, 3).
10. The nutrient generation and carbon dioxide storage system (37) as claimed in claim 9, wherein the carbon dioxide storage space (41) is divided into at least first and second chambers (44, 45), the scrubber device (42) is disposed in the first chamber (44) and the second chamber (45) is a collecting chamber (45) for the organic nutrient solution, and the system further comprises at least one pumping apparatus (46) configured to pump the organic nutrient solution from at least one of the first chamber (44) into the second chamber (45) or the second chamber (45) into the first chamber (44).
11. A method of binding or enriching carbon in plants and/or soil, the method comprising treating the plants and/or soil with the organic nutrient solution as claimed in claim 6.
12. The organic nutrient solution as claimed in claim 6, wherein the organic nutrient solution is an organic plant fertilizer.
13. The organic nutrient solution as claimed in claim 6, wherein a nitrate fraction in the plant-available, mineralized nitrogen is higher than an ammonium fraction.
14. The organic nutrient solution as claimed in claim 13, wherein there is an NO.sub.3:NH.sub.4.sup.+ ratio of at least 2:1 in the organic nutrient solution.
15. The process as claimed in claim 1, wherein a nitrate fraction of the plant-available, mineralized nitrogen is higher than an ammonium fraction, and the carrier element (10) a bioreactor (1, 2, 3) carrier element.
16. The process as claimed in claim 2, wherein the surface enlargement is performed by passing the organic nutrient solution over a scrubber device.
17. The organic nutrient solution as claimed in claim 7, wherein a pH of the organic nutrient solution is not more than 7.5.
18. The system of claim 9, further comprising a combined heat and power plant (39) for burning a biogas, generated by the fermentation apparatus (38), to obtain at least one of electrical energy or heat.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0225] The invention is described more exactly below with reference to the figures, where
[0226]
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[0228]
[0229]
[0230]
[0231]
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DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0233]
[0234] By means of the bioreactor 1, 2, 3, therefore, a process for producing the organic nutrient solution can be carried out, where a fraction of at least 10% of plant-available nitrogen is envisaged, based on the total nitrogen content of the nutrient solution. Moreover, for the plant-available mineralized nitrogen, the nitrate fraction is to be higher than the ammonium fraction.
[0235] The bioreactor 1, 2, 3 comprises a reaction vessel 5 into which a feed line 6 opens and from which a drain line 7 exits. Via the feed line 6 a suspension 4 can be introduced into the reaction vessel, and via the drain line 7 the suspension can be discharged again after passage through the reaction vessel 5.
[0236] The bioreactor 1, 2, 3 comprises an aeration device 8 via which oxygen, preferably in the form of air, can be introduced into the reaction vessel 5. In the exemplary embodiments shown in
[0237] The three bioreactors 1, 2 and 3 differ essentially in having different carrier elements 10, each disposed within a receiving space 9 of the reaction vessel 5. The carrier elements 10 are disposed within the receiving space 9 in such a way that the suspension 4 introduced via the feed line 6 is able to flow around the carrier elements 10. The suspension 4 may be, for example, an organic residual and/or waste material, as described above, and/or an organic seeding material, as described above. Additionally, the carrier elements 10 are also arranged in such a way that the oxygen introduced by means of the aeration device 8 flows around the carrier element 10, preferably substantially on all sides.
[0238] The carrier elements 10 have a particularly large surface in relation to their volume. The surfaces of the carrier elements 10 here are designed as colonization surfaces 11 for the development of a biofilm 12, which consists at least partially of ammonifying and/or nitrifying bacteria. The colonization surfaces 11 are therefore designed, for example, to be rougher than an inner side of a reaction vessel wall. This allows the microorganisms in the biofilm 12 to adhere particularly well to the colonization surfaces 11 and to grow on them. This makes it possible for the ammonifying and/or nitrifying bacteria to form a biofilm 12 substantially on the colonization surfaces 11, since here ideal growth conditions can be generated.
[0239] The carrier elements 10 of the various exemplary embodiments in
[0240] The carrier elements 10 of the bioreactor 1 from
[0241] In the case of the bioreactor 2 from
[0242] The bioreactor 3 from
[0243] In order to be able to increase a tube internal pressure in a tube 15 or in two or more tubes 15, independently in particular of the other tubes 15, a further shut-off valve 35 is disposed downstream of each tube 15 in each case, in the flow direction of the suspension 4. By shutting off a valve 35, it is possible to prevent the suspension exiting from the tube 15 via the drain line 7 extending within the receiving space 9. The suspension 4 is therefore able to emerge via the pores in a tube wall into the receiving space 9. Because the tube 15 is preferably of stretchable design, an enlargement of the pores in the tube wall can be achieved by raising the pressure within the tube 15. The bioreactor 3 comprises a further drain line 7, via which suspension 4 can be discharged from the receiving space 9 in the event of the first drain line 7 being shut off.
[0244] The aeration device 8 comprises an aeration plate 19 disposed on a base 18 of the reaction vessel 5 of the bioreactor 1, 2, 3. The aeration plate 19 is connected to the compressor 17 via a gas supply line 16, more particularly the main gas line 26. The aeration plate 19 has a plurality of uniformly distributed aeration openings 20, via which oxygen can flow into the suspension 4.
[0245] The bioreactor 1, 2, 3 comprises in each case a pumping apparatus 21, which may be designed in particular as a centrifugal pump or circulating pump. By means of the pumping apparatus 21 it is possible to pump the suspension 4 through the feed line 6 into the reaction vessel 5 and to draw it off from the reaction vessel 5 via the drain line 7.
[0246] The bioreactor 1, 2, 3 therefore comprises a suspension circuit 29, which consists of the feed lines 6, the drain lines 7 and the reaction vessel 5, and in which the suspension 4 can be circulated by means of the pumping apparatus 21. The pumping apparatus 21 is configured such that it is possible to reverse a suspension flow direction within the reaction vessel 5 and/or within the lines of the bioreactor 1, 2, 3. In combination with a plurality of shut-off valves 30, 31, 34, 35, it is possible to adjust and vary the flow direction within the reaction vessel 5.
[0247] Branching off from the feed line 6, as shown in
[0248] In order to be able to take the carrier element 10 out of the receiving space 9 easily, the bioreactor 1, 2, 3 comprises an opening 23 on a top side of the reaction vessel 5. By means of a closure unit 24 in the form of a lid, this opening 23 can be closed in a manner impervious to fluid and/or resistant to pressure, while the bioreactor 1, 2, 3 is in use.
[0249] In the upper third of the receiving space 9, the bioreactor 1 has a divider unit 36, via which the suspension 4 can be divided into a plurality of individual jets. This makes it possible on the one hand to divide up solids that are adhering to one another, and on the other hand to achieve additional aeration of the suspension. The divider unit 36 may be designed, for example, as a divider plate. Furthermore, this divider unit 36 may also be combined in the case of the other variant embodiments of
[0250] The bioreactor 1, 2, 3 additionally comprises a heating apparatus 22, which allows the receiving space 9 and/or the suspension 4 contained therein to be heated to a desired temperature.
[0251] As can be seen in
[0252] In order to generate a biofilm 12 of at least partly ammonifying and/or nitrifying bacteria, a suspension with water is produced from a particulate organic seeding material. Serving as the seeding material here may be a worm excrement or worm earth, for example. Other possible seeding materials have already been described comprehensively above. Fundamentally it may be stated that the seed material suitably comprises, in principle, all organic substances which contain proteolytic soil bacteria.
[0253] For optimal biofilm formation, the seed material is contacted with the carrier material 10 by circulation and fluidization by means of blown-in air. The organic seed material has a heightened concentration of soil bacteria, mucilage and other proteins, and also of inorganic minerals, which carry dead bacterial material. These ingredients firstly support the adhesion of the bacteria that are present on the carrier element 10, and hence support biofilm formation. Furthermore, they also serve as nutrients for the bacteria. The result is a carrier element 10 having a diverse bacterial culture, which can be modified and altered in terms of quality and quantity and which consists of a multiplicity of soil bacteria including ammonifying and nitrifying bacteria.
[0254] After formation of the biofilm 12 on the carrier element 10, the carrier material 10 may be taken from a first reaction vessel 5 and transferred to a further reaction vessel 5. Conversion of an organic residual and/or waste material into an organic nutrient solution can then be performed using the biofilm. It is also conceivable, however, for the seeding step and the incubating step to be carried out in the same reaction vessel 5. In that case it is advisable to remove the seed material from the reaction vessel 5 before adding the organic residual and/or waste material.
[0255] The invention thus relates in particular to a bioreactor 1, 2, 3 and the use thereof for converting organic residual and/or waste materials into an organic nutrient solution with a fraction of at least 10% of plant-available mineralized nitrogen, based on the total nitrogen content of the nutrient solution, having a reaction vessel 5, where the reaction vessel 5 comprises a feed line 6 via which a suspension 4 can be introduced into the reaction vessel 5, and where the reaction vessel 5 comprises a drain line 7 via which the suspension 4 can be discharged from the reaction vessel 5, and having an aeration device 8 for aerating the suspension 4 and/or a carrier element 10 disposed within the reaction vessel 5, where the carrier element 10 has at least one inner and one outer colonization surface 11, on each of which ammonifying and/or nitrifying bacteria can colonize in a biofilm 12.
[0256]
[0257] Carbon dioxide formed by the fermentation process in the fermentation apparatus 38 can be passed into the carbon dioxide storage apparatus 40 via a line 43 in the form of a gas line. The organic residual and waste material (fermentation residue) is passed into the bioreactor 1, 2, 3 from the fermentation apparatus 38 as a starting material for the production of the organic nutrient solution. Biogas produced in the fermentation apparatus 38 can be burned by means of the combined heat and power plant 39. Carbon dioxide formed in that process is likewise passed into the carbon dioxide storage apparatus 40.
[0258] The organic nutrient solution produced in the bioreactor 1, 2, 3 from the residual and waste material (fermentation residue) is subsequently conveyed from the bioreactor 1, 2, 3 via a line 43 into the carbon dioxide storage space 41. There it is mixed with the carbon dioxide-containing gas from the fermentation apparatus 38 and the combined heat and power plant 39.
[0259]
[0260] The carbon dioxide storage space 41 of the carbon dioxide storage apparatus 40 is subdivided into two chambers 44, 45. By means of the pumping apparatus 46, the organic nutrient solution can be pumped back and forth between the chambers 44, 45. In the first chamber 44 there is a scrubber device 42. This may take the form, for example, of a bubble column reactor, tubular reactor, jet nozzle reactor, stirred tank, thin-film reactor and/or spraying tower. Critical to improved CO.sub.2 binding is the production of as large as possible an interface between the organic nutrient solution and the gas.
[0261] The carbon dioxide storage apparatuses 40 in
[0262] The composition of the samples A (concentrated nutrient solution), B (nutrient solution) and C (reference=water) is as follows:
TABLE-US-00007 Scrubber A Absorbent: soilingNRF concentrated Gas volume in l: 82 Liquid quantity in circulation in l: 2.93 Gas/liquid volume coefficient: 28 Temperature of liquid 25 degrees C. pH NH4 mg/l * NO3 mg/l * Ca CO3 mg/l * K mg/l * 8.3 80 1750 70 3750 * Measured with test strips from MerckKGA, Darmstadt; MQuant. The concentration is determined by visual comparison of the reaction zone on the test strip with the fields of a color scale
TABLE-US-00008 Scrubber B Absorbent: soilingNRF Gas volume in l: 56 Liquid quantity in circulation in l: 53 Gas/liquid volume coefficient: 1.05 Temperature of liquid: 25 degrees C. pH NH4 mg/l* NO3 mg/l* Ca CO3 mg/l* K mg/l* 5.7 8 450 90 375 *Measured with test strips from MerckKGA, Darmstadt; MQuant. The concentration is determined by visual comparison of the reaction zone on the test strip with the fields of a color scale
TABLE-US-00009 Scrubber C Absorbent: water Gas volume in l: 56 Liquid quantity in circulation in l: 49 Gas/liquid volume coefficient: 1.14 Temperature of liquid 25 degrees C. pH NH4 mg/l* NO3 mg/l* Ca CO3 mg/l* K mg/l* 6.3 0 3 80 0 *Measured with test strips from MerckKGA, Darmstadt; MQuant. The concentration is determined by visual comparison of the reaction zone on the test strip with the fields of a color scale
[0263] The gas mixture from the exhaust gases of a combustion engine is fed to the carbon dioxide storage apparatus A, B and C for around 10 minutes and then the access ports are provided with gas-tight sealing. The CO.sub.2 content is measured at the start of the scrubber function and then after hours 1, 2, 3 and 4. The measuring instrument (testo 330-2 LX; flue gas analyzer from Testo SE and Co KGaA, Lenzkirch) determines the fraction of CO.sub.2 in the gas mixture.
[0264] The result of the experiment may be gathered from the table below and from the associated diagram from
[0265] Result of experiment:
TABLE-US-00010 Start 1 h 2 h 3 h 4 h soiling CO2 in % 1.13 0.85 0.79 0.79 0.62 NRF Loading of the 0 0.28 0.34 0.34 0.51 concentrated liquid A Loading weighted 0 7.8 9.5 9.5 14.3 by gas/liquid coefficient soiling CO2 in % 1.19 1.02 0.91 0.91 0.74 NRF Loading of the 0 0.17 0.28 0.28 0.45 B liquid Loading weighted 0 0.2 0.3 0.3 0.5 by gas/liquid coefficient Water CO2 in % 1.08 1.02 0.79 0.79 0.76 C Loading of the 0 0.06 0.29 0.29 0.32 liquid Loading weighted 0 0.1 0.3 0.3 by gas/liquid coefficient
[0266] The CO.sub.2 concentration at the start of the series of experiments was around 30 times higher than the CO.sub.2 concentration of 0.038% in air.
[0267] After 4 hours of running, the absorbent liquids of scrubbers A, B and C are subjected to measurement, the resulting values being as follows:
TABLE-US-00011 Scrubber A with soilingNRCO2capF concentrated pH NH4 mg/l * NO3 mg/1 * Ca CO3 mg/1 * K mg/1 * 6.4 20 1750 200 125 * Measured with test strips from MerckKGA, Darmstadt; MQuant. The concentration is determined by visual comparison of the reaction zone on the test strip with the fields of a color scale
TABLE-US-00012 Scrubber B with soilingNRCO2capF pH NH4 mg/l * NO3 mg/l * Ca CO3 mg/l * K mg/l * 5.3 5 450 120 170 * Measured with test strips from MerckKGA, Darmstadt; MQuant. The concentration is determined by visual comparison of the reaction zone on the test strip with the fields of a color scale
TABLE-US-00013 Scrubber C with water pH NH4 mg/l * NO3 mg/l * Ca CO3 mg/l * K mg/l * 6 0 3 130 0 * Measured with test strips from MerckKGA, Darmstadt; MQuant. The concentration is determined by visual comparison of the reaction zone on the test strip with the fields of a color scale
[0268] Particularly effective CO.sub.2 storage was possible by means of the concentrated nutrient solution (A) and the nutrient solution (B).
[0269] The invention is also suitable for the binding and/or as an absorbent of COx, NOx and SOx from fermentation gases and combustion gases formed in biogas recovery and biogas combustion and also in the combustion of fossil fuels.
[0270] The system is therefore especially suitable for implementing the process, described and/or claimed herein, for the production of an organic nutrient solution and/or carbon dioxide storage.
LIST OF REFERENCE SYMBOLS
[0271] 1, 2, 3 Bioreactor [0272] 4 Suspension [0273] 5 Reaction vessel [0274] 6 Feed line [0275] 7 Drain line [0276] 8 Aeration device [0277] 9 Receiving space [0278] 10 Carrier element [0279] 11 Colonization surface [0280] 12 Biofilm [0281] 13 Chips [0282] 14 Granules [0283] 15 Tube [0284] 16 Gas supply line [0285] 17 Compressor [0286] 18 Base of the reaction vessel [0287] 19 Aeration plate [0288] 20 Aeration openings [0289] 21 Pumping apparatus [0290] 22 Heating apparatus [0291] 23 Opening [0292] 24 Closure unit [0293] 25 Bypass gas line [0294] 26 Main gas line [0295] 27 Collecting unit [0296] 28 Further aeration device [0297] 29 Suspension circuit [0298] 30 Shut-off valve [0299] 31 Shut-off valve [0300] 32 Bypass feed line [0301] 33 Shut-off valve (air) [0302] 34 Shut-off valve in the reaction vessel [0303] 35 Shut-off valve in the reaction vessel [0304] 36 Divider unit [0305] 37 Nutrient generation and carbon dioxide storage system [0306] 38 Fermentation apparatus, more particularly a biogas plant [0307] 39 Combined heat and power plant [0308] 40 Carbon dioxide storage apparatus [0309] 41 Carbon dioxide storage space [0310] 42 Scrubber device [0311] 43 Line [0312] 44 Scrubber device chamber [0313] 45 Collecting chamber [0314] 46 Pumping apparatus [0315] 47 Carbon dioxide measuring device