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DES-BIOMETHANE: A New Use for Industrial Waste

Carles Gimeno

DES-BIOMETHANE: A New Use for Industrial Waste

The project entitled “Obtaining Deep Eutectic Solvents by valorisation of industrial waste and its application in the purification of biogas obtained in EDARs (DES-BIOMETHANE)” that started in November 2017 aims to study the feasibility of using certain industrial effluents managed by the Mediterranean Water Purification Company (DAM) to produce low cost biodegradable solvents known as “Deep Eutectic Solvents-DES”, which are suitable for the purification or cleaning of biogas produced in WWTPs (Upgrading). This new process is part of a global philosophy that promotes the circular economy, as well as the management and use of waste.

Some treatment plants that have implemented the anaerobic digestion process for the production of biogas (65% methane, 30% CO2) use this biogas for the production of energy or heat. This biogas can be treated or cleaned to increase the percentage of methane to values around 95% and use it in other uses, such as fuel for vehicles or to be injected into the network, after adapting all the necessary facilities for this purpose.

 

One of the alternatives that allows to enrich the biogas is the capture or removal of the CO2 present through solvents. In this project, a component of an industrial waste will be used to produce a biodegradable solvent capable of capturing CO2, that is, produce a product suitable for purifying the biogas produced in WWTPs, closing a cycle where a waste is reduced and emissions of CO2 to zero, giving added value to the generation of a purer biogas.