TECHNALIA patents millichannel reactor converting synthetic natural gas from biogas with CO2
In Spain, the TECHNALIA applied research and technological development center has developed and patented a millichannel reactor that allows to directly obtain synthetic natural gas from biogas, through the conversion of the CO2 it contains. This system improves the overall efficiency of the upgrading process, achieving a methane concentration at the output of more than 95% in a single step.
This reactor, designed to intensify the CO2 methaneation reaction present in the biogas, is based on a millimeter architecture that provides heat and mass transfer coefficients much higher than those of conventional reactors, avoiding the formation of hot spots and allowing to operate stably even under dynamic conditions.
Likewise, its modular design facilitates the scaling by replica, that is, it makes it an adaptable solution to both small-scale plants and industrial facilities.
The reactor has been validated in a pilot plant to TRL6, which measures its technological maturity, demonstrating a high efficiency, a rapid response to flow variations and a near total use of the raw material, achieving a synthetic natural gas with sufficient quality to be injected directly into the natural gas network.
TECNALIA has demonstrated the viability of the reactor by collaborating with companies such as Lointek, Repsol, Petronor, and Awaes (Tedagua).
Category: Fuels
