Biomethanation in a thermophilic biotrickling filter using cattle manure as nutrient media

• Published in: Bioresource technology reports Vol. 9; p. 100391
• Main Authors: Sieborg, Mads Ujarak, Jønson, Brian Dahl, Ashraf, Muhammad Tahir, Yde, Lars, Triolo, Jin Mi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01.02.2020
• Subjects: Biogas; Biomethane; Hydrogen; Hydrogenotrophic methanogenesis; Power-to-gas; Upgrading; Biogas; Biomethane; Power-to-gas; Upgrading; Hydrogen; Hydrogenotrophic methanogenesis
• ISSN: 2589-014X; 2589-014X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.biteb.2020.100391

Hydrogenotrophic methanogenesis is a power-to-gas method, biologically converting CO2 to CH4 using H2 generated from electrical power. However, the low rate of gas-liquid mass transfer of H2 limits the hydrogenotrophic methanogens biocatalyst. We explored hydrogenotrophic methanogenesis using cattle manure as trickling solution by employing a thermophilic biotrickling filter (BTF) with a fixed bed of polyurethane foam. It was found that stable biomethanation was possible with 100% H2 conversion and specific methane productivity of 2.08 Nm3 m−3 d−1 at a gas retention time of 1.32 h under thermophilic conditions. The successful use of pasteurized cattle manure, a cost-effective nutrient would enable biomethanation to get one step closer to being economically feasible. [Display omitted] •Complete conversion of hydrogen was achieved in the biotrickling filter.•Stable operation was achieved by lowering the gas retention times from 4 to 1.31 h.•Trickling of pasteurized cattle manure was sufficient as a nutrient media.