Efficient syngas fermentation of gasified woody biomass

The activities in this project aim to contribute to the development of efficient biological methanation of gasified woody biomass in a unique “solid state” reactor, newly developed and patented by Q Power.

Through thermal gasification of forest residues/waste, demolition wood, park and garden waste, etc., the carbon and hydrogen content of the lignocellulosic materials is made available to microbes and thereby biologically converted to methane. In this way, the raw material base for the production of biomethane is broadened.

Within the framework of the project, a system with unique “solid state” reactors for biological methanation of gasified wood raw material was demonstrated on a pilot scale. The demonstration took place in Höganäs with Q Power’s mobile system with three serial “solid state” reactors for biological methanation and synthesis gas from Cortus’ WoodRoll gasifier.

The targets of 10 liters of methane per liter of reactor volume and day, complete conversion of CO, an electricity consumption of less than 0.02 kW/kW_methane and less than 2% unconverted hydrogen in the final product were achieved, although not during a single test run. The project has contributed to a deeper understanding of biological methanation and the complex interaction between the microbes involved in the water-gas shift reaction (CO + H2O -> CO2 + H2) and the methanation (CO2 + 4H2 -> CH4 + 2H2O).

A commercially viable business plan based on the simultaneous production of biochar and biomethane via biological methanation of gasified woody biomass was developed.

Find out more about the project

Read more about the project here.

Here you can find a publication of the result in English.

Here you can find an animated video about the project.

A conference about the project was held as part of the programme for Regatec 2024. View the presentations here.