@phdthesis{Thema, author = {Thema, Martin Jiř{\´i}}, title = {Process optimization for microbial biosynthesis of methane in a trickle-bed reactor for Power-to-Gas applications: the ORBIT-process}, isbn = {978-3-8440-7656-1}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:bvb:29-opus4-150567}, pages = {XVIII, 211}, abstract = {This thesis identifes Power-to-Gas in general and biological CO2-methanation in trickle-bed reactors in particular as promising energy storage and sector coupling technology ready for application but with further optimization potential. It reviews the global status and development of Power-to-Gas technology as to be of exponentially growing importance in energy systems changing towards renewable power supply and analyzes optimization and standardization potential for biological CO2-methanation in tricklebed reactors deriving an improved methanation process. Process development and experiments on hydrodynamical and biological improvement of such a setup were performed, leading to an optimized combination of a packing and microorganisms in pure culture embedded in the new ORBIT-process. First experimental results give evidence of successful application of different optimization approaches implemented in a technical center scale setup.}, language = {en} } @techreport{ThemaKaulSterneretal., author = {Thema, Martin and Kaul, Anja and Sterner, Michael and Heberl, Michael}, title = {Optimierung eines Rieselbett-Bioreaktors f{\"u}r die dynamische mikrobielle Biosynthese von Methan mit Archaeen-Mikroorganismen in Power-to-Gas-Anlagen}, doi = {10.2314/KXP:1815321555}, abstract = {Das {\"u}bergeordnete Ziel des Vorhabens war die Entwicklung neuer technologischer M{\"o}glichkeiten f{\"u}r den biologischen Methanisierungsprozess mit Archaeen1 in Power-to-Gas-Anwendungen. Im Gegensatz zur technisch ausgereiften chemisch-katalytischen Methanisierung sind hier noch Potenziale zur Optimierung verfahrenstechnischer und biologischer Prozesse f{\"u}r das Speicherkonzept Power-to-Gas [7] vorhanden. Dabei sollte zum einen ein Rieselbett-Bioreaktor optimiert, simuliert und f{\"u}r die Hochskalierung vorbereitet werden. Zum anderen sollte eine Kombination optimal geeigneter Mikroorganismen und Packungsmaterialien selektiert und deren Verhalten und Eignung im Reaktor analysiert werden. Das Verhalten des entwickelten Systems sollte zun{\"a}chst im Labor- und Technikumsmaßstab und anschließend im Feldtest an einer bestehenden Power-to-Gas-Anlage untersucht werden. Hauptziel w{\"a}hrend des Feldtests war die Produktion von einspeisef{\"a}higem Methan sowie dessen Einspeisung ins Gasnetz. Ein Hauptziel des Projektes war es, die Normung und Standardisierung notwendiger Systemparameter und Semantik zur Beschreibung und Einbindung biologischer Methanisierungseinheiten in Power-to-Gas-Anlagen voranzutreiben. Dies sollte zum einen die Vergleichbarkeit der wissenschaftlichen Erkenntnisse verbessern und zum anderen unterst{\"u}tzend bei der Kommerzialisierung der Technologie wirken. Aus dem Projekt heraus wurde so die neue Normungsreihe VDI 4635 Power-to-X beim Verein Deutscher Ingenieure angestoßen.}, language = {de} } @misc{Sterner, author = {Sterner, Michael}, title = {Gas aus einer Gesamtenergieversorgungsperspektive - Warum wir Power-to-X f{\"u}r die Klimaneutralit{\"a}t brauchen}, series = {Kopernikus-Konferenz Projekt "Ensure" (Deutsche Umwelthilfe), 15. April 2021}, journal = {Kopernikus-Konferenz Projekt "Ensure" (Deutsche Umwelthilfe), 15. April 2021}, language = {de} } @misc{SternerHeberl, author = {Sterner, Michael and Heberl, Michael}, title = {The ORBIT-Project: Biological methanation in a trickle-bed reactor - key results and next steps}, series = {5th Nuremberg Workshop on Methanation and 2nd Generation, N{\"u}rnberg Friedrich-Alexander-Universit{\"a}t, 28.05.2021}, journal = {5th Nuremberg Workshop on Methanation and 2nd Generation, N{\"u}rnberg Friedrich-Alexander-Universit{\"a}t, 28.05.2021}, organization = {Friedrich-Alexander-Universit{\"a}t Erlangen-N{\"u}rnberg / Lehrstuhl f{\"u}r Energieverfahrenstechnik}, language = {en} } @article{SternerSpecht, author = {Sterner, Michael and Specht, Michael}, title = {Power-to-Gas and Power-to-X-The History and Results of Developing a New Storage Concept}, series = {Energies}, volume = {14}, journal = {Energies}, number = {20}, publisher = {MDPI}, doi = {10.3390/en14206594}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:898-opus4-26202}, abstract = {Germany's energy transition, known as 'Energiewende', was always very progressive. However, it came technically to a halt at the question of large-scale, seasonal energy storage for wind and solar, which was not available. At the end of the 2000s, we combined our knowledge of both electrical and process engineering, imitated nature by copying photosynthesis and developed Power-to-Gas by combining water electrolysis with CO2-methanation to convert water and CO2 together with wind and solar power to synthetic natural gas. Storing green energy by coupling the electricity with the gas sector using its vast TWh-scale storage facility was the solution for the biggest energy problem of our time. This was the first concept that created the term 'sector coupling' or 'sectoral integration'. We first implemented demo sites, presented our work in research, industry and ministries, and applied it in many macroeconomic studies. It was an initial idea that inspired others to rethink electricity as well as eFuels as an energy source and energy carrier. We developed the concept further to include Power-to-Liquid, Power-to-Chemicals and other ways to 'convert' electricity into molecules and climate-neutral feedstocks, and named it 'Power-to-X'at the beginning of the 2010s.}, language = {en} } @article{GaertnerRankHeberletal., author = {G{\"a}rtner, Sebastian and Rank, Daniel and Heberl, Michael and Gaderer, Matthias and Dawoud, Belal and Haumer, Anton and Sterner, Michael}, title = {Simulation and Techno-Economic Analysis of a Power-to-Hydrogen Process for Oxyfuel Glass Melting}, series = {Energies}, volume = {14}, journal = {Energies}, number = {24}, publisher = {MDPI}, doi = {10.3390/en14248603}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:898-opus4-22713}, abstract = {As an energy-intensive industry sector, the glass industry is strongly affected by the increasingly stringent climate protection targets. As established combustion-based production systems ensure high process stability and glass quality, an immediate switch to low greenhouse gas emission processes is difficult. To approach these challenges, this work investigates a step-by-step integration of a Power-to-Hydrogen concept into established oxyfuel glass melting processes using a simulation approach. This is complemented by a case study for economic analysis on a selected German glass industry site by simulating the power production of a nearby renewable energy park and subsequent optimization of the power-to-hydrogen plant performance and capacities. The results of this study indicate, that the proposed system can reduce specific carbon dioxide emissions by up to 60\%, while increasing specific energy demand by a maximum of 25\%. Investigations of the impact of altered combustion and furnace properties like adiabatic flame temperature (+25 °C), temperature efficiency (∆ξ = -0.003) and heat capacity flow ratio (∆zHL = -0.009) indicate that pure hydrogen-oxygen combustion has less impact on melting properties than assumed so far. Within the case study, high CO2 abatement costs of 295 €/t CO2-eq. were determined. This is mainly due to the insufficient performance of renewable energy sources. The correlations between process scaling and economic parameters presented in this study show promising potential for further economic optimization of the proposed energy system in the future.}, language = {en} } @article{ThemaWeidlichKauletal., author = {Thema, Martin and Weidlich, Tobias and Kaul, Anja and B{\"o}llmann, Andrea and Huber, Harald and Bellack, Annett and Karl, J{\"u}rgen and Sterner, Michael}, title = {Optimized biological CO2-methanation with a pure culture of thermophilic methanogenic archaea in a trickle-bed reactor}, series = {Bioresource Technology}, journal = {Bioresource Technology}, number = {333}, publisher = {Elsevier}, doi = {10.1016/j.biortech.2021.125135}, abstract = {In this study, a fully automated process converting hydrogen and carbon dioxide to methane in a high temperature trickle-bed reactor was developed from lab scale to field test level. The reactor design and system performance was optimized to yield high methane content in the product gas for direct feed-in to the gas grid. The reaction was catalyzed by a pure culture of Methanothermobacter thermoautotrophicus IM5, which formed a biofilm on ceramic packing elements. During 600 h in continuous and semi-continuous operation in countercurrent flow, the 0.05 m3 reactor produced up to 95.3 \% of methane at a methane production rate of 0.35 mCH43mR-3h-1. Adding nitrogen as carrier gas during startup, foam control and dosing of ammonium and sodium sulfide as nitrogen and sulfur source were important factors for process automation.}, language = {en} }