CONVERSION OF CO2 CAPTURED FROM COMBUSTION SYSTEMS OR OTHER INDUSTRIAL PROCESSES INTO METHANE THROUGH ANAEROBIC DIGESTION COMBINED WITH BIOMASSES

摘要

A quick method for converting CO2 into methane is provided. According to this method, CO2 is first combined with suitably formulated and treated biomasses according to predefined ratios and then subjected to an optimized anaerobic digestion process based on bacterial populations of specially selected high-density acetogenic and methanogenic microorganisms. The method described herein integrates four modules: a first module adapted to prearrange a concentrated CO2 flow; a second module for preparing, by using industrial methods, nutritional substrates obtained from cocktails of highly degradable, low-cost vegetable and animal matrices; a third module for preparing, by using agro-industrial methods, alcoholic substrates from low-cost vegetable matrices having a high carbohydrate content; a fourth module for carrying out the industrial conversion of the CO2 obtained from the first module into acetates and subsequently into methane, by combining it according to accurately defined ratios with optimal nutritional and alcoholic substrates respectively obtained from the second and third modules and then by subjecting said combination to a totally engineered anaerobic digestion process. The proposed method is very useful for industries emitting greenhouse gases as well as for any plants involved in the production of energy from biomasses or in the disposal of organic waste.