Title of Invention

ANAEROBIC FERMENTER

Abstract The invention rulas to a device (1) for anarobically tenmetiting suhatances (A-B) Comparising a preacidified (2) Inside of which the substances (A-B) are subjected to a preacidification:a fen center (3a-3b) Inside of which the preacidified substance (A-B) ferment and transfer meane (5a,5b,5c,5d,5c,10,11,12,14,21) for transferring the substnce (A-B) out of the preacidified (2) and into the fetmonter (3a3b) The device is characterized in that the Iransfer means (5a,5b,5c,5d,5c,10,11,12 ,14,21) are designed for selectively transforming sufficiently preacidified substance (A-B) The invention also relates to amethod for unaerobically fermenting substaces (A-B) Envolving a praecidification during which the substace (A-B) are preacidification by means of a preacidified (2) a femeolation during which the preacidified substance (A-B) terment inside a termenter (3a-3b) and a trasferming during which substance (A-B) are transfermed out for the precidified (2) and into the fermenter (3a-3b) where by the sufficiently preacidified substance and selectively transferred
Full Text
The invention relates to an apparatus and a method
for the anaerobic fermentation of materials.
An apparatus and a method according to the preamble
10 of claim 1 and of claim 8 is known from the DE 198 04
007. This document relates to the treatment of an organi-
cally burdened fluid whereat the gas is generated in the
fermentation stage. In practice it has turned out that
the average duration of stay of the burdened fluids in
15 the pre-acidification stage is approximately 15 hours and
a total process approximately 30 hours. In this time the
process water is sufficiently pre—acidified so that it
can be transported into the fermenter without involving
the risk that there would occur yet another acidification
20 in the fermenter which would be very disadvantageous for
the fermentation process particularly by damaging the
methane producing bacteria due to low pH-values. Usually
in the pre-acidification a pH-value of 6.0 or below must
be reached. The pre-acidification serves to solubilize
25 complex carbon compounds since the fermentation bacteria
can utilize simple carbon compounds only.
During the fermentation biogas is extracted which
represents a mixture of methane and carbon dioxide and
which can be Used for generating energy.
30 Further, from practice solid reactors are known in
which pre-acidification and fermentation for the extrac-
tion of biogas take place jointly. In such reactors solid
to pasty materials can be treated, whose time of stay 16
weeks until a sufficient total process has taken place.


- 2 -
At breweries fluid burdened process waters for exam-
ple from cleaning processes for example and as more solid
organic materials yeasts and draff, i.e. brewer grain for
example arise. At fruit juice extraction plants also
5 press residues like solid peel particles arise besides
the process water. At such or similar production sites at
which organically burdened fluids as well as organic re-
mains arise normally both i.e. two independent reactors
are therefore required primarily due to the incompatible
10 pre-acidification periods in order to utilize the materi-
als for biogas production. This is however quite costly
and complicated.
The DE 199 37 876 Al discloses a method for the bio-
logical conversion of organic materials to methane gas,
15 Which method is to achieve a power enhancement by shift-
ing the stable operating point of the system, For that
purpose the residence time of organic components in the
reactors is to be uncoupled from the hydraulic residence
time by the retention of organic components by means of a
20 semipermeable membrane in order to achieve a better adap-
tation of the bacteria growth.
The object of the present invention is therefore to
create an apparatus and a method with which a more cost
effective simpler alternative for the production of bio-
25 gas from fluid and soild materials can be realized.
This objective is achieved by an apparatus with the
characteristics of claim 1 and a method with the charac-
teristics of claim 8.
Preferred embodiments are disclosed in the respec-
30 tive sum claims.
With the apparatus according to the present inven-
tion means for transporting materials into the fermenter
are provided with which it is possible by selective pro-
5

- 3 -
cess control, to transport all materials in a sufficiently
pre-acidified condition. Here, still insufficiently pre-
acidified normally more solid sparsely solubilized mate-
rials are left in the pre-acidifier for sufficient pre-
5 acidification.
Accordingly the method according to the present in-
vention relates to such one at which only sufficiently
pre-acidified materials are transported.
In this way it is possible to put fluid respectively
10 largely solubilized materials as well as solid or pasty
less solubilized ones into a pre-acidifier and sibse-
quently feed them sufficiently pre-acidified to a common
fermenter.
For the selective transport a variety of material
15 characteristics can be utilized which distinguish the
sufficiently pre-acidified materials from the still in-
sufficiently pre-acidified materials.
While for example sufficiently pre-acidified solid
or pasty materials are soaked by the pre-acidification
20 solubilization and dissolve in the fluid the insuffi-
ciently pre-acidified solid are normally coarse grained
and sedimenting, respectively. Thus, a selection can be
done by sieving and treating for example whereat the
sieve for example has to be designed so that the still
25 insufficiently pre-acidified solids get caught in the
sieve and the fluid and soaked materials can pass through
the sieve.
Furthermore, it has turned out that the still insuf-
ficiently pre-acidified solids in the pre-acidifier de-
30 posit themselves on the bottom of the same if no agita-
tion or stirring take place in the pre-acidifier. This
means that upon switch-off of the agitation or of the
stirring normally taking place in the pre-acidifier the
insufficiently pre-acidified materials gather in the low-


-4-
10
er portion, whereas the sufficiently pre-acidified mate-
rials gather in the upper portion whereby a selection of
sufficiently pre-acidified materials by a withdrawal of
materials in the upper portion of the pre-acidifier is
5 rendered possible by carrying out the forwarding into the
fermenter only during the "rest phases".
It has furthermore turned out that by a flotation
for example by blowing air or gas into the pre-acidifier
from the bottom the solid preferably bloat on the sur-
10 face so that also here a separation of still insuffi-
ciently pre-acidified materials from the sufficiently
pre-acidified materials results so that a selection dur-
ing transport by a withdrawal of materials from the lower
portion of the pre-acidifier is possible.
15 A preferred embodiment with very coarse feedstock
materials such as peels, grains or the like includes a
pre-treatment preferably a mechanical pre-comminution of
the solids with a chopper or a mill or the like. A pre-
treatment particularly a mechanical pre-comminution fa-
20 cilitates the solubilization of the solid materials in
the pre-acidifier.
Preferred embodiments of the apparatus according to
the present invention and the method according to the
present invention are explained on the basis of the ac-
25 companying figures, in which:
Figure 1 shows a three-dimensional perspective view
of an apparatus according to the invention,
Figure 2 shows a schematic sectional view of the ap-
paratus according to the invention,
30 Figure 3 shows a schematic sectional view of another
embodiment according to the invention, and
Figure 4 shows a sectional view of a further embodi-
ment of the invention.

- 5 -
In figure 1 an apparatus for the pre-acidification
and anaerobic fermentation of materials is shown in a
schematic three-dimensional illustration. The apparatus
comprises a pre-acidifier 2, a fermenter with a main load
5 stage 3a and a light load stage 3b and a final sedimenta-
tion stage 4. For the performance of the anaerobic fer-
mentation main load stage 3a and light load stage 3b are
covered by a tarpaulin for example for collecting and
storing the arising gases, which is not illustrated in
10 figure 1 for the sake of clarity. This tarpaulin can ad-
ditionally cover pre-acidification 2 for example when the
flotation occurs by means of gas or gas circulation(not
illustrated).
Between pre-acidifier 2 and main load stage 3a a di-
15 vider 17, between main load stage 3a and light load stage
3b a double divider 18 as well as between light load
stage 3b and final sedimentation stage 4 a divider 19 are
put in which can be adjustable or fixed.
In the portion of pre-acidifier 2 stirrers 6, 7 can
20 be arranged with which an agitation can be carried out in
the portion of pre-acidifier 2. Stirrers 6, 7 can be
driven by a control device 14 via signal or power supply
lines 15 . Via a signal or power line 16 control device 14
can also be connected to a pump 5c with which a transport
25 from pre-acidifier 2 into main load stage 3a via
pipelines 5a and 5b can take place. At this the end of a
nozzle and of a pipeline 5b are arranged in the portion
of pre-acidifier 2 in the upper portion of pre-acidifier
2 i.e. for example above the middle along the height of
30 pre-acidifier 2. Main, load stage 3a as well as light load
stage 3b can comprise partition walls not further illus-
trated. Double divider 18 between main load stage 3a and
light load stage 3b as well as divider 19 between light
load stage 3b and final sedimentation stage 4 may com-


15 - 6 -
praise transfer points 20 or overflow spillways with which
materials from the respective stage can pass over into
the subsequent stage.
The basin illustrated in figure 1 can be embedded
5 into the ground which however is not illustrated in fig-
ure 1 for reason of clarity.
While in figure 1 pre-acidifier 2, fermenter 3a, 3b
as well as final sedimentation stage 4 are accommodated
in a basin they can also be arranged individually in a
10 basin or tank.
In figure 2 there is a schematic sectional view of
the apparatus of figure 1, in which tarpaulin 13 is il-
lustrated which covers the main load stage and the light
load stage. Under tarpaulin 13 the biogas produced
15 gather so that the tarpaulin bulges as illustrated in
figure 2.
Furthermore in figure 2 the induction of the materi-
als A and B via feed mechanisms 8 and 9 and for B alter-
natively via a pre-treatment 25, respectively, is
20 schematically illustrated. While the fluid material A is
normally fed through a pipeline the solid material B can
be fed via a conveyor belt or via containers or the like.
If the solid material B is available in a pasty or bloat-
ed form it can also be fed via a pipeline 9. In figure 2
25 a possible pre-treatment 25 of the solid materials B is
also specified.
In figure 3 another embodiment of apparatus 1 is
schematically illustrated. Here a sieve 12 is arranged at
the entry of a pipeline 5b which serves for transporting
30 from pre-acidifier 2 into main load stage 3a. While sieve
12 is arranged here in an approximately middle position
with respect to the vertical height of pre-acidifier 2,
it can also be arranged further up or further down. Sieve


- 7 -
12 is required to have a mesh aperture or transfer port
opening size such that solids B which are fed into the
pre-acidifier cannot pass through as long as they are in-
sufficiently pre-acidified.
5 Instead of a pipeline 5b and a sieve 12 as transport
means a sieve or a rack in a spillway or just a spillway
with a automatically lockable value can also be arranged
through which materials from pre-acidifier 2 flow over
into main load stage 3a. Such a spillway can be arranged
10 at the upper end of divider 17 for example and can proba-
bly be lockable. The described spillways can also be ar-
ranged in the middle or lower part of divider 17.
Instead of a sieve 12 any other suitable device for
separating coarse structured materials from soft or fluid
15 materials as for example an intermediate sedimentation
stage can also be provided. From such an intermediate
sedimentation stage the solid materials would be trans-
ported back into pre-acidifier 2 so that they undergo a
further pre-acidification.
20 Figure 4 shows a further embodiment of the inven-
tion. At this a pipe 5e is provided as transport means,
whose entry nozzle end is located in the lower portion of
pre-acidifier 2. Furthermore a flotation device 10, 11 is
25 provided with which air or gas which is fed through a
acidifier 2.
A pump 5d is connected via a signal, a compressed-
air, a hydraulic or a power line to a control device 14
which can drive pump 5d or an automatic value (not illus-
30 trated). Furthermore, control device 14 is connected to
an optional stirrer 6, 7 and/or to flotation device 10,
11, 21 via one or more signal, compressed-air, hydraulic
or power lines and can drive these.
20

- 8 -
A first embodiment of a method according to the in-
vention shall be explained on the basis of figures 1 and
2.
Via pipelines 8 a brewery waste water (process wa-
5 ter) for example is fed into the portion of pre-acidifier
2. The draff, yeasts and filtered out remains furthermore
arising at the brewery can be fed into the portion of
pre-acidifier 2 unprocessed, completely or partially pre-
treated via suitable transport means such as pipelines or
10 conveyor belts or the like as solids B.
In this portion a fermentation by acidogeneous bac-
teria into mainly organic acids, hydrogen carbon dioxide
as well as low alcohols occurs. At this a pH-value of ap-
proximately 6 and below or 5.5 and below is achieved.
15 To support the thorough mixing one or more stirrers
6, 7 for example are employed in the portion of pre-acid-
ification 2.
The materials A and B are put into the portion of
pre-acidifier 2 continuously or intermittently.
20 From pre-acidifier 2 a transport of materials into
main load stage 3a must occur continuously or in inter-
vals, For this, stirrers 6 and 7 or other agitation de-
vices for example are switched off by means of control
device 14. After a while (some minutes up to several ten
25 minutes) the solids which are normally still insuffi-
ciently pre-acidified deposit themselves in the lower
portion of pre-acidifier 2. In the upper portion of the
reactor the sufficiently pre-acidified fluid materials as
well as the soaked and therefore sufficiently pre-acidi-
30 fied solids gather. After the deposition in the portion
of pre-acidifier 2 which is caused by a switched-off for
example of stirrers 6,7 a pump 5c is switched on via
control device 14 which transports materials via


- 9 -
25
pipelines 5a and 5b from the upper portion, of pre-acidi-
fier 2 into main load stage 3a or control device 14 opens
the alternatively installed valve.
In main load stage 3a and in light load stage 3b the
5 pre-acidified materials ferment and methanate,
respectively, under the formation of biogas and the mate-
rials leaving light load stage 3b are final-treated in
final sedimentation stage 4. The final-treated materials
can be re-transported to the process, for example into
10 the light load stage 3b, by means of pump 22 and pipeline
23 or taken out in a controlled way as surplus sludge by
means of value 24.
The draff and the filtered-out remains can be me-
chanically pre-hackled or purified otherwise so that for
15 example a present grain size of solid material results.
This is advantageous to the controlled process control as
well as to the accelerated pre-acidification of the
solids.
On the basis of figure 3 a further embodiment of the
20 method shall be explained. The addition of materials A, B
to pre-acidifier 2 as well as the fermentation and final
sedimentation is the same as the procedure described with
reference to figures 1 and 2.
In this method materials are transported continuous-
25 ly or in intervals from pre-acidifier 2 into main load
stage 3a with a pipeline 5b and a pump, not illustrated,
through a sieve 12. Sieve 12 retains the still insuffi-
ciently pre-acidified solids and lets the sufficiently
pre-acidified fluid and soaked materials pass through.
30 At this the withdrawal from pre-acidifier 2 can be
carried out in a middle position, as illustrated in fig-
ure 3, or further up or further down.
Furtheron, means for keeping sieve 12 free such as
slides can be provided which remove in suitable intervals


- 10 -
material accumulating on sieve 12. For that purpose a de-
vice can also be provided which creates a cross current
in sieve 12 in order to remove remove accumulating meterial from
sieve 12 in this way.
5 The agitation device, here stirrers 6, 7 may be
switched on or switched off during the transport.
Using figure 4 a further embodiment of a method
shall be explained.
Here the feed at the materials A, B and the fermen-
10 tation and final sedimentation, respectively, are the
same as described with reference to figures 1 and 2.
For the transport of materials from pre-acidifier 2
into main load stage 3a a pump 21 for example with which
air or gas is pumped through a pipeline 10 into the lower
15 portion of the pre-acidifier is driven by control device
14. There the air or the gas exits through outlets 11 so
that a flotation in pre-acidifier 2 occurs. At this junc-
true the insufficiently pre-acidified solids are bloated
upwards. Meanwhile with control device 14 a pump 5d is
20 put in operation which transports materials via pipelines
se from pre-acidifier 2 into main load stage 3a. Here the
entry of the nozzle to pump 5d lies in the lower portion
of pre-acidifier 2, because here no insufficiently pre-
acidified solids are present during the flotation. The
25 nozzle can however also lie in the middle or upper por-
tion when floating is not performed but sedimenting.
An optionally provided stirrer 6, 7 is preferably
switched off during transporting.
With the method described above it is possible for
30 example to set the mean duration of stay of fluid materi-
als A in the pre-acidification 2 to approximately 5 to
15, advantageously approximately 10 hours, and to set the
mean duration of stay of solids to between 30 and 150,


30 - 11 -
preferably approximately 100 hours. Thereby it is possi-
ble to transport only sufficiently pre-acidified meteri-
als into main load stage 3a and simultaneously however
jointly or individually process fluid as well as solid
5 materials A, B.
It has turned out that with the above method a uti-
lization of the solids for the production, of biogas of up
to 80 % and more is possible.
The advantages in economical respects and in proce-
10 dural/operational respects by reduction to one reactor
line in the handling of inherently diverse organic mate-
rials are great.
15

- 12 -
PCT/EP2003/012473
VON NORDENSKJÖLD, Reinbart
5 CLAIMS
10 1. Apparatus (1) for the anaerobic fermentation of ma-
terials (A, B) with
a pre-acidifier (2) in which said materials (A, B)
are subject to a pre-acidification,
a fermenter (3a, 3b) in which said pre-acidified ma-
15 terials (A, B) ferment, and
transport means (5a, 5b, 5c, 5d, 5e, 10, 11, 12, 14,
21) for transporting said materials (A, B) from said pre-
acidifier (21 into said fermenter (3a, 3b),
characterized in that
20 said transport (5a, 5b, 5c, 5d, 5e, 10, 11,
12, 14,21) are formed to selectively transport suffi-
ciently pre-acidified materials (A, B).
2. Apparatus (1) according to claim 1,
25 characterized in that
said transport means (5a, 5b, 5c, 14) comprise a
withdrawal device (5a, 5b, 5c) for the withdrawal from}
the upper portion of said pre-acidifier (2), which are
preferably formed by a spillway of said pre-acidifier (2)
30 or by a withdrawal nozzle end arranged in the upper por-
tion of said pre-acidifier (2).
35

- 13 -
3. Apparatus (1) according to claim 2,
characterized is that
said transport means (5a, 5b, 5c, 14) comprise a
5 control device (14) for said withdrawal device, with
which said withdrawal device (5a, 5b, 5c) and preferably
an agitation device such as a stirrer (6, 7) can be driv-
en.
10 4. Apparatus (1) according to claim 1 or 2,
characterized is that
said transport means (5a, 12) comprise a sieve (12).
5. Apparatus (1) according to claim 1,
15 characterized in that
said transport means (5d, 5e, 10, 11, 14, 21) com-
prise a floatation device (10, 11, 21) and a withdrawal
device (5d, 5e) in the lower portion of said pre-acidifi-
er (2).
20
6. Apparatus (1) according to claim 5,
characterized in that
said transport means (5d, 5e, 10, 11, 14, 21) com-
prise a control device (14) for said withdrawal device
25 (5d, 5e) with which said withdrawal device (5d, 5e) and
preferably said floatation device (10, 11, 21) can be
driven.
7. Apparatus (1) according to one of the claims 1 to 6,
30 characterized in that
a mechanical pre-treatment-pre-hackling-device 25
for sclubilizing / hackling at least part of said materials
(A, B) is provided.


- 14 –
40
8. Method for the anaerobic fermentation of materials
(A, B) with
a pre-acidification at which said materials (A, B)
are pre-acidified with a pre-acidifier (2),
5 a fermentation at which said pre-acidified materials
(A, B) ferment in a fermenter (3a, 3b), and
a transport at which materials (A, B) from said pre-
acidifier (2) are transported into said fermenter (3a,
3b),
10 characterized in that
said sufficiently pre-acidified materials are selec-
tively transported.
9. Method according to claim 8,
15 characterized in that
the transport comprises letting said materials de-
posit themselves in said pre-acidifier (2) and a subse-
quent withdrawal of materials from an upper portion of
said pre-acidifier (2).
20
10. Method according to claim 8 or 9,
characterized in that
said materials are guided through a sieve (12) dur-
ing the transport.
25
11. Method according to claim 8,
characterized in that
the transport comprises a floatation and an at least
partially simultaneous transport from the lower portion
30 of said pre-acidifier (2).
12. Method according to claims 8 to 11,
characterized in that

- 15 -
said materials (A, B) comprise fluids (A) and solids
(B).
13. Method according to one of the claims 8 to 13,
5 characterized in that
at least part of said materials (A, B), particularly
said solids (B) ace pre-treated preferably mechanically
pre-hackled before they are put into said pre-acidifier
(2).
10


(57) abastract:The invention rulas to a device (1) for anarobically tenmetiting suhatances (A-B) Comparising a preacidified
(2) Inside of which the substances (A-B) are subjected to a preacidification:a fen center (3a-3b) Inside of which the preacidified
substance (A-B) ferment and transfer meane (5a,5b,5c,5d,5c,10,11,12,14,21) for transferring the substnce (A-B) out of the
preacidified (2) and into the fetmonter (3a3b) The device is characterized in that the Iransfer means (5a,5b,5c,5d,5c,10,11,12
,14,21) are designed for selectively transforming sufficiently preacidified substance (A-B) The invention also relates to amethod
for unaerobically fermenting substaces (A-B) Envolving a praecidification during which the substace (A-B) are preacidification by
means of a preacidified (2) a femeolation during which the preacidified substance (A-B) terment inside a termenter (3a-3b) and
a trasferming during which substance (A-B) are transfermed out for the precidified (2) and into the fermenter (3a-3b) where by
the sufficiently preacidified substance and selectively transferred
(57) Zussmemfansang:Die Enfinding betrifft eino Vorrichutug (1) eum enacroben fermontieren von stolled (A-B) init einem
vorversttoren (2) in dem tio stofie (A-B) eino Vorversttoemng unterliegen,element.fermenter (3a-3b) in a dem die Verversaueren
sttofe (A-B) fermentieron and Uberfuhmiuel (5a,5b,5c,5d,5e,10,11,12,14,21) and Uberfuhren der vorversaueren
Vorversaueren (2) in den Fermenter (3a-3b) Die Vorrchang 1st dedurch

The invention rulas to a device (1) for anarobically tenmetiting suhatances (A-B) Comparising a preacidified
(2) Inside of which the substances (A-B) are subjected to a preacidification:a fen center (3a-3b) Inside of which the preacidified
substance (A-B) ferment and transfer meane (5a,5b,5c,5d,5c,10,11,12,14,21) for transferring the substnce (A-B) out of the
preacidified (2) and into the fetmonter (3a3b) The device is characterized in that the Iransfer means (5a,5b,5c,5d,5c,10,11,12
,14,21) are designed for selectively transforming sufficiently preacidified substance (A-B) The invention also relates to amethod
for unaerobically fermenting substaces (A-B) Envolving a praecidification during which the substace (A-B) are preacidification by
means of a preacidified (2) a femeolation during which the preacidified substance (A-B) terment inside a termenter (3a-3b) and
a trasferming during which substance (A-B) are transfermed out for the precidified (2) and into the fermenter (3a-3b) where by
the sufficiently preacidified substance and selectively transferred

Documents:


Patent Number 218677
Indian Patent Application Number 00875/KOLNP/2005
PG Journal Number 15/2008
Publication Date 11-Apr-2008
Grant Date 09-Apr-2008
Date of Filing 12-May-2005
Name of Patentee VON NORDENSKJOLD REINHART.
Applicant Address VERFAHRENSTECHNIK KILLISTRASSE 3, 85658 EGMATING-MUNSTER, GERMANY,
Inventors:
# Inventor's Name Inventor's Address
1 VON NORDENSKJOLD REINHART. VERFAHRENSTECHNIK KILLISTRASSE 3, 85658 EGMATING-MUNSTER, GERMANY,
PCT International Classification Number C02F 3/28
PCT International Application Number PCT/EP2003/012473
PCT International Filing date 2003-11-07
PCT Conventions:
# PCT Application Number Date of Convention Priority Country
1 02025529.5 2002-11-13 EUROPEAN UNION