PROSPECTS FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF BIOLOGICAL METHANATION TECHNOLOGIES IN UKRAINE

Abstract

The search and development of alternative energy sources as a substitute for scarce natural gas is an extremely important task for the Ukrainian economy. Methanation, that is, the reaction of converting carbon dioxide and hydrogen to produce synthetic renewable methane, is one way to solve this problem. The directions and features of methanation technologies implemented today in the world are considered. The structural diagram and production of components of biological methanation technology as the most promising for Ukraine are described. Two concepts of biomethanation are considered: in-situ and ex-situ. In-situ methanation is a combination of anaerobic digestion and biological methanation processes in a single digester. However, when implementing such methanation, difficulties arise due to differences in the optimal conditions for the occurrence of these processes. Ex-situ methanation occurs in separate reactors, where it is possible to autonomously establish optimal conditions for acetogenesis and methanogenesis. Thus, the in-situ concept, compared to the ex-situ concept, is much cheaper and easier to implement, but is still much more difficult to implement the methanation process. The relevance of introducing methanation technologies in Ukraine is due to the active development and implementation of bioenergy technologies using large bioresources existing in the country. A promising direction for the implementation of methanation technologies in Ukraine is the use of biological methanation technologies for the production of biomethane and synthetic renewable methane. Establishing the production of biomethane and synthetic renewable methane will also help solve such pressing problems as accumulating unstable electricity from solar and wind power plants, which can become a powerful stimulator for the development of these areas of alternative energy. In addition, methanation protects the environment from CO2, converting it from a greenhouse gas into a fuel. Bibl. 18, Fig. 2.