25/11/2014
Nanoparticle technology triples the production of biogas
Nanoparticle technology triples the production of biogas
Researchers of the Catalan Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (ICN2) and the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB) the Barcelona Synchrotron Park works with, have developed the new BiogàsPlus, a technology which allows increasing the production of biogas by 200% with a controlled introduction of iron oxide nanoparticles to the process of organic waste treatment.
The development of BiogàsPlus was carried out by the ICN2's Inorganic Nanoparticle group, led by ICREA researcher Víctor Puntes, and by the Group of Organic Solid Waste Composting of the UAB School of Engineering, directed by Antoni Sánchez.
The system is based on the use of iron oxide nanoparticles as an additive which "feeds" the bacteria in charge of breaking down organic matter. This additive substantially increases the production of biogas and at the same time transforms the iron nanoparticles into innocuous salt.
The now patented BiogàsPlus technology received in 2011 a 100,000 dollar grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The grant money went towards testing the capacity of iron oxide nanoparticles, which helped to verify the efficacy of its application in a pilot 100 litre digester.
Extract from the press release issued by the UAB.
Image UAB: the researchers behind BiogàsPlus, from left to right: Eudald Casals, Xavier Font, Antoni Sánchez, Víctor Puntes, Raquel Barrena and Martí Busquets.
The development of BiogàsPlus was carried out by the ICN2's Inorganic Nanoparticle group, led by ICREA researcher Víctor Puntes, and by the Group of Organic Solid Waste Composting of the UAB School of Engineering, directed by Antoni Sánchez.
The system is based on the use of iron oxide nanoparticles as an additive which "feeds" the bacteria in charge of breaking down organic matter. This additive substantially increases the production of biogas and at the same time transforms the iron nanoparticles into innocuous salt.
The now patented BiogàsPlus technology received in 2011 a 100,000 dollar grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The grant money went towards testing the capacity of iron oxide nanoparticles, which helped to verify the efficacy of its application in a pilot 100 litre digester.
Extract from the press release issued by the UAB.
Image UAB: the researchers behind BiogàsPlus, from left to right: Eudald Casals, Xavier Font, Antoni Sánchez, Víctor Puntes, Raquel Barrena and Martí Busquets.
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