Solutions for Efficient Methanation

Overview of Methanation

Methanation is a technology that synthesizes methane by reacting carbon dioxide (CO₂) with hydrogen. The interest in this synthetic methane is driven by environmental issues related to greenhouse gases.

Methane is the main component of natural gas, which is effectively utilized in the existing energy infrastructure. However, the carbon dioxide released when burning fuel gases such as methane and natural gas, has long been recognized as a major contributor to greenhouse gases.

This is where synthetic methane, produced through methanation, comes into play. By using CO₂ captured from sources like power plants and factories, the amount of CO₂ released when burning methane can be offset by the amount of CO₂ captured (used) for the production of synthetic methane. As a result, net greenhouse gas emissions can be reduced to virtually zero. This makes methanation a promising approach for achieving carbon neutrality.

**Carbon neutrality: Achieving a balance between CO₂ emissions and their removal.

Methanation Process

The methanation process is largely divided into three steps:

Supply of carbon dioxide and hydrogen
Methane synthesis
Methane gas supply

Methanation Process　（METI Agency for Natural Resources and Energy)

https://www.enecho.meti.go.jp/about/special/johoteikyo/methanation.html

1. Supply of Carbon Dioxide and Hydrogen

As mentioned earlier, CO₂ is sourced and reused by capturing it from power plants or factories. Hydrogen (H₂) is supplied through electrolysis of water, which generates hydrogen and oxygen. Hydrogen will be used for methanation, while oxygen will be used as industrial gas. If renewable energy is utilized to power the electrolysis, CO₂ emissions can be further reduced as well as environmental impact.

2. Methane Synthesis

In the methanation plant, CO₂ and H₂ undergo a chemical reaction to produce methane (CH₄) and water (H₂O). However, substitution gases(nitrogen) or unreacted gases may remain, so the final gas may contain not just methane but also nitrogen (N₂), carbon dioxide, and hydrogen.

3. Methane Gas Supply

Synthetic methane produced through methanation is used as fuel gas for various applications. In order to use them as fuel, it is essential that the methane concentration in the gas is above a certain level.

Relationship Between Methanation and Gas Monitoring

As previously mentioned, it is crucial to monitor methane concentration during methanation to ensure appropriate operating conditions. So, how should gas concentrations be measured in a methanation plant?

One option is to periodically measure the concentration using gas chromatography. However, since the gas continuously flows through the plant and its concentration constantly fluctuates, near real-time measurement is required, but gas chromatography cannot provide real-time measurements. Additionally, the gas obtained through methanation contains various gases, including methane, so the concentrations of multiple gases must be measured simultaneously.

Riken Keiki Products Optimized for Accurate Methanation

Riken Keiki offers RTGMS (Real-Time Gas Monitoring System), an ideal solution for methanation plants, which can monitor multiple gas components in real-time during the methanation process.RTGMS is capable of monitoring synthetic methane, unreacted gases like CO₂ and H₂, as well as substitution gases like N₂. Additionally, while gas chromatography uses expensive helium as a carrier gas, RTGMS uses more affordable N₂ or instrument air, lowering operational expenses.

For more details, click here.

In addition to methanation, Riken Keiki offers various solutions for reducing greenhouse gases, including:

Controlling hydrogen co-firing turbines
Monitoring ammonia synthesis and decomposition processes
Controlling co-firing of natural gas and ammonia
Monitoring flare gas concentrations
Monitoring steel gas composition ratios

If you have challenges measuring various gases or need to optimize your measurement environment, feel free to contact us.

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