# US 8,770,219 B2 · Device and method for regulating the gas supply or the gas transport in a gas storage system

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- Number: US 8,770,219 B2
- Document ID: US8770219B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/129,275
- Filed: 2009-11-13
- Published: 2011-12-15
- Granted: 2014-07-08
- Earliest claimed: 2008-11-15
- Assignees: Mt-Energie GmbH
- Applicants: Christoph Martens; Jan C. F. Behrens
- Inventors: Christoph Martens; Jan C. F. Behrens
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8770219B2

## CPC

- C12M 21/04: {for producing gas, e.g. biogas (digesters for manure with production of biogas A01C3/028, biological treatment of water, waste water or sewage C02F3/00, C02F11/02, preparation of natural gas or syngas C10L3/06, C10L3/10)}
- C12M 23/36: {Means for collection or storage of gas; Gas holders}
- C12M 23/58: {Reaction vessels connected in series or in parallel (combinations of bioreactors with other apparatus, C12M43/00)}
- C12M 41/40: {of pressure}
- Y02E 50/30: Fuel from waste, e.g. synthetic alcohol or diesel
- Y10T 137/0379: By fluid pressure
- Y10T 137/3124: Plural units
- Y10T 137/3127: With gas maintenance or application
- Y10T 137/8158: With indicator, register, recorder, alarm or inspection means
- C12M: APPARATUS FOR ENZYMOLOGY OR MICROBIOLOGY; {APPARATUS FOR CULTURING MICROORGANISMS FOR PRODUCING BIOMASS, FOR GROWING CELLS OR FOR OBTAINING FERMENTATION OR METABOLIC PRODUCTS, i.e. BIOREACTORS OR FERMENTERS}
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
- Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION

## Abstract

A device for regulating the gas supply in a gas storage system of a biogas system, wherein the gas storage system has gas stores connected in series in a cascade-like manner with an intermediate chamber between a gas store membrane and a protective cover. The device comprises gas supply mechanisms, intermediate chamber pressure measuring mechanisms and at least one regulating mechanism, each gas store is assigned at least one gas supply mechanism, each gas store is assigned at least one intermediate chamber pressure measuring mechanism with which the gas pressure in the intermediate chamber of the respective gas store can be measured, and the measured values of the intermediate chamber pressure measuring mechanisms are transmitted to at least one regulating mechanism, and the regulating mechanism is designed to regulate the gas pressure in the intermediate chambers of the gas stores by controlling the gas supply mechanisms assigned to gas stores.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A device for regulating the gas supply in a gas storage system of a biogas system, wherein the gas storage system has at least two gas stores connected in series in a cascade-like manner that each have an intermediate chamber between a gas store membrane and a protective covering
the device comprises gas supply mechanisms (54, 56, 58), intermediate chamber pressure measuring mechanisms (68, 70, 72) and at least one regulating mechanism (80), wherein to each gas store (12, 14, 16) at least one gas supply mechanism (54, 56, 58) is assigned with which gas can be supplied to the intermediate chamber (48, 50, 52) of the respective gas store (12, 14, 16),
wherein to each gas store (12, 14, 16) at least one intermediate chamber pressure measuring mechanism (68, 70, 72) is assigned with which the gas pressure in the intermediate chamber (48, 50, 52) of the respective gas store (12, 14, 16) can be measured, wherein the measured values of the intermediate chamber pressure measuring mechanisms (68, 70, 72) are supplied to at least one regulating mechanism (80), and
wherein the at least one regulating mechanism (80) is designed to regulate the gas pressure in the intermediate chambers (48, 50, 52) of the gas stores (12, 14, 16), on the basis of the measured values of the intermediate chamber pressure measuring mechanisms (68, 70, 72), by a control of the gas supply mechanisms (54, 56, 58) assigned respectively to the gas stores (12, 14, 16).

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the at least one regulating mechanism is designed to regulate the gas pressure in a respective intermediate chamber (48, 50, 52) of a gas store (12, 14, 16), on the basis of specified target value for the gas pressure in the intermediate chamber of this gas store and a target value for the gas pressure in the intermediate chamber of at least one other gas store.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The device according to claim 1, wherein each gas store (12, 14, 16) is assigned a regulating mechanism.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The device according to claim 1, wherein the device further comprises store chamber measuring mechanisms (74, 76, 78), wherein each gas store (12, 14, 16) is assigned at least one store chamber measuring mechanism (74, 76, 78), with which the gas pressure in the gas store chamber below the gas store membrane can be measured, and wherein the measure values of the store chamber measuring mechanisms (74, 76, 78) are also transmitted to the regulating mechanism (80) and are considered with the regulation of the gas pressure in the intermediate chambers (48, 50, 52).

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The device according to claim 1, wherein the regulating mechanism (80) is designed to control the gas supply mechanisms (54, 56, 58) so that the gas pressure in the intermediate chambers (48, 50, 52) does not exceed a specified maximum value.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The device according to claim 1 wherein the regulating mechanism (80) is designed to control the gas supply mechanisms (54, 56, 58) so that the gas pressure in the intermediate chambers (48, 50, 52) does not fall below a specified minimum value.

### Claim 7 (depends on 5)

The device according to claim 5, wherein the regulating mechanism (80) is designed to regulate the gas pressure in the intermediate chambers (48, 50, 52) within the interval specified by the maximum value and the minimum value, so that the gas pressure in the gas store chamber comes as close as possible to a target value.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The device according to claim 1, wherein the regulating mechanism (80) performs an on-off control.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the intermediate chambers (48, 50, 52) each have at least one pressure regulating ventilation opening (49, 51, 53).

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The device according to claim 1, wherein the regulating mechanism (80) can be controlled from a location remote from the biogas system.

### Claim 11

A method for regulating the gas supply in a gas storage system of a biogas system, wherein the gas storage system has at least two gas stores connected in series in a cascade-like manner, each of which has an intermediate chamber between a gas store membrane and a protective cover, comprising the steps:
supplying gas to each of the intermediate chambers (48, 50, 52) of the gas stores (12, 14, 16),
measuring the gas pressure in each of the intermediate chambers (48, 50, 52), and
regulating the gas pressure in the intermediate chambers (48, 50, 52), on the basis of the measured gas pressures in the intermediate chambers (48, 50, 52), by controlling the gas supply into the intermediate chambers (48, 50, 52).

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The method according to claim 11, characterized in that the gas pressure in a respective store chamber (48, 50, 52) of a gas store is regulated, on the basis of a target value for the gas pressure in the intermediate chamber, and a target value for the gas pressure in the intermediate chamber of at least another gas store.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

The method according to claim 11, wherein each gas store (12, 14, 16) is assigned a regulating mechanism.

### Claim 14 (depends on 11)

The method according to claim 11, wherein further the gas pressure (12, 14, 16) in the gas store chamber below the gas store membrane is measured, wherein the gas pressure measured in the gas store chamber is considered during regulation of the gas pressure in the intermediate chambers (48, 50, 52).

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The method according to claim 14, characterized in that the gas supply is controlled so that the gas pressure in the intermediate chambers (48, 50, 52) does not exceed a specified maximum value.

### Claim 16 (depends on 11)

The method according to claim 11, wherein the gas supply is controlled so that the gas pressure in the intermediate chambers (48, 50, 52) does not fall below a specified minimum value.

### Claim 17 (depends on 15)

The method according to claim 15, wherein the gas pressure in the intermediate chambers (48, 50, 52) is regulated within an interval specified by the maximum value and the minimum value so that the gas pressure in the gas store chambers comes as close as possible to a target value.

### Claim 18 (depends on 11)

The method according to claim 11, wherein an on-off control is performed.

### Claim 19 (depends on 11)

The method according to claim 11, wherein the intermediate chambers (48, 50, 52) are each ventilated using at least one pressure regulating ventilation opening (49, 51, 53).

### Claim 20 (depends on 11)

The method according to claim 11, wherein the regulation is controlled from a site remote from the biogas system.