Il processo di fabbricazione del caffé solubile genera una grande quantità di residui. Alcuni ricercatori dell’Istituto Paul Scherrer basato nel canton Argovia, hanno sviluppato un procedimento che consente di utilizzare questi resti per produrre metano e quindi energia.
I fondi di caffè sono ben noti ai giardinieri amatoriali per il loro tenore di azoto che ne fa un ottimo concime. L’équipe di Frédéric Vogel responsabile del Gruppo per i processi catalitici al Paul Scherrer e professore specializzato in energie rinnovabili, ha provato un’altra forma di riciclaggio.
Per queste prove Nestlé ha messo a disposizione ingenti quantitativi di residui umidi derivanti dalla produzione di caffè solubile. I resti sono poi stati riscaldati a una temperatura di circa 450° e sottoposti a una pressione di 300 bar. L’acqua in essi contenuta passa ad uno stato né liquido né gassoso e i sali possono essere facilmente separati. Passandoli in uno speciale catalizzatore si ottiene il metano. I risultati, secondo i ricercatori, sono promettenti e il metodo può essere utilizzato anche per altri tipi di scarti organici.
ATS/Swing
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