Ricercatori del Politecnico federale di Losanna, dell'Istituto Paul Scherrer, dell'EMPA e di due Scuole universitarie hanno sviluppato un bioreattore che produce in modo molto efficace gas metano a partire dalle alghe.
L'impianto presentato mercoledì all'Alta scuola zurighese di scienze applicate a Wädenswil (ZH) ha superato di recente un test importante: ha funzionato senza intoppi per 100 ore consecutive producendo gas metano concentrato a ciclo continuo. Il processo utilizzato è la cosiddetta “gassificazione idrotermale” che prevede il trattamento della biomassa ad alta temperatura e ad alta pressione.
In queste condizioni è possibile produrre gas metano in modo molto efficace e al tempo stesso riciclare composti come i nitrati e i fosfati. Il sistema permette di produrre biogas rinnovabile senza fare concorrenza alle coltivazioni destinate all'alimentazione. Le alghe hanno inoltre il vantaggio di crescere molto in fretta. Per una commercializzazione del progetto occorre attendere ancora qualche tempo.
Red.MM/ATS/Swing
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