Method for generating methane from a carbonaceous feedstock

1. A method for generating a biogas comprising at least 85 percent by volume (vol %) methane from a carbonaceous feedstock, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a carbonaceous feedstock having a volatile solids content;

(b) preparing a mixture of the carbonaceous feedstock and a particulate additive in a neutral or alkaline aqueous culture medium containing a culture of methanogenic microorganisms;

(c) anaerobically incubating the mixture from step (b); and

(d) collecting biogas comprising methane generated in step (c);

wherein:

(1) the additive is present in the culture medium at a concentration of about 5 percent by weight (wt %) to about 40 wt % of the volatile solid content of the carbonaceous feedstock of step (a);

(2) the additive includes alkali metal and alkaline earth metal cations; and comprises one or more materials selected from the group consisting of:

(i) a biochar produced from gasification or pyrolysis of a biomass material,

(ii) an ash produced by gasification or combustion of a carbonaceous material,

(iii) a black carbon soil, and

(iv) a Terra Preta soil;

(3) at least a portion of carbon dioxide produced during step (c) reacts with the cations in the additive to prevent the carbon dioxide from evolving into the gas phase; and

(4) the collected biogas from step (d) comprises at least 85 vol % methane and less than about 4 parts per million (ppm) (v/v) hydrogen sulfide.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the additive comprises a potassium concentration of at least about 53,000 parts per million (ppm) (w/w).

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the additive has been supplemented with a source of potassium ion to achieve a potassium concentration of at least about 1,000 ppm (w/w) in the culture medium.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the additive comprises sufficient alkaline earth metal ions to provide an alkaline earth metal ion concentration of at least about 1,500 ppm (w/w) in the culture medium.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the collected biogas comprises less than about 5 parts per billion (ppb)(v/v) hydrogen sulfide.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the collected biogas comprises at least about 90 vol % carbon dioxide.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the collected biogas comprises at least about 95 vol % carbon dioxide.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the additive comprises a biochar of at least one biomass material selected from the group consisting of gymnosperm plant material, angiosperm plant material, agricultural residue, algae, yeast and fungi.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the carbonaceous feedstock comprises municipal waste, a leachate from a municipal waste, or a combination thereof.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein step (c) is performed at a temperature in the range of about 10° C. to about 65° C.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the culture of methanogenic microorganisms comprises one or more cultures from a coal bed methane produced water, a manure digester, a municipal waste, an activated sludge from wastewater treatment, or an isolated culture of an individual methanogenic microbial consortia.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein step (c) is performed in an anaerobic digester comprising a system to restrict introduction of oxygen and for maintaining an aqueous environment, and is adapted to mix a particulate carbonaceous feedstock with the particulate additive, and the methanogenic microorganisms, and further includes a collector for collecting the biogas as it evolves.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the aqueous culture medium has a pH in the range of about 6 to about 10.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the additive comprises porous particles that have a mean pore volume in the range of about 0.01 cm 3 /g to about 1.25 cm 3 /g, and an average pore diameter in the range of about 1 nm to 10 nm.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein step (c) is performed in a coal seam, a coal mine, a large hole or quarry, a wastewater treatment plant, a solid waste digester, an anaerobic digester, an anaerobic reactor or a landfill.

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein the particulate additive has a mean particle size in the range of about 0.01 mm to about 25 mm.

17. The method of claim 1 , wherein the carbonaceous feedstock is particulate and has a mean particle size in the range of about 0.01 mm to about 50 mm.

18. The method of claim 1 , further comprising collecting biosolids from the mixture after incubation, and applying the collected biosolids to soil as a fertilizer or soil amendment.

19. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises collecting biosolids from the mixture after incubation, and applying the collected biosolids to soil as a fertilizer or soil amendment, and wherein the collected biosolids are enriched in Ca, Mg, Fe, P, K and or N relative to biosolids collected from a biomethanation under the same conditions and with the same feedstock, in the absence of the additive.

20. A method for generating a biogas comprising at least 85 percent by volume (vol %) methane from a carbonaceous feedstock, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a particulate carbonaceous feedstock having a volatile solids content;

(b) preparing a mixture of the carbonaceous feedstock and a particulate biochar additive in a neutral or alkaline aqueous culture medium containing a culture of methanogenic microorganisms;

(c) anaerobically incubating the mixture in an anaerobic digester comprising a system to restrict introduction of oxygen and for maintaining an aqueous environment, and which is adapted to mix the particulate carbonaceous feedstock with the particulate additive and the methanogenic microorganisms; and

(d) collecting biogas comprising methane generated in step (c);

wherein:

(1) the additive is present in the mixture at a concentration of about 5 percent by weight (wt %) to about 40 wt % of the volatile solid content of the carbonaceous feedstock of step (a);

(2) the additive includes alkali metal and alkaline earth metal cations;

(3) at least a portion of carbon dioxide produced during step (c) reacts with the cations in the additive to prevent the carbon dioxide from evolving into the gas phase; and

(4) the collected biogas of step (d) comprises at least 85 vol % methane, and less than about 4 parts per million (ppm) (v/v) hydrogen sulfide.