Procedure for separating and recovering marsh gas

Abstract

A procedure for separating and recovering marsh gas from bog mud. The marsh gas is separated from the mud by conducting the mud into a separating space carrying a pressure lower than the pressure prevailing in the bog, and from which said space the gas separating from the mud is conducted to a place of storage or of use.

.[.I.]. .Iadd.We .Iaddend.claim: 
     
       1. A process for producing and recovering marsh gas generated from mud in a bog through bacterial activity comprising the steps of adding to the bog an adjusting chemical to adjust the pH value of the bog mud to be in the range from 5 to 8; adding to the bog a nutrient substance needed by methane bacteria, said substance being selected from the group consisting of phosphorus, potassium and nitrogen fertilizers; adding to the bog a trace element substance needed by methane bacteria, said substance being selected from the group consisting of iron, manganese, magnesium, calcium, nickel, cobalt, copper, zinc and molybdenum; conducting the mud from a depth having a hydrostatic pressure of several atmospheres into a separating space having subatmospheric pressure to separate the gas from the mud; conducting the gas to a place of storage or the use; and conducting the mud from the separating space back to the bog thus accomplishing a cyclic process where said adjusting chemical and said nutrient and trace element substances are added to the bog by means of adding them to the mud that is conducted back into the bog. 
     
     
       2. The process of claim 1 wherein Ca(OH) 2  or CaO is added to the bog to adjust the pH value. .Iadd. 3. A continuous cyclical process for recovering marsh gas having a high content of methane from a bog containing methane bacteria, said process comprising continuously withdrawing bog mud containing marsh gas from the bog, directing the mud to a separating space having a pressure lower than the prevailing hydrostatic pressure in the bog and therein separating the gas from the mud, conducting the thus separated gas from the separating space to a place of storage or of use, and conducting the mud from the separating space and returning it to the bog while maintaining the pH of the bog within the range of from 5 to 8. .Iaddend. .Iadd. 4. The process of claim 3 including the step of maintaining the separating space at subatmospheric pressure. .Iaddend..Iadd. 5. A continuous cyclical process for recovering marsh gas having a high content of methane from a bog containing methane bacteria, said process comprising withdrawing bog mud containing marsh gas from a predetermined location in a bog, directing the mud to a separating space while maintaining the separating space under subatmospheric pressure and therein separating the gas from the mud, conducting the gas from the separating space to a place of storage or use, and conducting the mud from the separating space and returning it to the bog at a location spaced apart from said predetermined location where it was withdrawn while maintaining the pH of the bog within the range of from 5 to 8. .Iaddend. .Iadd. 6. The process of claim 3, 4 or 5 wherein the quantity of bog mud returned to the bog is substantially equal to the quantity withdrawn from the bog. .Iaddend.