Adsorption technology for the storage of natural gas and biomethane from biogas

As natural gas, biogas has been used for nobler purposes in recent years, such as the use of purified biogas (biomethane) in the transport sector. Currently, natural gas storage for use in transportation is accomplished primarily through compressed natural gas (CNG) technologies and liquefied natural gas (LNG), which require large amounts of energy. In recent years, the storage technology of absorbed natural gas (ANG) on porous materials has been studied, fundamentally highlighted by reduced energy use and increased safety in the transport of gaseous fuel. In this sense, the present study aimed to gather information about the main adsorbent materials which are being studied and the conditions normally employed in surveys that use ANG technology, as well as pointing out the main challenges for the storage of biogas in the adsorbed form at low pressures and room temperature in an attempt to meet the target of 180 V/V established by Department of Energy. Researchers reported high storage capacities in moderate conditions of temperature and pressure; however, the biggest challenge of the research involving methane adsorbed is also achieving high rates of desorption with the lowest possible energy expenditure. Copyright (C) 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.