SHORT COMMUNICATION
Laboratory-Scale Investigation of Biogas
Treatment by Removal of Hydrogen Sulfide
and Carbon Dioxide
Jakub Lasocki1, Krzysztof Kołodziejczyk2, Anna Matuszewska3
More details
Hide details
1Institute of Vehicles, Faculty of Automotive and Construction Machinery Engineering,
Warsaw University of Technology, Poland
2POLMAX S.A. S.K.A., Department of Research and Development, Świebodzin Branch, Poland
3Automotive Industry Institute, Department of Fuels, Biofuels and Lubricants, Poland
Submission date: 2014-11-18
Final revision date: 2015-01-02
Acceptance date: 2015-01-11
Publication date: 2015-05-20
Pol. J. Environ. Stud. 2015;24(3):1427-1434
KEYWORDS
TOPICS
ABSTRACT
The use of organic residues and waste for production of biogas as an energy source is a viable option for
waste management and reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. However, before any eventual utilization of
biogas, hydrogen sulfide (H2S) and carbon dioxide (CO2) must be removed since those contaminants are highly
undesirable in combustion systems. This work deals with the construction and examination of a laboratoryscale,
low-cost test stand for quick evaluation of the existing and new methods for H2S and CO2 removal from
biogas. The test stand consists of two sections: one based on absorption in liquid phase (barbotage process)
and the other adsorption in a bed of solid reagent. Seven different reagents of various concentrations were used
in the experiment: sodium hydroxide (NaOH), ethylene glycol (EG), ethanoloamine (EA), diethanoloamine
(DEA), and distilled water (H2O) in the barbotage section of the test stand, and bog iron ore (BIO) and activated
carbon (AC) in the adsorption column. In the absorption tests, treating biogas with 1M NaOH solution
and 100% EA resulted in complete removal of H2S and CO2. For 100% DEA, high H2S and moderate CO2
absorption efficiency were achieved. EG and H2O allowed the removal of H2S only to a very limited extent.
Both reagents used in the tests with adsorption in a bed, BIO and AC, were able to eliminate H2S from biogas,
but practically did not change the concentration of CO2.