Comparing Hydrogen Sulfide Removal Efficiency in a Field-Scale Digester Using Microaeration and Iron Filters

Joanna K. Huertas, Lawrence Quipuzco, Amro Hassanein and Stephanie Lansing
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Joanna K. Huertas: Academic Department of Environmental Engineering, National Agrarian University La Molina, Lima 15024, Peru
Lawrence Quipuzco: Academic Department of Environmental Engineering, National Agrarian University La Molina, Lima 15024, Peru
Amro Hassanein: Department of Environmental Science and Technology, University of Maryland, 1429 Animal Sci./Ag Engineering Bldg., College Park, MD 20742, USA
Stephanie Lansing: Department of Environmental Science and Technology, University of Maryland, 1429 Animal Sci./Ag Engineering Bldg., College Park, MD 20742, USA

Energies, 2020, vol. 13, issue 18, 1-14

Abstract: Biological desulfurization of biogas from a field-scale anaerobic digester in Peru was tested using air injection (microaeration) in separate duplicate vessels and chemical desulfurization using duplicate iron filters to compare hydrogen sulfide (H 2 S) reduction, feasibility, and cost. Microaeration was tested after biogas retention times of 2 and 4 h after a single injection of ambient air at 2 L/min. The microaeration vessels contained digester sludge to seed sulfur-oxidizing bacteria and facilitate H 2 S removal. The average H 2 S removal efficiency using iron filters was 32.91%, with a maximum of 70.21%. The average H 2 S removal efficiency by iron filters was significantly lower than microaeration after 2 and 4 h retention times (91.5% and 99.8%, respectively). The longer retention time (4 h) resulted in a higher average removal efficiency (99.8%) compared to 2 h (91.5%). The sulfur concentration in the microaeration treatment vessel was 493% higher after 50 days of treatments, indicating that the bacterial community present in the liquid phase of the vessels effectively sequestered the sulfur compounds from the biogas. The H 2 S removal cost for microaeration (2 h: $29/m 3 H 2 S removed; and 4 h: $27/m 3 H 2 S removed) was an order of magnitude lower than for the iron filter ($382/m 3 H 2 S removed). In the small-scale anaerobic digestion system in Peru, microaeration was more efficient and cost effective for desulfurizing the biogas than the use of iron filters.

Keywords: desulfurization; anaerobic digestion; biogas; sulfur-oxidizing bacteria; H 2 S (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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