Evaluation of biogas biodesulfurization using different packing materials

Abstract

The packing material selection for a bioreactor is an important factor to consider, since the characteristics of this material can directly affect the performance of the bioprocess, as well as the investment costs. Different types of low cost packing materials were studied in columns to reduce the initial and operational costs of biogas biodesulfurization. The most prominent (PVC pieces from construction pipes) was applied in a bench-scale biotrickling filter to remove the H2 S of the biogas from a real sewage treatment plant in Brazil, responsible for 90 thousand inhabitants. At the optimal experimental condition, the reactor presented a Removal Efficiency (RE) of up to 95.72% and Elimination Capacity (EC) of 98 gS·m−3·h−1, similar to open pore polyurethane foam, the traditional material widely used for H2 S removal. These results demonstrated the high potential of application of this packing material in a full scale considering the robustness of the system filled with this support, even when submitted to high sulfide concentration, fluctuations in H2 S content in biogas, and temperature variations.