Evaluation of different packing media for anoxic H2S control in biogas

Abstract

This paper presents the experimental results obtained during the operation of two biotrickling filters packed with 6.7 L of commercially available plastic fibres and lava rocks, respectively. The biotrickling filters were tested under similar operating conditions for hydrogen sulphide (H₂S) removal from biogas under anoxic conditions, in order to determine the influence of biogas flow rate and H₂S concentration on the process performance and to facilitate process modelling. The biogas flow rate was adjusted to between 25 and 75 L/h, while the input H₂S concentration was varied between 500 and 1500 ppmv. The process performance was evaluated by two simultaneous system responses, namely the H₂S removal efficiency and H₂S loading rate, which were subsequently described by a second‐order empirical model and an interaction model, respectively. Good agreement between the experimental results, model prediction and simultaneous dual‐response simulation was obtained.