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Biological Desulfurization of Biogas by Green Sulfur Bacteria

Project


Project code: 22041918
Contract period: 01.08.2019 - 31.07.2022
Budget: 228,931 Euro
Purpose of research: Experimental development
Keywords: biogas, desulphurization

For the electrification of biogas, the operator of biogas plants requires a gas, which is largely free of hydrogen sulfide, because otherwise the motor will be damaged or destroyed by corrosion. Today the current method for the removal of hydrogen sulfide is the injection of air into the gas phase of biogas plants to promote the transfer hydrogen sulfide into elemental sulfur. This procedure is very popular by causing superficial very low costs. Subsequently, the gas is cleaned and dried over activated carbon before it will enter the motor. The above-described process is difficult to control and in many cases, a microbial oxidation of sulfur to sulfuric acid is observed. Therefore, massive corrosion events will occur in the gas phase of the biogas plant. The goal of this project is to develop a method for a downstream biological desulfurization of the raw biogas as a cost-efficient and sustainable alternative to already applied techniques. The application of anaerobic phototrophic bacteria at low light intensities for the removal of hydrogen sulfide from raw biogas represents a new and interesting possibility. These bacteria require a liquid medium, light, and hydrogen sulfide as electron donor as well as carbon dioxide as carbon source for growth. They are undemanding and tolerate high and fluctuating levels of hydrogen sulfide. Their activity can be easily controlled by light intensity.

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