Biogas up-gradation by using packed bed water scrubber

Abstract

Biogas is considered a cheap alternate source of energy. Its usage offers many economic and environmental advantages. The composition of biogas generated by anaerobic digestion is 50% to 70% methane, 30% to 50% carbon dioxide, and traces of hydrogen sulfide and water vapour. It is necessary to upgrade methane content in it before using as a fuel for automobile and industrial applications. In this study, packed bed column type water scrubber is developed to upgrade biogas produced from cow dung-based biogas plant. The experimental study focused on methane enhancement in biogas by reducing carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulphide from it using a water scrubbing technique. Water was sprayed from the top section of the scrubber column at atmospheric temperature and raw biogas was fed from the bottom section of scrubber column at generated pressure in a counter-current direction. The water flow rate was varied by 1.56 m3/h, 2.12 m3/h, and 2.60 m3/h. It was reported from the experiment that the highest flow rate of water had given 76.0% of methane content in upgraded biogas...