• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.1-6
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• 2020

Hydrogen production from biogas has received consistent attention due to the great potential to solve simultaneously the issues of energy demands and environmental problems. Practically, biomethane produced by purification/upgrading of biogas can be a good alternative to the natural gas which is a main reactant for a steam methane reforming process. Judging from the economic and environmental impacts, however, the steam biogas and dry reforming are considered to be more effective routes for hydrogen production because both processes do not require the carbon dioxide elimination step. Herein, we highlight recent studies of hydrogen production via reforming processes using biogas and effective applications for earlier commercialization.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.56 no.3
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• pp.381-387
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• 2018

Our study focuses on upgrading real biogas obtained under Indian scenario using carbon capture and utilization (CCU) technology to remove carbon dioxide ($CO_2$) and utilize it by forming metal carbonate. Amines such as monoethanolamine (MEA), diethanolamine (DEA), and sodium hydroxide (NaOH) were used to rapidly convert gaseous $CO_2$ to aqueous $CO_2$, and $BaCl_2$ was used as an additive to react with the aqueous $CO_2$ and rapidly precipitating the aqueous $CO_2$. All experiments were conducted at $25^{\circ}C$ and 1 atm. We analyzed the characteristics of the $BaCO_3$ precipitates using X-ray diffractometry (XRD), scanning electron microscopy - Energy dispersive spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) analyses. The precipitates exhibited witherite morphology confirmed by the XRD results, and FT-IR confirmed that the metal salt formed was $BaCO_3$, and EDS showed that there were no traces of impurities present in it. The quantity of the $BaCO_3$ was larger when formed with DEA. Also, a comparison was done with a previous study of ours conducted in Korean conditions. Finally, we observed that the carbonate obtained using real biogas showed similar properties to carbonates available in the market. An economic analysis was done to show the cost effectiveness of the method employed by us.

• Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.432-438
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• 2017

Slum settlement, a direct result of the rapid worldwide urbanization is a common site in most developing countries. Uganda is among the top African countries with high number of slums. The status of Katanga slum located in the low-lands between Mulago national hospital and Makerere University is a typical of many other slums within Uganda. This project proposal seeks to tackle urbanization challenges by specializing in slum upgrading as a sustainable way of curbing the menace. An integrated toilet, biogas, poultry and backyard gardening project is proposed as a channel of boosting the Katanga slum dwellers' economic, sanitation and domestic energy status. Designed to serve up to 30 households, the project will utilize residual wastes from poultry houses and toilets to produce biogas and slurry. The biogas yield will provide clean cooking fuel and energy for lighting, while the slurry used as organic fertilizers to improve vegetable yields. The social, economic and environmental impacts of the project will empower the vulnerable women and children within the slums and reduce water pollution and land degradation. This affordable project can be applied in developing countries experiencing slum settlement challenges as a strategy for reducing urbanization pressure.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.140-149
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• 2022

In this study, the conditions of low temperature and high pressure of biogas upgrading process using polysulfone membrane have been designed and tested to achieve the high recovery and efficiency corresponding to those of the highly selective polymeric materials. Polysulfone hollow fiber membrane with 4-component dope solution was spun via non-solvent induced phase separation. The hollow fiber membrane was mounted into a 1.5 inch housing. The effective area was 1.6 m², and its performance was examined in various operation temperatures and pressures. CO₂ and CH₄ permeances were 412 and 12.7 GPU at 20℃, and 280 and 3.6 GPU at -20℃, respectively, while the CO₂/CH₄ selectivity increased from 32.4 to 77.8. Single gas test was followed by the mixed gas experiments using single-stage and double stage where the membrane area ratio varied from 1:1 to 1:3. At the single-stage, CH₄ purity increased and the recovery decreased as the stage-cut increased. At the double stage, the area ratio of 1:3 showed the higher CH₄ recovery as decreasing the operation temperature at the same purity of CH₄ 97%. Finally, polysulfone hollow fiber membranes have yielded of both CH₄ purity and recovery of 97% at -20℃ and 16 barg.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2010.06a
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• pp.246.1-246.1
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• 2010

본 연구는 바이오가스의 에너지효율성을 높이기 위한 연구로서 바이오가스 정제공정과 초저온액화공정을 통하여 액화바이오메탄을 생산하는 바이오가스 고질화기술개발 연구이다. 바이오가스 정제공정은 탈황, 제습, 흡착, 압축, $CO_2/CH_4$ 분리공정으로 구성하고, 초저온액화공정은 열교환기, $CO_2$ 제거설비, 질소냉매 공급공정으로 구성하여 혐기성소화조에서 발생하는 바이오가스($CH_4$ 농도: 60~65%, $H_2S$: 1,500~2,500ppm)를 $200Nm^3/hr$의 유량으로 인입시켜 액화바이오메탄을 생산하였다. 연구결과, 탈황공정에서는 가성소다 세정법을 이용하여 1,500~2,500ppm으로 인입되는 $H_2S$를 100ppm 이하로 제거한 후, 흡착법을 이용하여 $H_2S$를 완전히 제거하였다. 바이오가스에 포화된 수분은 냉각제습과 흡착제습공정을 통해 Dew point $-70{\sim}-90^{\circ}C$까지 제거하여 안정적으로 $CO_2/CH_4$ 분리공정에 인입시켰다. $CO_2/CH_4$ 분리공정은 흡착방식을 적용하여 $CH_4$ 순도가 95% 이상인 바이오메탄을 생산하였으며, 이때 메탄 회수율은 약 87%이였다. $CO_2$가 분리된 바이오메탄은 초저온액화공정을 이용하여 액화바이오메탄으로 전환시켰다. 이때 초저온액화공정은 Reverse Brayton cycle로 구성하였으며, 냉매로는 질소를 사용하였다. 액화바이오메탄의 생산은 바이오메탄을 등엔트로피과정인 단열팽창을 통하여 $-155{\sim}-159^{\circ}C$의 초저온으로 냉각되는 질소냉매와 열교환기에서 열교환시켜 이루어졌으며 그 생산량은 $3.46m^3$/day(1bar, $-161^{\circ}C$)이었다.

• Journal of the Korea Organic Resources Recycling Association
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.43-52
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• 2020

As the membrane gas separation technology grows, various models were developed by numerous researchers to describe the separation process. In this work, the counter-current model was compared thoroughly with experimental data. Experimentally, hollow fiber membrane using CA module was prepared for the separation of biogas. The pure gas permeation properties of membrane module for methane, nitrogen, oxygen, and carbon dioxide were measured. The permeance of CO2 and CH4 were 25.82 GPU and 0.65 GPU, respectively. The high CO2/CH4 selectivity of 39.7 was obtained. the separation test for three different simulated mixed gases were carried out after pure gas test, and the gas concentration of the permeate at various stage-cut were measured from CA membrane module. Results showed that the experimental data agreed with the numerical simulation. A mathematical model has implemented in this study for the separation of biogas using a membrane module. The finite difference method (FDM) is applied to calculate the membrane biogas separation behaviors. Futhermore, the counter-current model can be considered as a convenient model for biogas separation process.

• Journal of the Korea Organic Resources Recycling Association
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.51-56
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• 2019

$H_2S$ is a detrimental impurity that must be removed for upgrading biogas to biomethane. This study investigates an economic method to mitigate $H_2S$ content, combining scrubbing and aeration. The desulfurization experiments were performed in a laboratory apparatus using EDTA-Fe or landfill leachate as the catalyst and metered mixture of 50-52% (v/v) $CH_4$, 32-33% (v/v) $CO_2$ and 500-1,000 ppmv $H_2S$ balanced by $N_2$ using the C city landfill gas. Dissolved iron concentration in the liquid medium significantly affected the oxidation efficiency of sulfide. Iron components in landfill leachate, which would be available in a biogas/landfill gas utilization facility, was compatible with an external iron chelate. More than 70% of $H_2S$ was removed in a contact time of 9 seconds at iron levels at or over 28 mM. The scrubbing-aeration process would be a feasible and easy-to-operate technology for biogas purification.

• Journal of the Korea Organic Resources Recycling Association
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.57-66
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• 2019

This study carried out on-site investigation and precision monitoring to prepare proper design and operation technical guidelines for the use of bio gas in organic waste resources (fertilizing urine, food waste, food waste, food waste, etc.). According to the government's mid- and long-term policy on bio gasification, the expansion of waste resources is actively being pushed forward. However, facilities that use the biogas produced for urban gas and transportation are still under-efficient. Precision monitoring was carried out for biogasification facilities of organic waste resources in seven locations nationwide. When the results of precision monitoring were summarized with the four-season average, the efficiency analysis of each organic waste resource showed that the organic breakdown rate was 66.3% on average on VS basis. Analysis of biogas characteristics before and after pretreatment revealed that the $H_2S$ average of the entire facility was measured at 949.7 ppm using iron salts and desulfurization (dry, wet) and that the quality refining facility shearing and rear end was 29.0 ppm and 0.3 ppm. The methane content was found to be reduced by 65.6% at the rear of the fire tank, 63.5% at the back and 97.5% at the rear.

• Journal of the Korea Organic Resources Recycling Association
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.67-73
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• 2019

In this study, to optimize the production and utilization of biogas for organic waste resources, the precision monitoring of on-site facilities and the energy balance by facility were analyzed, and the solutions for field problems were investigated, and the design and operation guidelines for pretreatment facilities and generators were presented. Gas pre-treatment is required to solve frequent failures and efficiency degradation in operation of high quality refining facilities, and processing processes such as desulfurization, dehumidification, deoxidization, dust treatment, volatile organic compounds, etc. Since these processes are substances that are also eliminated from the high-quality process, quantitative guidelines are not presented in the gas pretreatment process, but are suggested to operate during the processing process as a qualitative guideline. In particular, dust, siloxane, and volatile organic compounds are the main cause of frequent failure of high-quality processes if they are not removed from the gas pretreatment process. Design of the biogas high-quality process. The operation guidelines provide quality standards [Methane content (including propane) of 95% or more] with 90% or more utilization of the total gas generation, two systems, and a margin of 10% or more. It also proposed installing gas equalization tank, installing thermal automatic control system for controlling equalization of auxiliary fuel, installing dehumidification device at the back of high quality for removing moisture generated in the process of gas compression, installing heat-resisting facilities to prevent freezing of facilities in winter and reducing efficiency, and installing membrane facilities in particular.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.33 no.6
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• pp.352-361
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• 2023

Steam methane reforming is currently the most widely used technology for producing hydrogen, a clean fuel. Hydrogen produced by steam methane reforming contains impurities such as carbon monoxide, and it is essential to undergo an appropriate post-purification step for commercial usage, such as fuel cells. Recently, membrane separation technology has been gaining great attention as an effective purification method; in this study, we evaluated the feasibility of using commercial polysulfone membranes for biogas upgrading to separate and recover hydrogen from a hydrogen/carbon monoxide gas mixture. Initially, we examined the physicochemical properties of the commercial membrane used. We then conducted performance evaluations of the commercial membrane module under various conditions using mixed gas, considering factors such as stage-cut and operating pressure. Finally, based on the evaluation results, we carried out simulations for process design. The maximum H₂ permeability and H₂/CO separation factor for the commercial membrane process were recorded at 361 GPU and 20.6, respectively. Additionally, the CO removal efficiency reached up to 94%, and the produced hydrogen concentration achieved a maximum of 99.1%.