Biogas Purification Culture Medium for H2S Removal
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current biological methods for biogas purification lack effectiveness on an industrial scale and result in elemental sulphur deposition, which requires regular removal, and existing solutions fail to efficiently remove hydrogen sulphide and carbon dioxide from biogas, leading to suboptimal biogas composition and environmental concerns.
Innovation Solution
A microbiological culture medium composed of KH2PO4, MgCl2, Ca(NO3)2, FeSO4, ZnSO4, MnCl2, CoCl2, CuSO4, and (NH4)2MoO4 is used to cultivate a consortium of microorganisms that form a specific biofilm in a biofilter, effectively converting hydrogen sulphide into elemental sulphur or sulphates, with a pH range of 5 to 8 and a sprinkling volume of 5-500 L/h, ensuring efficient biogas purification without carbon source addition.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If conventional biological methods are used for biogas purification, then capital outlays are reduced, but purification effectiveness is insufficient and elemental sulphur deposition occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameters of the culture medium by replacing traditional carbon sources (NaHCO3, sodium acetate) with a nitrogen-based nutrient composition (NH4Cl, (NH4)2SO4, KNO3) and adjusting concentrations of phosphates, sulfates, and trace elements. This parameter change enables microorganisms to assimilate carbon from CO2 while maintaining high H2S removal efficiency and preventing elemental sulphur deposition
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the harmful accumulation of elemental sulphur into a beneficial process by modifying the culture medium to promote complete oxidation of H2S to sulphates rather than partial oxidation to elemental sulphur. The adjusted nutrient composition directs microbial metabolism toward sulphate production, eliminating the need for sulphur removal operations
2Duration of action of stationary object
If carbon sources are added to the culture medium, then microorganism growth is supported, but CO2 removal capability is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes traditional carbon sources (NaHCO3, sodium acetate, yeast extract) from the culture medium composition. By eliminating these exogenous carbon sources, the system forces microorganisms to rely on CO2 assimilation for growth, thereby maintaining CO2 removal capability while supporting sustained microbial activity through nitrogen-based nutrients
Solution Approach 2:
The patent makes the culture medium universally supportive of microorganisms that can fix CO2 by providing a balanced nutrient composition with nitrogen, phosphorus, sulfur, and trace elements that meets the diverse nutritional requirements of CO2-assimilating bacteria. This multi-functional medium supports both growth and CO2 removal functions simultaneously
3Productivity
If heterotrophic microorganisms are used, then H2S removal is achieved, but CO2 binding capability is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the selective parameter of the culture medium by adjusting the carbon-to-nitrogen ratio to zero (no exogenous carbon) and optimizing nitrogen sources (NH4Cl, (NH4)2SO4, KNO3) and phosphorus compounds. This parameter change creates selective pressure that favors autotrophic and facultative autotrophic microorganisms capable of CO2 fixation while maintaining H2S oxidation capability
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach achieves 97-100% hydrogen sulphide reduction efficiency, minimizing sulphur production and deposit volumes, maintaining stable pH, and producing biogas parameters comparable to natural gas, while reducing maintenance costs and environmental impact.
Implementation Method 1
aerobic forms of nitrogen... in the presence of aerobic forms of nitrogen... H2S was removed from waste gases by an activated carbon bioreactor with the help of a pure culture of T. denitrificans
Implementation Method 2
as the culture medium contains in its composition a source of carbon the microorganisms will not assimilate it from CO2
Implementation Method 3
KH2PO4 100 g/500 L, MgCl2 x6H2O 50 g/500 L, Ca(NO3)2 x4H2O 50 g/500 L and FeSO4 x7H2O 40 g/500 L and trace elements
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
A microbiological culture medium for the consortium of microorganisms, used in the technology of biological biogas purification, containing in its composition KH2PO4 (from 0.1 to 50 g/L), MgCl×6H2O (from 0.01 to 50 g/L), Ca(NO3)×4H2O (from 0.1 to 1000 g/L) and FeSO4×7H2O (from 0.01 to 50 g/L) and tap water.