Granular Fly Ash Adsorbent for Biogas Purification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for cleaning biogas are costly and lack an environmentally friendly solution for removing trace contaminants like siloxanes, organo-chlorine, and hydrogen sulphide, while fly ash, a by-product of incineration, is hazardous and difficult to dispose of.
Innovation Solution
Utilizing fly ash in granular form, processed through high-pressure compaction to create a medium for biogas purification, where the ash's metal active sites react with and absorb these contaminants, rendering the ash less eco-toxic and allowing for its reuse in construction materials.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If activated carbon and activated alumina are used to remove siloxanes from biogas, then siloxane removal efficiency is improved, but cost increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses fly ash, a cheap waste material from incineration plants, as an alternative to expensive activated carbon and alumina. Fly ash is used in a fixed bed reactor where it adsorbs siloxanes from biogas. After saturation, the spent fly ash can be disposed of or potentially regenerated, providing a cost-effective solution for siloxane removal without requiring continuous purchase of expensive adsorbents.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts fly ash, which is a hazardous waste product from incineration plants that requires costly disposal, into a useful adsorbent for removing siloxanes from biogas. This transforms an environmental liability into a functional resource, simultaneously solving two problems: biogas purification and fly ash disposal.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If fly ash is disposed of as hazardous waste, then environmental compliance is maintained, but resource utilization is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms fly ash from a hazardous waste requiring disposal into a valuable adsorbent material for biogas purification. By utilizing fly ash's adsorptive properties to remove siloxanes from biogas, the invention converts an environmental liability into a functional resource, achieving both environmental compliance and resource utilization.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent allows fly ash to serve its own purpose by utilizing its inherent adsorptive properties to remove contaminants from biogas. Rather than requiring external processing or treatment to make fly ash useful, the invention directly employs the waste material's natural characteristics for purification, making the system self-sufficient and cost-effective.
3Ease of operation
If high-pressure compaction is applied to fly ash, then granular form is achieved for better flow, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies high-pressure compaction to transform fly ash from a fine powder into granular form. This parameter change in physical structure improves the flow characteristics and bed stability of the adsorbent material in the fixed bed reactor, preventing channeling and improving gas-solid contact efficiency while managing the energy input required for granulation.
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
Effectively removes siloxanes, organo-chlorine, and hydrogen sulphide from biogas, purifying the gas while reducing the leachability of metals in fly ash, making it non-hazardous and suitable for recycling into construction materials.
Implementation Method 1
the ash's metal active sites react with and absorb these contaminants
Implementation Method 2
processed through high-pressure compaction to create a medium for biogas purification
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a method for the treatment of biogas comprising the step of contacting the biogas with fly ash and a composition for the treatment of biogas comprising fly ash in a granular form. The invention further relates to a method for the treatment of fly ash, comprising the step of contacting fly ash with biogas.