Anoxic desulphurisation of biogas from full-scale anaerobic digesters in suspended biomass bioreactors valorising previously nitrified digestate centrate

Nitrification of centrate from anaerobic sewage sludge digestion presents a major opportunity as an electron acceptor in anoxic biogas biodesulphurisation. Nitritation and nitrification inhibition by free ammonia was detected at laboratory scale, but was avoided during the scale-up operation in a 4 m(3) reactor treating ammonium loads up to 19 gN m(-3) h(-1). This nitrate-rich stream was fed to two pilot-scale suspended biomass bioreactors (SBBs) treating real biogas for 220 days. After an adaptation period of 21 days, nitrate and alkalinity concentrations in the liquid medium below 10 mgN L-1 and 100 mgCaCO(3) L-1 were found to limit hydrogen sulphide (H2S) oxidation. Once controlled, 95% of the H2S was removed in SBB1 and 90% in SBB2, at a gas residence time (GRT) of 5.9 min, treating average values of 321 +/- 205 ppmv and 457 +/- 205 ppmv, respectively. Outlet H2S concentrations of 16 +/- 24 ppmv in SBB1 and 46 +/- 39 ppmv in SBB2 were obtained, which are below the requirements of biogas combustion heat and power engines. Unlike H2S, siloxanes were not removed with these GRTs. The results demonstrate the feasibility of the combined process for H2S treatment, potential valorisation of precipitated elemental sulphur and a reduction in the reagents currently used to control H2S.

Automated summary

Nitrification of centrate from anaerobic sewage sludge digestion presents a major opportunity as an electron acceptor in anoxic biogas biodesulphurisation. Nitritation and nitrification inhibition by free ammonia was detected at laboratory scale, but was avoided during the scale-up operation in a 4 m(3) reactor treating ammonium loads up to 19 gN m(-3) h(-1).