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Moving from alcohol to methane biofilters: an experimental study on biofilter performance and carbon distribution
Author(s) -
Ferdowsi Milad,
Desrochers Michaël,
Jones Joseph Peter,
Heitz Michèle
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
journal of chemical technology and biotechnology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.64
H-Index - 117
eISSN - 1097-4660
pISSN - 0268-2575
DOI - 10.1002/jctb.6142
Subject(s) - biofilter , methanol , chemistry , alcohol , methane , ethanol , carbon fibers , pollutant , pulp and paper industry , environmental chemistry , environmental engineering , environmental science , organic chemistry , materials science , composite number , engineering , composite material
Abstract BACKGROUND Biofilters can be used to eliminate different gaseous pollutants including alcohols (e.g. methanol, ethanol) and methane (CH 4 ) individually or in a mixture. In this regard, the biofilter adaptability to feed composition variation is an industrial requisite. Inlet gas composition changes also give a better insight about carbon input and end‐points in biofilters. In this study, the gradual conversions of two biofilters from methanol and ethanol to CH 4 were investigated. RESULTS Both biofilters reached 100% removal efficiencies for the alcohols with no initial inoculation. Keeping the total inlet load constant (30 ± 1.3 g m −3 h −1 ), CH 4 was progressively substituted in the feed with corresponding alcohol:CH 4 mass ratios of 3:1, 1:1, 1:3 and 0 g alcohol :g CH4 . Maximum CH 4 removal efficiencies of 52% and 29% were obtained (respectively) for biofilters started with methanol and ethanol. By moving from alcohols to CH 4 biofilters, the gas phase output carbon increased from 273 to 666 g carbon day −1 and from 377 to 681 g carbon day −1 respectively for the methanol‐ and ethanol‐based biofilters. CONCLUSION This study showed a successful treatment based on inlet pollutant alteration from methanol or ethanol to CH 4 in two separate biofilters. However, the methanol‐based biofilter displayed a better performance and a shorter acclimation time for CH 4 conversion. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry