[Digestion] Hydrogen sulfide - Biogas (Julio Eli Martinez)

[Matt Lorig]

If you are using the gas only for cooking there is not really much need to scrub the H2S.  Keep in mind that it is very corrosive so use plastic pipes,etc.  

H2S can actually be helpful in low tech applications as the smell lets you know if you have leaks.

Date: Thu, 24 Feb 2011 12:07:44 -0600
From: "Amy and Jim Rankin" <ajrankin at hughes.net>
To: "For Discussion of Anaerobic Digestion"
    <digestion at lists.bioenergylists.org>
Subject: Re: [Digestion] Hydrogen sulfide - Biogas
Message-ID: <F761972DFB6C4622A2F5FE0F5EA3B1E7 at RankinPC>
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  """""""""""""""""
 
 I am new on this list serve, I have a question regarding the danger of 
H2S, I have been reading about this gas and its dangers, I am developing
 a project in a rural community in Mexico, I'm helping to develop 5 
tubular PE- biodigesters, I am still working on solve the Hydrogen 
sulfide issue, I don't want to put people's life on risk; so, any help 
on the manage or elimination  of Hydrogen sulfide on Bio-gas systems 
will be helpful, 
  """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
  If you control the biogas appropriately, you will mitigate the risk of the hydrogen sulfide.  

 
 However, there are ways to scrub the biogas on the way out of the 
digester (exposure to rusty steel wool, lathe turnings,shredded 
sheetmetal etc) or it can be collected in the digester by admitting a 
small amount of oxygen to the digester which causes the Sulfur to 
collect as less dangerous forms within the digester, eventually passing 
out with the effluent.  Sulfur has become an important plant nutrient in
 these days of decreasing powerplant sulfur emissions here in the USA 
and elsewhere in the developed world.  The amount of oxygen would have 
to be regulated to stay below the level where the mixture becomes 
flammable.  Not quite so simple a technology as the poly tube digester 
you are working with.  

  As part of your training for the 
operators of the digesters, you must emphasize that the digester is a 
very dangerous place.  Not that a poly tube digester is somewhere a 
person might ever go.  This is not only because of hydrogen sulfide, but
 also because of the carbon dioxide and methane.  Every year or two, 
someone (and sometimes several "rescuers" as well)  is killed when they 
enter a pit or other place where the biogas/manure gas has accumulated 
or is being liberated rapidly enough to reach dangerous concentrations.

  Jim

  James R Rankin, DVM
  Cedarcrest Farms, Inc
  Faunsdale, Alabama USA

Matt Lorig

mattlorig at yahoo.com


      
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