Technology validation of photosynthetic biogas upgrading in a semi-industrial scale algal-bacterial photobioreactor

María Del Rosario Rodero; Raquel Lebrero; Esteban Serrano; Enrique Lara; Zouhayr Arbib; Pedro A García-Encina; Raúl Muñoz

doi:10.1016/j.biortech.2019.01.110

Technology validation of photosynthetic biogas upgrading in a semi-industrial scale algal-bacterial photobioreactor

Bioresour Technol. 2019 May:279:43-49. doi: 10.1016/j.biortech.2019.01.110. Epub 2019 Jan 24.

Authors

María Del Rosario Rodero¹, Raquel Lebrero¹, Esteban Serrano², Enrique Lara², Zouhayr Arbib², Pedro A García-Encina¹, Raúl Muñoz³

Affiliations

¹ Department of Chemical Engineering and Environmental Technology, University of Valladolid, Dr. Mergelina s/n., Valladolid 47011, Spain; Institute of Sustainable Processes, University of Valladolid, 47011 Valladolid, Spain.
² FCC Servicios Ciudadanos, Av. del Camino de Santiago, 40, edificio 3, 4ª planta, 28050 Madrid, Spain.
³ Department of Chemical Engineering and Environmental Technology, University of Valladolid, Dr. Mergelina s/n., Valladolid 47011, Spain; Institute of Sustainable Processes, University of Valladolid, 47011 Valladolid, Spain. Electronic address: mutora@iq.uva.es.

PMID: 30710819
DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2019.01.110

Abstract

The performance of photosynthetic biogas upgrading coupled to wastewater treatment was evaluated in an outdoors high rate algal pond (HRAP) interconnected to an absorption column at semi-industrial scale. The influence of biogas flowrate (274, 370 and 459 L h^-1), liquid to biogas ratio (L/G = 1.2, 2.1 and 3.5), type of wastewater (domestic versus centrate) and hydraulic retention time in the HRAP (HRT) on the quality of the biomethane produced was assessed. The highest CO₂ and H₂S removal efficiencies (REs) were recorded at the largest L/G due to the higher biogas-liquid mass transfer at increasing liquid flowrates. No significant influence of the biogas flowrate on process performance was observed, while the type of wastewater was identified as a key operational parameter. CO₂ and H₂S-REs of 99% and 100% at a L/G_max = 3.5 were recorded using centrate. The maximum CH₄ content in the biomethane (90%) was limited by N₂ and O₂ desorption.

Keywords: Algal-bacterial photobioreactor; Biogas upgrading; Microalgae; Semi-industrial scale HRAP; Wastewater treatment.

Publication types

Validation Study

MeSH terms

Bacteria
Biofuels*
Photobioreactors* / microbiology
Photosynthesis*
Ponds*

Substances

Biofuels