International J ournal of Engineering & Technology IJ ET-IJ ENS Vol: 11 No: 01 83

114501-0808 IJ ET-IJ ENS February 2011 IJ ENS

I J E N S
UpgradeBiogasPurificationinPackedColumnwith
ChemicalAbsorptionofCO2ForEnergyAlternativeOf
SmallIndustry(UKMTahu)
Muhammad Kismurtono
Technical Implementation Unit for Development of Chemical Engineering Processes,
The Indonesian Institute of Sciences,Yogyakarta.,Indonesia. 55861.
Telp/Fax: +62.274392570/ +62.274391168, Hand phone: +6281578508760
E-mail: m_kismurtono@yahoo.co.id
Abstract-The presence of CO
2
in biogas does not give to contribute to the colorific or heating
value and are often washing out in purification plant in order to obtain a gas with almost 100%
(volume/volume) and dangerous effect on environment.
Therefore, CO
2
must be eliminated from the biogas and the corresponding phenomena of mass
transfer with chemical reaction of packed column have to be studied. The purpose of this
research is to analyze theoretically mass transfer phenomena of CO
2
chemical absorption in
biogas using aqueous NaOH. 1M in packed column and to support procurement of energy
alternative in Indonesia
This study assumed studied state and isothermal condition. The system studied consists of
packed column 10 cm in diameter filled with 1 cm in diameter ball to the height of 80 cm. The
gas flow rate was held constant at F =600 ml/s, liquid flow rate (L) was 50 cm
3
/s, pressure (P)
was varied from: 350 to 700 mm H
2
O, and the concentration of aqueous NaOH 1M in let
absorbent was held constant. The results showed that the percentage of absorbed CO
2
can be
enhanced by in creasing pressure.
Using column with packing height of 100 cm. gas flow rate of 600 l/s, using absorbeut
containing NaOH 1 M with flow rate: 600 ml/s and at pressure of 350 mm H
2
O and temperature
of 30 c, the percentage recovery of CO
2
reacked the valued of above: 80%
Keywords: Biogas purification, CO
2
removal, Energy alternative, NaOH 1 M.


1. INTRODUCTION
The biogas is a produced by the anaerobic
decomposition of organic matter.It is
primarity composed of methane (CH
4
). And
carbon dioxide (CO
2
) with smaller amounts
of hydrogensulphide (H
2
S), ammonia(NH3)
and nitrogen (N
2
). Usually, the mixed gas is
saturated with water vapour[1]. Biogas can
be used for all applications designed for
natural gas. Not alla gas applications require
the same standards. The usage of biogas as
fuel has significantly increasedinthe last
years. For an effective use of biogas as fuel
it has to be enriched in methane.The is
primarily achieved by carbon dioxide
removal which then enhances the energy
value of the gas to give longer driving
distances wich fixed gas storage volume {1}.
AT present four different techniques for
upgrading of biogas are used commercially
in Sweden:
- Absorption with water
- PSA (Pressure Swing Adsorption)
- Adsorption with Selexol TM
- Chemical absorption with amines.
Alternative fuels such as alcohol, gas
(LPG,CNG), and biomass derived fuel have
been studied intensively. One of
potennnnntial fuel wich is abundantly
available is biogas. .Biogas originates from
bacteria in the process of biodegradation of
organic material under anaerobic condition.
It consists of a varying proportion of CH
4

(Methane) ans CO
2
(carbon dioxide) and
traces of H
2
S,N
2
,CO,O
2
.The content of CH
4

and CO
2
is a function of the matter digester
and process conditions like temperature, Ph,
C/ N ratio.Biogas is a clean fuel for internal
combustion engine, J iang Chengqui et al [2]
investigated the compressed biogas and
natural biogas and their application to diesel
fuel. Biogas was compressed up to 9.8 x 10
6
for high pressure application. For the low
pressure operation, biogas was supplied
directly from the digester. The results
showed that the diesel fuel replacement
achieved by connecting the high-pressure
biogas directly into the mesine is less than
thatof connecting low-pressure biogas
(natural biogas). Compressed biogas is
becoming widely used in
Sweden,Switzerland and Germany. There
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114501-0808 IJ ET-IJ ENS February 2011 IJ ENS
I J E N S
are many kinds of orocess that stated in
literature to removing CO
2
gas which can be
divided into two ways; those are chemical
absorption and adsorption.Chemical
absorption is an absorption which is owed by
chemical reaction where the absorbed gas is
reacted with the reactant in liquid phase,
while adsorption is absorptionon the surface
of solid particle whichis called adsorbent.
The aim of this study is to get operation data
to get packed column design in eliminating
CO
2
from biogas.
The benefit of the research is that the
research result can be used as pattern to
design and analyses packed column for
chemical absorption of gas CO
2
from biogas,
and also for other similar system.

2. EXPERIMENTAL METHODOLOGY
Research design and methods used to test
removal of the CO
2
from biogas stream.
Under continuous operation condition, first
the biogas introduced at the bottom of the
packed column, passing yhrough the
aqueous NaOH 1M solution, flowing
downwards to the solution separator. In this
column the CO
2
is absorbed and
transformed into aqueous NaOH 1M
solution.Samples of the inlet and outlet
biogas were taken during experimental tests
using gas samples.The compositions of
these samples were determined by gas
chromatography. CO
2
removal, expressed
as a percentage, was calculated by dividing
the difference between the inlet and outlet
volume compositions by the inlet.
Research design and methods







Formula of fermentation
STEP I







STEP II













CONSTRUCTION OF DIGESTER
TYPE
FIXED DOME

CONSTRUCTION OF
CO2 REMOVAL
FERMENTATION
BIOGAS
NO
YES
PURIFICATION BY
2 (TWO) COLUMN

ACTIVATION OF ZEOLITE
AND NaOH 1M
PREPARATION PURIFICATION OF
FUEL GRADE GAS METHANE BY ABSORBTION AND ADSORPTION
TECHNIQUE
YES
NO
FUEL GRADE GAS METHANE
88.94 %(v/v)
GAS METHANE
FOR HEAT AND
ELECTRIC
TESTINGOFGAS
METHANE TO
MACHINE AND
FURNACE OR
GRINDER
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I J E N S
Table 1. Specification of product biogas (before treatment)
No Item Dimention Test methods Specification

1

CH
4

%(v/v) GC 63.20

2

CO

%(v/v) GC 11.10
3
CO
2
%(v/v) GC 25.19
4
H
2
%(v/v) GC 0.49
5
Impurities
%(v/v) GC 0.02

Table 2. Specification of product biogas
No Item Dimention
Specification
(a)
*
Specification
(b)
*
Specification
(c)
*
1 CH
4
%(v/v) 55 - 65 55 - 75 40 - 70
2 CO %(v/v) - - -
3 CO
2
%(v/v) 35 - 45 25 - 45 30 - 60
4 H
2
%(v/v) 0 - 1 1 - 5 0 - 1
5 N
2
%(v/v) 0 - 3 0 0.3 -
6 O
2
%(v/v) - 0.1 0.5 -

Note. (a)
*
Arifin dkk.2008; (b)
*
www.kolumbus.fi; (c)
*
Muryanto dkk,2006

3. RESULT AND DISCUSSION
This study we assumed steady and isothermal condition and the system studied in research
comprises a packed column 10 cm in diameter filled with 1 cm ball or 1.6 mm pellet zeolite to
height of 80 cm . This research studied the effect of pressure, concentration of aqueous NaOH 1
M solution in inlet absorbent and temperature on percentage of CO
2
absorbed. Liquid flow rate
was 40 ml. S
-1
, pressure was varied 350 and 700 mm H
2
O. The gas flow rate was held constant
at 600 ml. S
-1
(Table 3)

Table 3. Pressure of biogas from digester vs Temperature Maximum from Estimation,
o
C and
Convertion of methana to Co - Generator

N
o
Pressure
of biogas
from
digester,
(mm H
2
O)
Time of
burning,
(hour)
Input gas to
column
adsorber(zeolite),
%(v/v)
Output gas
to column
absorber
(NaOH,1M)
%(v/v)
*
Input gas
to burner
or gas
generator,
%(v/v)
*
Temperatur
e maximum
from
estimation,
o

C
1 350

1 54.8900
*
71.8700
*

88.6200
*

1.750
***
2 700 2 55.8994
*
81.8780
*

88.6288
*

1.850
***

3 350 1 56.1900
**
82.8700
**

88.4100
**
1.980
***
4 700 2 60.1400
**
85.8900
**

88.9400
**
2.000
***

Note .
* -
Petrolab Services
** - J aringan Kerjasama Kimia Indonesia Services
*** - Trial and error, formula , H =H
o 298
+H
sensible






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I J E N S
4. CONCLUSIONS
Results obtained in this research are inferential that:
The percentage of removal CO
2
was influenced by absorbent flow rate and pressure biogas and
temperature maximum: 2.000
o
C and power:3.000 watt with Generator-Gas Methana.

Acknowledgements.
The authors wish to acknowledge the donors of Insentif Riset bagi Peneliti dan Perekayasa
Tahun 2009 by DIKTI-LIPI for the support of this study



5. REFERENCES
[1] Angenent, Largus T. et. al., 2004, Production of Bioenergy and Biochemicals from Industrial
and Agricultural Wastewater, TRENDS in Biotechnology Vol.22 No.9 September 2004
[2] Anonim, Biogas, www.electrigaz.com
[3] Anonim, Biogas, www.wikipedia.org
[4] Anonim, 1998, Biogas Sumber Energi Alternatif yang Ramah Lingkungan, Majalah Kampus
Genta, Edisi 117, Thn XXXIII, halaman 35-38, Surabaya
[5] Cooper, J ohn, 2001, Turning Carbon Directly into Electricity, Science and Technology
Review, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, US Department of Energy
[6] Raven, et.al, 2005, Biogas plants in Denmark: successes and setbacks, Eindhoven
University of Technology, The Netherlands
[7] Setyo I., Yuli, 2005, Reaktor Biogas Skala Kecil/Menengah (Bagian Pertama), ISTECS,
J apan, www.beritaiptek.com
[8] United States Patent 4042332
[9] United States Patent 5013334
[10] United States Patent 5174796