A review of the practical application of micro-aeration and oxygenation for hydrogen sulfide management in anaerobic digesters
Christopher Muller, Karla Guevarra, Amanda Summers, Laurie Pierce, Parisa Shahbaz, Peter E. Zemke, Karina Woodland, Vicky Hollingsworth, George Nakhla, Kati Bell, Embrey Bronstad
Abstract
With the increased use of biogas generated from anaerobic digestion (AD) as a source of renewable energy, economical methods of cleaning and upgrading the gas are of growing importance. The removal of hydrogen sulfide to varying degrees is required regardless of the end biogas use, as the presence of hydrogen sulfide contributes to operations and maintenance costs and reduction in the life of gas handling equipment. Micro-aeration, or the injection of small amounts of oxygen, into anaerobic digesters has been shown to affect reduction in gaseous hydrogen sulfide concentrations and is more economical than typical sulfide scrubbing systems. This review examines the existing data on micro-aeration applications, including biological kinetics and appropriate control strategies for full-scale micro-aeration applications. Knowledge gaps in research are also noted.