Reducing peak odor emissions from biogas plants (PEAK)

The continued development of the Danish biogas production is progressing considerably slower than anticipated, only approx. 20 % of the Danish manure is currently utilized for production of biogas today, while the political ambition has been 50 %. One of the most substantial barriers for the construction of new biogas plants in Denmark is lack of suited construction plots, and particularly concerns over odor emissions have led to opposition against planed plants from neighbors, which in several cases have caused cancelation of planned plants.

This project aims to tackle the barrier of odor emissions from biogas plants by better handling of peak hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) emissions, which has proven difficult to properly manage without over-dimensioning currently available odor reduction technologies.

The following activities are planned:

(1)   Construction of a full-scale biofilter with experimental capability at Aarhus University’s    research biogas plant at Foulum in Denmark.

(2)   Derivation of a statistical/empirical model for prediction of H₂S emission patterns on         different        biogas plants.

(3)   Development of a sensor and control platform for measurement of H₂S.

(4)   Development a system for counteracting H₂S peak loadings which, together with the          measurement and control platform, will be tested on the full scale biofilter.