How to Purify Methane from Biomass for Clean Burning?

  • Thread starter iwant2beoz
  • Start date
  • Tags
    Methane
In summary, you can burn your methane as is, although it has other pollutants with it. You can spend the effort to clean it up, but why bother?
  • #1
iwant2beoz
96
1
Hello does anyone know an easy way to purify methane made from biomass? I am not sure what gases I am producing but i know i have methane, CO2 and water vapor, and maybe hydrogen sulfured judging from the smell. I want to get a product clean enough to burn in place of nature gas. Thanks for the help
 
Chemistry news on Phys.org
  • #2
You can probably burn your gas as is, even though it has a lot of other stuff with it.
The heating value would be lower, because of the inert components and the exhaust would be a bit dirty, from the burning hydrogen sulfide.
Just check to make sure your methane percentage is high enough to avoid the chance of explosion.
 
  • #3
I know that it will burn, i tested that. But i worry that the water and hydrogen sulfured could damage the rotter blades in the engine I am working on.
 
  • #4
Hydrogen sulfide stinks so bad the human nose picks it up at the part per million level, which is good, because it is actually more poisonous than hydrogen cyanide.
You can spend the effort to clean up your gas, bubble it through alkaline solution to strip the CO2 and maybe copper nitrate for the H2S and then a silica bed drier, but why bother? Unless you plan to run your engine for a long time, nothing biologically sourced will do much damage. We're not looking at 10% H2S levels here, as could be the case with raw well gas
 
  • #5
My goal is to build a turbine engine that runs on methane, but i worry that over time the blades will get pitted and brake and i don't want to ruin months of work and wast all the money I am putting into this prototype. And i also want it to burn cleanly. So i will try cleaning the gas before i use it. Thank you:)
 

1. How is methane purified?

Methane can be purified through a process called fractional distillation. This involves heating the methane to its boiling point, which separates it from impurities. The purified methane is then condensed and collected.

2. What are the impurities in methane?

The most common impurities in methane include water vapor, carbon dioxide, and other hydrocarbons such as ethane and propane. These impurities can be removed through various purification techniques.

3. Can methane be purified from natural gas?

Yes, methane can be purified from natural gas. Natural gas is primarily composed of methane, but it also contains impurities such as ethane, propane, and butane. These impurities can be removed through processes such as absorption, adsorption, or cryogenic separation.

4. How is methane purified for industrial use?

Methane is purified for industrial use through a process called cryogenic distillation. This involves cooling the gas to extremely low temperatures, which causes the different components to condense at different rates, allowing for the separation of methane from other impurities. The purified methane is then stored and transported for industrial use.

5. What is the purpose of purifying methane?

Methane is purified for several reasons, including removing impurities that may be harmful to the environment or to human health. It also increases the energy content of the gas, making it more efficient for industrial and commercial use. Purifying methane also allows for the extraction of valuable by-products, such as propane and ethane, which can be used in various industries.

Similar threads

Replies
16
Views
2K
  • Chemistry
Replies
23
Views
2K
Replies
2
Views
1K
  • General Engineering
Replies
10
Views
2K
  • Earth Sciences
Replies
2
Views
2K
Replies
25
Views
46K
Replies
3
Views
3K
Replies
2
Views
4K
Back
Top