Ammonia removal from air stream and biogas by a H2SO4 impregnated adsorbent originating from waste wood-shavings and biosolids

J Hazard Mater. 2009 Jul 15;166(1):372-6. doi: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2008.11.028. Epub 2008 Nov 18.

Abstract

A new and cost-effective adsorbent N-TRAP, made from waste wood-shavings and anaerobically digestion biosolids and impregnated with H(2)SO(4), was applied for the ammonia removal from air stream and biogas with high efficiency and effectiveness. Bearing a 75-80 and 65 wt.% sulfuric acid, the N-TRAPs mediated with wood shavings and biosolids showed the maximum ammonia adsorption capacity of 260-280 and 230 mg g(-1), respectively. Gas temperatures (20 and 60 degrees C) and moisture content (100% relative humidity) had no significantly negative effect on ammonia capture performance when temperature in the fixed-bed column was kept equalled to or slightly above the feed gas temperature. The pressure drop increased significantly when NH(3) began to break through the N-TRAP stripper due to the formation of ammonium sulfate blocking the vacuum space of packed adsorbent. At last, an alternative N-TRAP filter bed design was proposed to resolve the problem of pressure drop evolution.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adsorption
  • Air / analysis
  • Ammonia / isolation & purification*
  • Biomass
  • Clinical Laboratory Techniques
  • Equipment Design
  • Gases / analysis
  • Industrial Waste / prevention & control
  • Refuse Disposal / methods*
  • Sulfuric Acids
  • Wood / chemistry

Substances

  • Gases
  • Industrial Waste
  • Sulfuric Acids
  • Ammonia
  • sulfuric acid