Landfill Gas (LFG) streams are important feedstocks for upgrading to Renewable Natural Gas (RNG). However, before LFG can be sold to a commercial pipeline as RNG it must be treated for hydrogen sulfide (H2S) contamination. For an LFG-to-RNG project to live up to its green value proposition, project designers have to consider not just the capture of methane from landfills, but also the byproducts of the upgrading process itself.
As it turns out, not all eco-friendly H2S treating solutions are created equal. Reliability and process stability emerge as key considerations when evaluating green H2S treating methods.
Green H2S Treating Methods
There are several methods for treating H2S in LFG-to-RNG and biogas-to-RNG applications, but only two are truly “green” from the standpoint of not creating negative byproducts: Biologic solutions and Next Generation Liquid Redox.
READ MORE: What Makes an H2S Treating Solution “Green”?
Biologic Systems
Biological processes are green because they utilize natural microorganisms to convert H2S into non-harmful compounds. However, this strength is also the primary weakness of biologic treating solutions. Living organisms are not as predictable or consistent as known chemical processes.
Downsides of biologic H2S treating options:
- Because the bacteria colony in a biologic treater acclimates to the amount of H2S it consumes, biologics are highly sensitive to variations in gas flow rates, temperatures, and H2S concentrations, making the entire system more prone to unplanned downtime and lengthy restarts.
- Typically require long start-up times to allow a critical mass of microorganisms to grow.
- Often require additional equipment to maintain a steady state, increasing the cost of these systems and adding operational complexity.
Next Generation Liquid Redox (VALKYRIE®)
The next generation of liquid redox solutions, such as VALKYRIE Biogas-to-RNG technology, provide Landfill Gas operators with a H2S purification solution that is not only green, but operationally robust. Like biological H2S treating options, VALKYRIE technology is a green solution, but also delivers higher reliability than alternatives.
Upsides to VALKYRIE technology:
- Reacts quickly to changes in gas flow, temperatures, and H2S concentrations for high reliability, process stability, and uptime.
- Fast startup and restarts.
Additionally, VALKYRIE technology extracts elemental sulfur from the gas stream that can be sold as Simple Elemental Sulfur™ for use in organic food production.
LEARN MORE: VALKYRIE® Biogas-to-RNG Upgrading Technology
In summary, Streamline Innovation’s VALKYRIE H2S treating technology offers landfill gas operators the most reliable, green option for removing H2S from gas streams in the LFG-to-RNG upgrading process.
Contact us today to learn more about how VALKYRIE ECO and ECO FLEX solutions can help you achieve your LFG-to-RNG upgrading needs.
About Streamline Innovations
Streamline Innovation’s vision is Reducing Emissions Through Technology. We help heavy industry around the world achieve environmental performance objectives, improve sustainability, and transition to a sustainable, low-carbon economy. Streamline Innovations Leads TIME’s List of America’s Top GreenTech Companies of 2024.
H2S is present in almost every industrial process in the world. Our technology can be applied across industries, delivering a sustainable solution that eliminates H2S, the leading cause of acid rain, a deadly greenhouse gas dangerous for work and living environments.
Streamline believes that achieving the E (“Environmental”) in ESG requires data. Creating intelligent systems that operate effectively and efficiently without human intervention is critical to reducing emissions that harm the environment. We integrate advanced data collection, process control, and analytics in our technologies to provide a total solution for customers.
We serve organizations in multiple sectors, including Energy/Oil & Gas, Biogas, Landfill Gas & Renewable Fuels, Municipal Wastewater and Industrial Air & Water.