Pilot scale evaluation of the BABIU process – Upgrading of landfill gas or biogas with the use of MSWI bottom ash

Biogas or landfill gas can be converted to a high-grade gas rich in methane with the use of municipal solid waste incineration bottom ash as a reactant for fixation of CO2 and H2S. In order to verify results previously obtained at a laboratory scale with 65–90 kg of bottom ash (BA), several test runs were performed at a pilot scale, using 500–1000 kg of bottom ash and up to 9.2 N m3/h real landfill gas from a landfill in the Tuscany region (Italy). The input flow rate was altered. The best process performance was observed at a input flow rate of 3.7 N m3/(h tBA). At this flow rate, the removal efficiencies for H2S were approximately 99.5–99%.