Siloxane Removal from Municipal Biogas Intended for Use in Internal Combustion Engines and Power Plants in Nigeria [ ]


Biogas used for energy generation needs to be free from siloxanes, as their combustion has damaging effects on internal combustion engines and power plants. Siloxanes are found in biogas produced from municipal wastes due to their massive industrial use in synthetic products such as cosmetics, detergents and paints. Siloxanes removal from biogas can be carried out by various methods such as absorption in absorbent materials, biological degradation, gas-liquid separation, etc. The aim of this work is to find a local and economic way to remove siloxanes from biogas in Nigeria. A filter system comprising a transparent cylindrical plastic containing activated carbon made from palm kernel shells was developed. The activated carbon was chemically activated using chemical solutions of calcium chloride and sodium chloride of varying percentages. Test for the presence of siloxanes was conducted before and after bubbling the biogas sample through the filter. The results obtained from the various tests conducted showed that siloxane was removed from the biogas obtained from municipal solid wastes.