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A review on removal of siloxanes from biogas: with a special focus on volatile methylsiloxanes

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Abstract

The occurrence of siloxanes is a major barrier to use of biogas as renewable energy source, and removal of siloxanes from biogas before combustion is needed. The siloxane can be transformed into silicon dioxide (SiO2) through the combustion process in engine, which will be deposited on the spark plug, cylinder, and impeller to form the silica layer, causing the wear and damage of the engine parts, and shorten the life of the engine and affect the utilization efficiency of the biogas. This paper reviewed some methods and technologies for siloxanes removal from biogas. There are three commercial available technologies to remove siloxanes: adsorption, absorption, and cryocondensation. Other newer technologies with better prospects for development also have made a research progress, including membrane, catalysts, biotrickling filters. This work introduces the source and characterization of siloxanes in biogas, reviews the scientific progress of siloxanes removal, and discusses the development direction and further research of removal siloxanes.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha, 410082, People’s Republic of China

    Maocai Shen, Yaxin Zhang, Duofei Hu, Jinshi Fan & Guangming Zeng

  2. Key Laboratory of Environmental Biology and Pollution Control (Hunan University), Ministry of Education, Changsha, 410082, People’s Republic of China

    Maocai Shen, Yaxin Zhang, Duofei Hu, Jinshi Fan & Guangming Zeng

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  1. Maocai Shen
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  2. Yaxin Zhang
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Correspondence to Yaxin Zhang.

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Shen, M., Zhang, Y., Hu, D. et al. A review on removal of siloxanes from biogas: with a special focus on volatile methylsiloxanes. Environ Sci Pollut Res 25, 30847–30862 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-018-3000-4

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