Luis R. Lopez, who is doing the PhD in Gases and Odors treatment research line, will be in Ghent University during 3 months for a short research stay. The aim of the doctoral research of Luis R. Lopez is the development of a model of an aerobic biotrickling filter for H2S removal from biogas streams. Biogas desulfurization performed through biotrickling filters (BTFs) is one of the most efficient biological alternatives to physical-chemical desulfurization treatments. In desulfurizing BTFs the H2S contained in biogas is converted to elemental sulfur and further to sulfate by S-oxidizing bacteria. The obtainment of a BTF model it is crucial in order to allow him to apply control strategies towards the process optimization by improving the oxygen transfer to the liquid phase.
During his stay at UGent, Luis will be supervised by Prof. Eveline Volcke who has a wide expertise on biosystems control field. This stay in UGent will contribute positively in Luis’ PhD progress in general and particularly on the development and simulation of control strategies. The objective of the control strategies selection and implementation will be to search the enhancement of the desulfurization process without diminish biogas calorific power due to an increase in the air supply flow. Strategies based on the control of the Trickling Liquid Velocity (TLV) will be studied since a TLV increase not only improves the dissolved oxygen load (DOL) but also the circulation of the liquid through the BTF bed is improved. This circulation allows reducing dissolved oxygen (DO) gradients inside the bed and avoids biogas dilution. Once Luis is back in Spain he will implement selected strategies in lab-scale biotrickling filters to test experimentally the best control strategies to verify the modelling results.