MEMBRANE GAS ABSORBERS FOR H2S REMOVAL – DESIGN, OPERATION AND TECHNOLOGY INTEGRATION INTO EXISTING ODOUR TREATMENT STRATEGIES

A hollow fibre polypropylene membrane gas absorber was investigated for the removal of hydrogen sulphide (H2S) from gas streams. Gas concentrations between 25–2010 (ppmv) were fed into the shell side of a membrane module whilst water-NaOH solutions flowed counter-currently in the fibre lumens. The process was effective at removing the H2S from the gas phase within a single pass through the membrane at all the concentrations of H2S investigated. Analysis of the mass transfer process revealed the rate of transfer to be controlled by the gas phase transfer coefficient with a value between 1 and 25×10−4(m.s−1.) The possible integration of membrane absorber system into existing odour treatment strategies was assessed by comparing the membrane system based on the experimentally determined mass transfer coefficient with existing full scale biofiltration plants within a number of locations in the UK. The membrane system became economically favourable at gas flow rates lower than 1630 (m3.h−1.)