BioSpec SILOX – online monitor of siloxane contaminants in biogas from wastewater

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The water industry has significant untapped potential to contribute to net zero targets by fully utilising available wastewater to generate biogas as a renewable energy source. Siloxanes are a known contaminant in biogas, especially prevalent from sewage (wastewater) anaerobic digestion systems, and their removal is critical. If not removed, they will damage CHP engines resulting in downtime and increased maintenance costs. This will impact the cost-effectiveness of using renewable biogas as opposed to fossil fuel derived energy sources. Addressing the siloxane problem has a direct environmental benefit by supporting the water industry to meet its net zero targets and hence supporting the governments to deliver their net zero targets. Siloxanes are normally removed by activated carbon filters. Understanding the effectiveness of such filters and ensuring their timely replacement when they become saturated is a key factor in the efficiency of such plants. Camlin shall develop an entirely new approach for the online monitoring of siloxanes with the aim of developing a product at a price point that will enable the widespread adoption of the technology by the wastewater industry. Current technologies on the market are typically adapted from laboratory equipment and result in prohibitively expensive solutions that do not meet the needs of the user. They also suffer from high maintenance and support costs when deployed in harsh field environments. Following the success of this project, a product will become available to the wastewater industry at the required price point that supports the industry with its goals of reducing methane emissions, increasing self-generated renewables by utilising wastewater for anaerobic digestion, and providing renewable gas to the gas grid. During Phase 1, we shall determine the feasibility of developing a novel spectroscopic solution for siloxane monitoring that meets the performance, cost, and usability requirements of the industry. In a future Phase 2, a product which meets this triumvirate of requirements shall be prototyped and trialled with a UK based water utility to validate the technology, quantify the value it delivers, and measure the resulting environmental benefit.