Monitoring and removal of siloxanes from anaerobic digester and landfill gas

越来越多的城市正在发现利用垃圾填埋气（LFG）和厌氧消化气（ADG）发电的好处。利用LFG或ADG发电可以节省大量资金，并显著减少向大气排放的温室气体总量。硅氧烷对热电联产设施的不利影响是影响废铁和废铁广泛应用于发电的主要障碍之一。硅氧烷是许多化妆品和润滑产品中常见的添加剂，它们会进入生活污水或垃圾填埋场，最终成为LFG和ADG。燃烧时，硅氧烷转化为硅酸盐，这是一种结晶沉淀物，在往复式发动机中引起加速。硅氧烷的不利影响给私营工业和市政当局造成了数百万美元的经济损失，并使许多人不愿利用垃圾填埋场和沼气池产生的沼气发电。目前，对沼气基质中硅氧烷含量的监测还没有公认的标准方法。目前的分析方法昂贵（每个样品超过2500美元），繁琐，并且只能提供硅氧烷概况的快照。提出的研究项目的目标之一是开发一种可靠的，具有成本效益的在线硅氧烷分析方法。目前对沼气中硅氧烷的分析技术每个样品的成本可能超过2000美元。拟议研究项目的另一个目的是比较从ADG和LFG中去除硅氧烷的各种现有技术的有效性和经济性。由于缺乏对沼气中硅氧烷的有效监测技术，尚未对去除技术进行全面的比较。

Increasing number of municipalities are discovering the benefit of utilizing the landfill gas (LFG) and anaerobic digester gas (ADG) for electricity production. Generating electricity from LFG or ADG can result in substantial savings and significantly reduces the total quantity of greenhouse gases emitted to the atmosphere.     One of the main obstacles to the widespread utilization of LFG and ADG for electricity generation is the adverse effect of siloxanes on cogeneration facilities. Siloxanes, common additives in many cosmetic and lubricating products, find their way to sanitary sewage or landfill refuse and end up in LFG and ADG. When burned, siloxanes convert to silicate, a crystalline precipitate, which causes accelerated ware in reciprocating engines. The adverse effect of siloxanes has resulted in millions of dollars of financial damage to private industry and municipalities and has discouraged many from utilizing the biogas from landfills and digesters for power generation.     At the present time, there is no accepted standard method for monitoring the level of siloxanes in the biogas matrix. Current analytical methods are expensive (over $2500 per sample), cumbersome, and provide only a snap shot of siloxanes profile. One of the objectives of the proposed research project is to develop a reliable, cost-effective online method for siloxanes analysis. Current analytical techniques for siloxanes in biogas could cost in excess of $2000 per sample.    Another objective of the proposed research project is to compare the effectiveness and economy of various available technologies for the removal of siloxanes from ADG and LFG. A comprehensive comparison of removal technologies has not yet been performed due primarily to the lack of an effective monitoring technique for siloxanes in the biogas.