Introduction:

The indiscriminate use of conventional fuel favors the use of combustible gases that reduce the negative impact on the environment. Objective: To expound the fuel gas purification methods developed in Cuba, in particular, biological and membrane filtration methods, based on the use of waste materials, wastewater, solid waste and natural products.

Methods:

To reduce contaminants, biological methods were used, based on the use of two liquid gas contact pieces of equipment (bioreactors: packed bed column and laminar flow tray tower (TBFL)), using wastewater and membrane technology synthesized from natural materials (zeolite) and waste (borosilicate glass) at different scales of the research developed.

Results:

The methods developed are physical, chemical and biological. They are based primarily on the use of waste materials, either liquid waste where they take advantage of the benefits of the microorganisms present in them or solid waste or natural products that make up ceramic membranes. They have lower investment and production costs than those traditionally used. They have been successfully applied to biogas and gas accompanying oil, achieving removals of hydrogen sulfide (H2S(g)) over 98 %, complying with current standards for this purpose (less than 0,1 % by volume), as well as reducing the concentration of carbon dioxide (CO2(g)). As a conclusion, Cuba has methods of purifying combustible gases with waste and natural products that are within the reach of developing countries.

        · resumen en Español     · texto en Español     · Español ( pdf )