ECOLYS: Capture H2S
The eco-friendly H₂S filtration solution
300
Landfill sites in France in 2020 (source ADEME)
Addressing biogas filtration challenges in non-hazardous waste landfills
14 Millions
Tons of waste landfilled each year in France
(source: Zero Waste France – 2024)
1.2 TWh
Electricity produced annually in France from the recovery of biogas from non-hazardous waste landfills (equivalent to the consumption of 500,000 people)
(estimated sectoral breakdown, based on ATEE data – biogas sector)
9%
Biomethane injection facilities source their fuel from non-hazardous waste landfills and wastewater treatment plants
Evolution of biogas management in landfills
The history of biogas recovery in non-hazardous waste landfills is a testament to a true environmental revolution. Emerging in the 1990s, the first engineered landfills initially simply stored non-recyclable waste. The use of flares to burn emissions represented a significant first step forward, as they allowed the conversion of CH4 into CO2 with a global warming potential 28 times lower.
Since the 2000s, a profound transformation has taken place to enable the valorization of biogas produced and thus benefit from this positive externality of the waste management value chain:
- Historically, with cogeneration technologies enabling the production of electricity and heat that can be consumed on-site or injected into the grid.
- More recently, through purification allowing the injection of biomethane into the natural gas network.
This valorization represents a virtuous economic model for operators, positioning them as key players in the energy transition, significantly reducing the climate footprint of their facilities while contributing to local energy independence.
Non-hazardous landfill biogas and its collection
Biogas from non-hazardous waste landfills results from the anaerobic decomposition of organic matter, primarily generating methane (CH₄) and carbon dioxide (CO₂), with traces of minor compounds (H₂S, mercaptans, siloxanes, VOCs, etc.).
Capture is carried out via a network of wells connected to collectors under controlled vacuum. Biogas from non-hazardous waste landfills thus contains varying amounts of atmospheric compounds: nitrogen (N₂) and oxygen (O₂).
Pollutant filtration is one of the main challenges in enabling its utilization. This step is complex given the inherent variability of this type of biogas and the potentially high concentrations it can contain.
ECOLYS in non-hazardous waste storage facilities: a case study
Context: increasing filtration challenges
An operations manager at a non-hazardous waste landfill site that utilizes its biogas is reassessing the sizing and performance of its filtration unit. Indeed, as with most non-hazardous waste landfills, and due to changes in the types of inputs and operating methods, the H2S flow to be treated in its biogas has gradually increased over the years. Currently, the flow rate is 400 Nm³/h and the H2S concentration is 1,800 ppm.
The filtration system initially deployed on the site consists of two fixed 3m³ capacity activated carbon silos. The increased H2S flow is now resulting in:
- A significant financial burden
- Increasingly demanding operational and logistical constraints for its teams
- An environmental impact
Solution: Diagnosis and deployment of a 2-tank ECOLYS unit
A diagnostic assessment and technical site visit are conducted by our teams to analyze the situation and understand the site constraints. The analysis confirms that installing an ECOLYS unit upstream of the existing system will meet the client’s needs.
A sizing plan is proposed to the client, and a suitable installation area is identified: two ECOLYS tanks in series for optimal technical and economic performance for H2S filtration on the site.
We also propose deploying our advanced DATALYS-Lab monitoring solution, leveraging existing resources as much as possible, allowing the client to closely monitor overall filtration performance.
Finally, the use of INFRALYS equipment enables quick and easy deployment of the solution:
- Prefabricated mobile slabs to minimize civil works in the installation area.
- Guide rails for easy tank positioning.
- Biogas connection hoses for easy connection of the tanks to the site’s HDPE piping.
Impact: Reduced filtration costs and operational burden
- Reduced operating expenses (OPEX) and ROI in under one year
- Turnkey service, including filling, emptying, and end-of-life management of the filter media
- Use of a mobile tank, reducing the physical strain and time spent by on-site technicians
- Reduced replacement frequency
- Greater peace of mind with readily available monitoring tools and performance indicators
Testimony
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