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Biogas Upgrading (CO₂ Removal)
Gas Treatment & Drying

Biogas Upgrading (CO₂ Removal)

Carbon dioxide removal from anaerobic digester biogas and landfill gas using carbon molecular sieve PSA to deliver grid quality bio methane for pipeline injection or CNG vehicle fuel.

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The Challenge
Anaerobic digester biogas and landfill gas contain 40 to 50 percent carbon dioxide which lowers heating value, blocks pipeline injection, and prevents CNG vehicle use. Flaring the raw biogas wastes a renewable energy source and forfeits the regional renewable gas incentive.
Quick Answer

Biogas upgrading separates carbon dioxide from methane in raw biogas (50 to 60 percent CH₄ inlet) using carbon molecular sieve in a pressure swing adsorption cycle. Outlet bio methane reaches 95 to 98 percent methane purity, meeting EN 16723-1 for grid injection or CNG specification for vehicle fuel.

Biogas Upgrading (CO₂ Removal)

Raw Biogas Is Half Carbon Dioxide

Raw biogas from anaerobic digestion of sewage sludge, agricultural manure, food waste, and crop residue, plus the gas collected from landfill methane wells, carries 50 to 60 percent methane and 40 to 50 percent carbon dioxide. The high CO₂ content lowers the heating value to below pipeline specification, blocks grid injection, and prevents direct CNG vehicle use. Biogas upgrading removes the CO₂ and delivers bio methane at grid or CNG specification.

Pressure Swing Adsorption on Carbon Molecular Sieve

The SorbiTech upgrading route uses carbon molecular sieve in a 4 to 6 vessel pressure swing adsorption cycle. The CMS pore opening is tuned to admit CO₂ faster than methane; CO₂ is captured under pressure, methane passes through to the product header. Pressure equalisation steps between vessels recover the methane that would otherwise vent with the regeneration gas, lifting methane recovery above 98 percent.

Biogas Upgrading (CO₂ Removal) process equipment

Mandatory Inlet Conditioning

Raw biogas carries hydrogen sulphide (typically 100 to 5,000 ppm), siloxanes (from landfill gas), ammonia (from manure digesters), and water (saturation at digester temperature). All of these contaminate the CMS unless removed upstream. The SorbiTech inlet conditioning package stages a chiller, a sulphur impregnated activated carbon guard bed for H₂S and siloxanes, an ammonia scrubber where applicable, and a particulate filter.

Bio Methane Markets

Grid injection under EN 16723-1 is the largest European market (Germany, France, Netherlands, Sweden); CNG vehicle fuel under regional specification is the largest market in the Indian subcontinent; small scale liquefied biomethane is an emerging market in North America. SorbiTech delivers the complete biogas upgrading unit turnkey by SorbiTech. Sector coverage is industrial gas and renewable energy.

Selection Guidance

Use carbon molecular sieve in a 4 to 6 vessel PSA cycle. Pre treatment is mandatory: chiller for water removal, sulphur impregnated activated carbon for H₂S and siloxanes, particulate filter. Off gas CO₂ is vented or sequestered per the project carbon scheme.

How SorbiTech Solves It

A Specified, Verified Solution

Define the duty

We capture your process conditions: flow, composition, pressure, temperature, and the target outlet specification.

Select media & configuration

Our engineers recommend the adsorbent grade and system type that meet the duty with margin.

Size & engineer

Bed sizing, vessel design, and cycle parameters are engineered to your case and documented for approval.

Commission & verify

We support loading, start up, and performance verification against the guarantee.

Recommended Products & Systems

Media

Adsorbents & Media

  1. 01 Pellet Activated Carbon Adsorbent Pellet Activated Carbon Extruded pellet carbon for gas phase duties: solvent recovery, vapour recovery, odour control, and mercury guard beds. Form 3 mm or 4 mm extruded pellets
  2. 02 CMS 450hp Adsorbent Carbon Molecular Sieve CMS 450HP Ultra high purity carbon molecular sieve. 99.99999 percent (7N) N2, selective O2 and CO2 capture, 1.0 to 1.6 mm pellets, minimal fines, deoxo polishing… Water Cap. Feed must reach ISO 8573 class 1.4.1, deoxo polishing recommended for 7N %
  3. 03 CMS 420kt Adsorbent Carbon Molecular Sieve CMS 420KT High efficiency carbon molecular sieve. Higher oxygen affinity under 7 to 12 barg, 1.2 to 1.8 mm pellets, Snowstorm Filling compatible, ASTM D4058 attrition… Water Cap. Feed must reach ISO 8573 class 1.4.1 %
  4. 04 CMS 350kt Adsorbent Carbon Molecular Sieve CMS 350KT Rapid adsorption carbon molecular sieve. 40 to 90 second cycle at 7 to 10 barg, up to 99.99 percent N2, 1.0 to 2.2 mm… Water Cap. Moisture at supply below 1.0 percent, feed must reach ISO 8573 class 1.4.1 %
  5. 05 CMS 260l Adsorbent Carbon Molecular Sieve CMS 260L Affordable carbon molecular sieve. 1.2 to 1.8 mm pellets, sub 10 Angstrom pore, 95 to 99.9 percent N2 from compressed air at 7 to… Water Cap. Intolerant of liquid water, feed must reach ISO 8573 class 1.4.1 %
  6. 06 SorbiTech Impregnated Activated Carbon H2S Acid Gas Mercury Removal Adsorbent Impregnated Activated Carbon Sulfur, KI, or KOH impregnated activated carbon. Mercury below 10 ng per Nm3, H2S and mercaptan capture upstream of catalysts. 4 mm pellet or… Water Cap. Dry feed preferred, water displaces impregnant %
Equipment

Engineered Systems

  1. 01 SorbiTech Biogas Upgrading Unit Biomethane PSA Carbon Molecular Sieve Equipment Biogas Upgrading Unit PSA biogas upgrading unit using carbon molecular sieve to separate carbon dioxide from methane and deliver grid quality bio methane from anaerobic digester biogas… Capacity 50–2,000 Nm³/h raw biogas
  2. 02 SorbiTech Vapour Recovery Unit Activated Carbon VRU Solvent Recovery Equipment Vapour Recovery Unit (VRU) Activated carbon vapour recovery unit for tank farms, loading racks, and process vents to capture and recover hydrocarbons before stack release. Capacity 50–10,000 Nm³/h vent gas
  3. 03 SorbiTech Transformer Breather Cartridge System Silica Gel Grid Utility Breather Equipment Transformer Breather Cartridge System Pre packaged stainless steel transformer breather cartridge with indicating silica gel for grid transformer moisture protection across the high voltage transmission and distribution network. Capacity 0.5–25 kVA transformer to 800 kV substation
  4. 04 SorbiTech Cip Cil Gold Carbon Plant Carbon in Pulp Leach Gold Recovery Equipment CIP CIL Gold Carbon Plant Carbon in pulp (CIP) and carbon in leach (CIL) gold recovery plant using high activity coconut shell granular activated carbon to recover gold cyanide… Capacity 10–200 t/h ore throughput
  5. 05 SorbiTech Cryogenic ASU Pre Purification Package ASU Front End 13x Alumina TSA Towers Equipment Cryogenic ASU Pre Purification Package Front end TSA pre purification package for cryogenic air separation units removing water, carbon dioxide, and trace hydrocarbons before the cold box. Capacity 5,000–500,000 Nm³/h air
  6. 06 SorbiTech Oxygen Vpsa Package Industrial Oxygen Vpsa Steel Mill Blast Furnace Equipment Oxygen VPSA Package On site vacuum pressure swing adsorption (VPSA) oxygen generation package delivering 90 to 95 percent oxygen for medical, aquaculture, ozone generation, and metals applications. Capacity 50–2,500 Nm³/h O₂ (90–95 % purity)
Industries

Industries Using This Application

  1. 01 SorbiTech Industrial Gas Air Separation ASU Cryogenic Distillation Cold Box Sector Industrial Gas & Air Separation Molecular sieves and carbon molecular sieve plus PSA/TSA systems for nitrogen and oxygen generation and cryogenic air separation pre purification.
  2. 02 SorbiTech Oil Gas Offshore Platform Upstream Production Sector Oil & Gas Complete dehydration, separation, and treatment across upstream, midstream, and downstream oil and gas. SorbiTech supplies the adsorbent media and the engineered systems from one…

Specify a Solution for This Application

Provide your process conditions and our team will recommend the grade, configuration, and sizing.

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