Comparative SIFT-MS, GC-MS and FTIR analysis of methane fuel produced in biogas stations and in artificial photosynthesis over acidic anatase TiO2 and montmorillonite
Abstract
The era of fossil fuels is slowly nearing its inevitable end and the urgency of alternative energy sources basic research, exploration and testing becomes ever more important. Storage and alternative production of energy from fuels, such as methane, represents one of the many alternative approaches.
Natural gas containing methane represents a powerful source of energy producing large volume of greenhouse gases. However, methane can be also produced in closed, CO2-neutral cycles.
In our study, we compare detailed chemical composition of CH4 fuel produced in two different processes: Classical production of biogas in a rendering station, industrial wastewater treatment station and landfill gas station together with novel approach of artificial photosynthesis from CO2 over acidic anatase TiO2 in experimental apparatus developed in our laboratory. The analysis of CH4 fuel produced in these processes is important.
Trace gaseous traces can be for example corrosive or toxic, low quality of the mixture suppresses effectivity of energy production, etc. In this analysis, we present a combination of two methods: High resolution Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (HR-FTIR) suitable for the main component analysis; and the complementary extremely sensitive method of Selected Ion Flow Tube Mass Spectrometry (SIFT-MS) and gas chromatography (GC-MS), which are in turn best suited for trace analysis.
The combination of these methods provides more information than any single of them would be able to and promises a new possible analytical approach to fuel and gaseous mixture analysis.