Waste – Energy – Water – Biogas

HeGo Biotec GmbH, founded in 1990, and its international subsidiary, HeGo Biotec International GmbH, are partners of generizon, specializing in the production, distribution, and development of cutting-edge technological solutions dedicated to environmental protection. The core of their expertise lies in the manufacture and supply of adsorbents and reagents based on iron hydroxide and activated carbon, designed for the effective purification of gases (including biogas, landfill gas, and sewer gas) as well as wastewater treatment.

Since 1998, Produktions- und Umweltservice GmbH, located in Lauta near Hoyerswerda, Germany, has been producing this line of high-performance adsorbents exclusively for the HeGo Group under the registered trademark FerroSorp®.

gas desulfurization using adsorbents.

Hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) is a toxic and highly corrosive compound that forms sulfurous and sulfuric acids in the presence of water and oxygen, causing severe damage to the environment and equipment.

Hydrogen sulfide production directly reduces methane production during anaerobic digestion (methanation).

On the other hand, it causes significant corrosion damage to digester walls, air injection nozzles, and internal components of cogeneration engines, such as the combustion chamber and exhaust gas heat exchangers, among others.

To address these challenges, HeGo offers the FerroSorp® line (iron hydroxide for internal, in digesters, or external desulfurization ) and the GoSorp® line (impregnated or non-impregnated activated carbon).

iron hydroxide pellets (granules) – FerroSorp® S – external desulfurization.

FerroSorp® S is a granular medium based on iron hydroxide Fe(OH)₃ used in a separate reactor (a column, a container vessel, a tank) for external desulfurization (in the gas phase). Gas desulfurization takes place in two main stages: H₂S adsorption followed by granule regeneration (via air injection), during which elemental sulfur (S) is released.

Advantages of FerroSorp® S:

• Proven, non-hazardous product: A safe, non-toxic solution that is easy to handle.
• High loading capacity: Selective and highly efficient H₂S removal (down to 0 ppm).
• Reduced disposal costs: Highly cost-effective treatment compared to other technologies, thanks to continuous regeneration.
• Adaptable granule sizes: Particle (pallet) size can be adjusted to optimize performance and reduce pressure drop.
• Can operate without air/O₂ addition: Ideal for grid injection or natural gas purification (e.g., parallel filter setups).
• Fertilizer valorization: Allows for agricultural reuse in compliance with local regulations; reduces regeneration or final landfill costs.
• Technical data sheet.

iron hydroxide – FerroSorp® DG.

FerroSorp® DG is an iron hydroxide reagent in powder form designed for internal desulfurization—that is, directly within the digester. Injected into the liquid phase, it traps sulfide as solid iron sulfide before it can escape into the gas phase, thereby preventing H₂S formation in the biogas.

Advantages of FerroSorp® DG:

• Mechanism: Chemisorption and precipitation — H₂S and dissolved sulfides (S^2-⁻, HS⁻) present in the liquid digestate react chemically with iron hydroxide particles to form an insoluble solid salt: iron sulfide (FeS or Fe₂S₃).
• Stabilized biogas production: Ensures a steady, smooth digestion process.
• Increased methane (CH₄) yield: Eliminates the inhibitory effect of sulfides on methanogenic microbiology.
• Ease of dosing: Simple application via direct injection into the biomass within the digester.
• No corrosion: Protects the digester dome, equipment, and piping against acid attack.
• The FerroSorp® range varies according to particle size and retention time: DGμ25 reacts the fastest (<25 µm), DGp meets standard needs (>15 days), DG+ minimizes dust (>30 days), DGm and DG5K target long retention times (>90–100 days), and DGt10-K serves as a base to be combined with DGp for absorbing H₂S spikes.
• Technical data sheet.

impregnated activated carbon – GoSorp® G-S.

This sodium hydroxide (NaOH)-impregnated activated carbon enables the simultaneous treatment of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) and organic compounds (VOCs, siloxanes) in biogas and wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) gases. Available in extruded or granular forms, it combines two capture mechanisms:

• H₂S removal: A combination of chemisorption (reaction with NaOH to form Na₂S) and catalytic oxidation in the presence of oxygen (conversion to elemental sulfur).
• VOC and siloxane removal: Trapping via physisorption within the porous structure.

Key advantages:

• Exceptional capture capacity: H₂S loading of up to 70% (by mass) under optimal operating conditions.
• Ideal for WWTP gases: A solution perfectly suited for purification involving air/oxygen injection; ideally optimized for polishing after a biological filter.
• Optimal technical-economic balance: Excellent ratio between capture capacity and impregnation cost.
• Safety & Extrudate quality: High mechanical resistance to abrasion (low dust generation) and minimized risk of self-ignition due to low ash content.
• Technical data sheet.

non-impregnated activated carbon – GoSorp® G-X.

Steam-activated carbon for the removal of siloxanes and VOCs from sewage gas and industrial exhaust air. This steam-activated granular carbon is specifically designed to remove volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and siloxanes from wastewater treatment plant gas, biogas, and industrial exhaust air. It features an optimized pore size distribution, balancing micropores and mesopores. Organic molecules are captured non-specifically via physisorption, without chemically altering the adsorbent.

Key advantages:

• High retention capacity: High loading capacity specifically targeting siloxanes and odorous molecules.
• Superior mechanical properties: Excellent abrasion resistance and very low dust content, ensuring clean filling and easy handling.
• Enhanced safety: Very low risk of self-ignition due to reduced ash content.
• Regenerability: Can be reactivated when not contaminated with siloxanes.
• Technical data sheet.

water treatment products.

Hego and generizon offer granular adsorbents for the removal of arsenic, phosphates, and heavy metals from drinking water and wastewater.

FerroSorp® Plus/SP:

This is a synthetic adsorbent based on iron III hydroxide Fe(OH)₃ in granular form, produced via a patented grinding and screening process that eliminates the handling issues associated with conventional iron hydroxide powders or pastes. The product works through surface adsorption followed by an irreversible chemical conversion, resulting in the precipitation of insoluble salts: iron arsenate (FeAsO₄), iron phosphate (FePO₄), or iron sulfide (Fe₂S₃). Heavy metals are trapped through adsorption and subsequently permanently bound within the material’s crystal lattice.

• Very high adsorption capacity due to a large specific surface area.
• Simultaneous and irreversible removal of arsenic from drinking water, and of phosphates, sulfides, and heavy metals from wastewater.
• Simple treatment equipment and filtration columns with very low maintenance requirements.
• Eco-friendly product made by repurposing iron hydroxides derived from water treatment processes.
• Simple and cost-effective disposal of spent media.
• Technical data sheet.

FerroSorp® RW:

This special granulate, formulated from iron hydroxide and selective adsorbents, is specifically developed for treating stormwater runoff from streets, roads, and paved areas.

It is designed to irreversibly trap nutrients (phosphates, nitrates, ammonium), heavy metals (lead, arsenic, cadmium, nickel, zinc), and organic compounds (hydrocarbons, mineral oils, surfactants, dioxins). It is available in various particle sizes suitable for soil retention filters, filter cartridges, and infiltration manholes.

• Effective and cost-efficient improvement of stormwater treatment with a long operational lifespan.
• Permanent binding of heavy metals and phosphates; completely unaffected and stable even in the presence of road deicing salts.
• Simultaneous retention of nutrients, mineral oils, and heavy metals.
• Excellent retention capacity, independent of seasonal temperature fluctuations.
• Flexible integration into existing or new filtration systems (cartridge filters, infiltration basins).
• Technical data sheet.