Paques THIOPAQ® biological gas desulfurization at Bacardi distillery

Founded on February 4, 1862, by Spanish immigrant Facundo Bacardi Massó in Santiago de Cuba, Bacardi has grown into a global leader in the spirits industry. After establishing a factory in Barcelona, Spain, in 1910, Bacardi became the first Cuban multinational company. Following political upheaval in 1960, the Bacardi family relocated to Puerto Rico, where they continued to expand their operations. Now in its seventh generation of family ownership, Bacardi employs over 6,000 people across 29 facilities in 16 markets on four continents, distributing more than 200 million bottles annually to over 150 countries. The company's primary distillery, known as the "Cathedral of Rum," is located in Cataño, Puerto Rico, and is responsible for producing 85% of Bacardi's rum, equating to 100,000 liters daily.

At the Cataño distillery, Bacardi utilizes two large anaerobic reactors to digest stillage from rum production, generating biogas rich in hydrogen sulfide (H₂S). For two decades, Bacardi employed a chemical absorption process to remove H₂S from the biogas before using it to fuel boilers. However, this method presented significant operational challenges and incurred high costs. Bacardi sought a more efficient and cost-effective solution to purify the biogas, reduce reliance on fossil fuels, and enhance sustainability.

Paques provided a fully automated, dual-train THIOPAQ® Biological Desulfurization system to address Bacardi's needs. Each train comprises a scrubber and a reactor, offering flexibility and robustness to manage fluctuations in biogas flow. Each train is capable of treating up to 4,500 pounds of sulfur daily. Additionally, Paques designed and supplied a dewatering and sulfur washing system, enabling Bacardi to produce elemental sulfur with 99% purity, suitable for commercial applications.

The implementation of the THIOPAQ® system has delivered substantial benefits to Bacardi's Cataño distillery:

• Enhanced biogas quality: The system consistently reduces H₂S concentrations in treated biogas to below 100 ppm, achieving an efficiency greater than 96%.
• Operational efficiency: Automated nutrient dosing and precise process control simplify operations and minimize caustic usage. The system's robustness accommodates high load variations, ensuring reliable performance.
• Sustainability and revenue generation: The production of high-purity elemental sulfur not only reduces environmental impact but also offers potential commercial value, with opportunities to supply fertilizer producers.