Biohydrogen production in an AFBR using sugarcane molasses
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RESEARCH PAPER
Biohydrogen production in an AFBR using sugarcane molasses Taciana Carneiro Chaves1 · Georgia Nayane Silva Belo Gois1 · Fernanda Santana Peiter1 · Daniele Vital Vich1 · Eduardo Lucena Cavalcante de Amorim1 Received: 23 November 2019 / Accepted: 9 September 2020 © Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature 2020
Abstract This study evaluated an anaerobic fluidized bed reactor to produce hydrogen from sugarcane molasses of 25 g-COD L−1. The reactor of 1.2 L working volume contained shredded tires as support material. The inoculum was sludge obtained in a UASB reactor of a sewage treatment plant. The AFBR was operated at hydraulic retention times of 12, 6, 4 and 3 h. The maximum hydrogen production rate (1.44 L-H2 h−1 L−1) and the highest hydrogen yield (3.07 mol-H2 mol−1-glucose) occurred at HRT of 4 and 6 h, respectively. The highest COD removal (23.3 ± 8.5%) was achieved at HRT of 12 h, while the HRT of 6 h presented the maximum carbohydrate conversion of 70.1 ± 2.2%. Ethanol (44–67%) and acetic acid (18–38%) were the main metabolites produced, emphasizing a predominance of ethanol-type fermentation pathway in the process. The PCRDGGE analysis revealed that the bacterial community presented a maximum similarity of 88% between HRT of 4 and 3 h, indicating that the microbial dynamic altered as the organic load has increased. The highest Shannon-Winner index of 2.77 was obtained at HRT of 6 h, inferring that higher microbial diversity favored hydrogen production. Keywords Anaerobic fluidized bed reactor · Hydrogen production · Sugarcane molasses · Ethanol-type fermentation
Introduction Hydrogen is a promising clean fuel in a society looking for renewable and efficient energy alternatives. While fossil fuel combustion releases greenhouse gases, hydrogen burnt generates only water and energy that can be used in microelectronic devices, vehicles and power stations [1, 2]. Hydrogen production can occur via physical–chemical or biological methods, using fossil fuels, biomass or water [3]. Physical–chemical techniques, such as steam reforming and water electrolysis, are generally energy-intensive, expensive and use unsustainable resources. Conversely, the main advantage of biological methods, such as photobiological processes and dark fermentation, is the possibility of exploiting organic wastewater or biomass as a substrate [2, 4]. Unlike photobiological processes, dark fermentation is an anaerobic biological approach to obtain hydrogen with no light requirement [5]. In this process, microorganisms * Eduardo Lucena Cavalcante de Amorim [email protected] 1
Technology Center – Federal University of Alagoas. Av. Lourival Melo Mota, s/n Cidade Universitária, Maceió/ AL CEP 57072‑900, Brazil
degrade complex organics, mainly by hydrolysis and acidogenesis, to produce simpler structures, besides hydrogen and carbon dioxide [2]. Some advantages of this technology are the variety of renewable feedstock used as carbon source, low energy expenditures and low costs [6]. Agro-industrial waste
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