Acidogenic biomass formation and biologic hydrogen production from sugar vinasse under extreme termophilic conditions

• Grant number: 17/09144-6
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: June 01, 2017
• End date: May 31, 2018
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Sanitary Engineering - Water Supply and Wastewater Treatment
• Principal Investigator: Marcelo Zaiat
• Grantee: Felipe Canhetti de Oliveira
• Host Institution: Escola de Engenharia de São Carlos (EESC). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Carlos , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 15/06246-7 - Biorefinery concept applied to biological wastewater treatment plants: environmental pollution control coupled with material and energy recovery, AP.TEM

Abstract

The technological development aiming energy recovery from industrial wastes in anaerobic reactors has been growing as an important tool for the treatment and destination of these wastes. Stillage or vinasse, is the main liquid waste generated during the ethanol production process and has a strong potential for biological hydrogen production, thus representing an alternative for energy generation. In previous studies for hydrogen production from sugarcane vinasse in anaerobic reactors, better production and stability results were observed in thermophilic condition (against mesophilic condition). Furthermore, the high temperatures in which the vinasse leaves the distillation columns (85 ° C - 100 ° C), stimulates the evaluation of biological hydrogen production in extreme thermophilic conditions (> 55 ° C). The purpose of this research is to evaluate biological hydrogen production from sugarcane vinasse in extreme thermophilic condition (70 ° C), verifying the growth and adhesion of biomass in inert support material and the influence of initial pH in the fermentation broth. (AU)