Hydrogen production assessment by biodiesel production effluent treatment in thermophilic condition

• Grant number: 19/25395-4
• Support type: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Effective date (Start): January 01, 2020
• Effective date (End): December 31, 2020
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Sanitary Engineering - Water Supply and Wastewater Treatment
• Principal Investigator: Suzana Maria Ratusznei
• Grantee: Isabela Mehi Gaspari Augusto
• Home Institution: Escola de Engenharia Mauá (EEM). Instituto Mauá de Tecnologia. São Caetano do Sul , 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

Research on anaerobic sequencing fed-batch reactors, regarding performance improvement and application feasibility, has been dealt with since 1998 by the research groups of São Carlos School of Engineering of the University of São Paulo (EESC / USP) and Mauá School of Engineering of Mauá Institute of Technology (EEM / IMT), with the support of FAPESP. Currently, the research projects are focused on the production of bioenergy, both hydrogen and methane, as well as the environmental compliance of the treated effluent. These projects are linked to the Thematic Project entitled "Application of the Biorefinery Concept to Biological Wastewater Treatment Stations: Environmental Pollution Control Allied to the Recovery of Matter and Energy" (FAPESP Process 2015/06246-7).In this context, the reactor containing biomass immobilized on polyurethane foam and with recirculation of the liquid phase is one of the positive results of this research partnership. Promising results have been obtained on bench and pilot scale for hydrogen production, using different wastewaters, such as agroindustry: whey, vinasse and glycerin, all under mesophilic condition. It should be mentioned that studies on hydrogen production in thermophilic AnSBBR are scarce in the literature. Within the scope of bioenergy production studies, this project focuses on the assessment of anaerobic sequencing fed-batch reactor containing immobilized biomass and with recirculation of the liquid phase (AnSBBR) applied to thermophilic biohydrogen production by treating effluent from the biodiesel production process (glycerin). In this investigation, the following will be assessed: the biohydrogen productivity, conversion factor between formed hydrogen and consumed glycerin, reactor stability and efficiency when subjected to different organic loads. (AU)