Hydrogen production in reactors: The influence of organic loading rate, inoculum and support material

Author(s)

Vilela, Rogerio ^[1] ; Saia, Flavia Talarico ^[2] ; Gregoracci, Gustavo Bueno ^[2] ; Duarte, Rubens ^[3] ; Andrade, Pedro ^[4] ; van der Zaan, Bas ^[5] ; Langenhoff, Alette ^[6] ; Damianovic, Marcia H. R. Z. ^[1]

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Sao Paulo, Sao Carlos Sch Engn, Biol Proc Lab, Environm Engn, Bloco 4-F, Av Joao Dagnone 1100, BR-13563120 Sao Carlos, SP - Brazil

^[2] Univ Fed Sao Paulo, Marine Inst, Rua Dr Carvalho Mendonca 144, BR-11070102 Santos, SP - Brazil

^[3] Univ Fed Santa Catarina, Ctr Biol Sci, Campus Reitor Joao David Ferreira Lima, BR-88040900 Florianopolis, SC - Brazil

^[4] Univ Sao Paulo, Luiz de Queiroz Coll Agr, Dept Soil Sci, BR-13418900 Piracicaba, SP - Brazil

^[5] Deltares, Daltonlaan 600, NL-3584 BK Utrecht - Netherlands

^[6] Wageningen Univ & Res, Dept Environm Technol, POB 17, NL-6700 AA Wageningen - Netherlands

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HYDROGEN ENERGY; v. 44, n. 50, p. 27259-27271, OCT 18 2019.
• Web of Science Citations: 0

Abstract

Hydrogen production was evaluated in two thermophilic structured bed (USBR) reactors. USBR1was inoculated with auto-fermented sugarcane vinasse and low-density polyethylene cubes were used as support material. USBR2 was inoculated with anaerobic sludge from an up-flow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor treating sugarcane vinasse, and polyurethane foam matrices was used as support material. The reactors were operated in parallel with sugar cane molasses at organic loading rate (OLR) from 30 to 120 g COD L(-1)d(-1) during 45 days. Hydrogen production was detected during the whole operational period, with maximum values of 1123 mL H-2 d(-1)L(-1) and 2041 mL H-2 d(-1)L(-1 )for USBR1 and USBR2, respectively. The number of gene copies encoding for Fe-hydrogenase was higher in USBR2 for all OLR applied. DNA sequences related to Thermoanaerobacterium and Clostridium sensu stricto were predominant in USBR1. In USBR2, in addition to these microorganisms, Lactobacillus, Pseudomonas and Thermotuga, and sequences with low frequency of abundance (<5%) involved directly and indirectly in hydrogen production were also present. The taxonomical and functional more diverse inoculum of USBR2 was associated with a higher hydrogen production. Besides fermentation, an unknown metabolism was relevant in USBR2, revealing the importance of physiological characterization of the microbial community present. (C) 2019 Hydrogen Energy Publications LLC. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 12/51496-3 - The environmental impact of biofuel production: functional bio-indicators for sustainable and optimal biofuel production
• Grantee: Flávia Talarico Saia
• Support Opportunities: Program for Research on Bioenergy (BIOEN) - Regular Program Grants