Hydrogen production from sugar beet juice using an integrated biohydrogen process of dark fermentation and microbial electrolysis cell

• Published in: Bioresource technology Vol. 198; pp. 223 - 230
• Main Authors: Dhar, Bipro Ranjan, Elbeshbishy, Elsayed, Hafez, Hisham, Lee, Hyung-Sool
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01.12.2015
• Subjects: Beta vulgaris - metabolism; Dark fermentation; Electrolysis - methods; Fermentation - physiology; Fermentation effluent; Hydrogen; Hydrogen - metabolism; Microbial electrolysis cell; Sugar beet juice; Microbial electrolysis cell; Sugar beet juice; Dark fermentation; Fermentation effluent; Hydrogen
• ISSN: 0960-8524; 1873-2976
• DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2015.08.048

[Display omitted] •Integrated dark fermentation and microbial electrolysis cell was evaluated.•Hydrogen yield of 3.2molH2/molhexoseadded was achieved in dark fermentation.•Low PH2 (8×10−5–1×10−3atm) is essential to utilize propionate and butyrate in MECs.•Overall H2 yield of 6molH2/molhexoseadded was achieved in the integrated system.•Overall energy recovery of 57% was achieved in the integrated process. An integrated dark fermentation and microbial electrochemical cell (MEC) process was evaluated for hydrogen production from sugar beet juice. Different substrate to inoculum (S/X) ratios were tested for dark fermentation, and the maximum hydrogen yield was 13% of initial COD at the S/X ratio of 2 and 4 for dark fermentation. Hydrogen yield was 12% of initial COD in the MEC using fermentation liquid end products as substrate, and butyrate only accumulated in the MEC. The overall hydrogen production from the integrated biohydrogen process was 25% of initial COD (equivalent to 6molH2/molhexoseadded), and the energy recovery from sugar beet juice was 57% using the combined biohydrogen.