Biohydrogen production in a three-phase fluidized bed bioreactor using sewage sludge immobilized by ethylene–vinyl acetate copolymer

• Published in: Bioresource technology Vol. 100; no. 13; pp. 3298 - 3301
• Main Authors: Lin, Chi-Neng, Wu, Shu-Yii, Chang, Jian-Sheng, Chang, Jo-Shu
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 01.07.2009; [New York, NY]: Elsevier Ltd; Elsevier
• Subjects: acetates; Applied sciences; Bacteria, Anaerobic - metabolism; bioenergy; Biofuel production; biogas; Biological and medical sciences; Biomass; Bioreactors; Biotechnology; Culture Media; Dark hydrogen fermentation; Energy; Equipment Design; ethylene; Ethylenes - chemistry; Ethylene–vinyl acetate copolymer; Exact sciences and technology; Fermentation; fluidized bed bioreactor; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; hydrogen; Immobilized cell; Industrial applications and implications. Economical aspects; Methods. Procedures. Technologies; Microbial engineering. Fermentation and microbial culture technology; Pollution; polymers; Polymers - chemistry; renewable energy sources; Sewage; sewage sludge; Sucrose - chemistry; Three-phase fluidized bed bioreactor; Various methods and equipments; Vinyl Compounds - chemistry; Wastes; Water Microbiology; Water Pollutants, Chemical - analysis; Water Purification - methods; Ethylene–vinyl acetate copolymer; Immobilized cell; Three-phase fluidized bed bioreactor; Dark hydrogen fermentation; Fluidized bed reactor; EVA; Bioreactor; Hydrogen; Ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer; Bioenergy; Copolymer; Fermentation; Sewage sludge
• ISSN: 0960-8524; 1873-2976
• DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2009.02.027

Ethylene–vinyl acetate (EVA) copolymer was used to immobilize H 2-producing sewage sludge for H 2 production in a three-phase fluidized bed reactor (FBR). The FBR with an immobilized cell packing ratio of 10% (v/v) and a liquid recycle rate of 5 l/min (23% bed expansion) was optimal for dark H 2 fermentation. The performance of the FBR reactor fed with sucrose-based synthetic medium was examined under various sucrose concentration ( C so) and hydraulic retention time (HRT). The best volumetric H 2 production rate of 1.80 ± 0.02 H 2 l/h/l occurred at C so = 40 g COD/l and 2 h HRT, while the optimal H 2 yield (4.26 ± 0.04 mol H 2/mol sucrose) was obtained at C so = 20 g COD/l and 6 h HRT. The H 2 content in the biogas was stably maintained at 40% or above. The primary soluble metabolites were butyric acid and acetic acid, as both products together accounted for 74–83% of total soluble microbial products formed during dark H 2 fermentation.