Optimization of continuous hydrogen production from co-fermenting molasses with liquid swine manure in an anaerobic sequencing batch reactor

• Published in: Bioresource technology Vol. 136; pp. 351 - 359
• Main Authors: Wu, Xiao, Lin, Hongjian, Zhu, Jun
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 01-05-2013; Elsevier
• Subjects: Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions; Anaerobiosis; Animals; Batch Cell Culture Techniques - instrumentation; Batch Cell Culture Techniques - methods; Biofuels; Biological and medical sciences; Bioreactors; Biotechnology; Fermentation; Food industries; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General agronomy. Plant production; Hydrogen - metabolism; Hydrogen production; Hydrogen production rate; Hydrogen yield; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; Linear Models; Liquid swine manure; Liquids; Manure; Manure - microbiology; Methods. Procedures. Technologies; Microbial engineering. Fermentation and microbial culture technology; Molasses; Molasses - microbiology; Optimization; Reactors; Response surface methodology; Sequencing; Swine; System optimization; Time Factors; Use and upgrading of agricultural and food by-products. Biotechnology; Use of agricultural and forest wastes. Biomass use, bioconversion; Various methods and equipments; Liquid swine manure; Hydrogen yield; Hydrogen production rate; Response surface methodology; System optimization; Farming animal; Molasses; Hydrogen; Animal slurry; Fermentation; Optimization; Pig; Vertebrata; Mammalia; Production rate; Sequencing batch reactor; Anaerobe; Continuous production; Response surface; Yield; Artiodactyla; Ungulata
• ISSN: 0960-8524; 1873-2976
• DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2013.02.109

•Hydrogen production by co-fermenting molasses with swine manure was feasible.•pH, HRT and total solids content (TS) had significant impact on all the responses.•The overall optimum condition is pH=5.32, HRT=15.62h, and manure TS=0.78%.•BPR, HC, and HY were 31.9L/d, 29.33%, and 1.52L/g sugar at the optimum condition.•The performance of the biohydrogen process was affected more by pH than by HRT.
This study investigated and optimized the operational conditions for continuous hydrogen production from sugar beet molasses, co-fermented with liquid swine manure in an anaerobic sequencing batch reactor. Results indicated that pH, HRT and total solids content in the swine manure (TS) had significant impact on all the responses such as biogas production rate (BPR), hydrogen content (HC), hydrogen production rate (HPR), and hydrogen yield (HY), although the highest level of each response was achieved at different combination of the three variables. The maximum BPR, HC, HPR and HY of 32.21L/d, 30.51%, 2.23L/d/L and 1.57mol-H2/mol-sugar were estimated at the optimal pH, HRT, and TS of 5.55, 15.78h, and 0.71% for BPR; 5.22, 12.04, and 0.69 for HC; 5.32, 15.62, and 0.78% for HPR; and 5.36, 17.56, and 0.74% for HY, respectively. Good linear relationships of the predicted and tested results for all the parameters were observed.