A novel gas separation integrated membrane bioreactor to evaluate the impact of self-generated biogas recycling on continuous hydrogen fermentation. (15th March 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Bakonyi, Péter; Buitrón, Germán; Valdez-Vazquez, Idania; Nemestóthy, Nándor; Bélafi-Bakó, Katalin
• Is Part Of: Applied energy. Volume 190(2017)
• Page Start: 813
• Page End: 823
• Publication Date: 2017-03-15
• Subjects: Biohydrogen -- Membrane bioreactor -- Gas separation -- Microbial community analysis -- Dark fermentation; Power (Mechanics) -- Periodicals; Energy conservation -- Periodicals; Energy conversion -- Periodicals; 621.042
• DOI: 10.1016/j.apenergy.2016.12.151
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0306-2619

Abstract

Graphical abstract: Highlights: A Gas Separation Membrane Bioreactor was designed to improve H2 production. Headspace gas after enrichment by PDMS membranes was used for reactor sparging. Stripping the bioreactor with a CO2 -enriched gas enhanced the H2 fermentation. Abstract: A Gas Separation Membrane Bioreactor (GSMBR) by integrating membrane technology with a continuous biohydrogen fermenter was designed. The feasibility of this novel configuration for the improvement of hydrogen production capacity was tested by stripping the fermentation liquor with CO2 - and H2 -enriched gases, obtained directly from the bioreactor headspace. The results indicated that sparging the bioreactor with the CO2 -concentrated fraction of the membrane separation unit (consisting of two PDMS modules) enhanced the steady-state H2 productivity (8.9–9.2 L H2 /L-d) compared to the membrane-less control CSTR to be characterized with 6.96–7.35 L H2 /L-d values. On the other hand, purging with the H2 -rich gas strongly depressed the achievable productivity (2.7–3.03 L H2 /L-d). Microbial community structure and soluble metabolic products were monitored to assess the GSMBR behavior. The study demonstrated that stripping the bioH2 fermenter with its own, self-generated atmosphere after adjusting its composition (to higher CO2 -content) can be a promising way to intensify dark fermentative H2 evolution.