Sequential dark and photo fermentation hydrogen production from hydrolyzed corn stover: A pilot test using 11 m3 reactor

Quanguo Zhang; Zhiping Zhang; Yi Wang; Duu-Jong Lee; Gang Li; Xuehua Zhou; Danping Jiang; Bo Xu; Chaoyang Lu; Yameng Li; Xumeng Ge

doi:10.1016/j.biortech.2018.01.017

Sequential dark and photo fermentation hydrogen production from hydrolyzed corn stover: A pilot test using 11 m³ reactor

Bioresour Technol. 2018 Apr:253:382-386. doi: 10.1016/j.biortech.2018.01.017. Epub 2018 Jan 4.

Authors

Quanguo Zhang¹, Zhiping Zhang¹, Yi Wang¹, Duu-Jong Lee², Gang Li¹, Xuehua Zhou¹, Danping Jiang¹, Bo Xu¹, Chaoyang Lu¹, Yameng Li¹, Xumeng Ge³

Affiliations

¹ Collaborative Innovation Center of Biomass Energy, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, China.
² Collaborative Innovation Center of Biomass Energy, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, China; Department of Chemical Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan; Department of Chemical Engineering, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taipei 10607, Taiwan. Electronic address: djlee@ntu.edu.tw.
³ Collaborative Innovation Center of Biomass Energy, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, China; Department of Food, Agricultural and Biological Engineering, The Ohio State University/Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center, 1680 Madison Ave., Wooster, OH 44691-4096, USA.

PMID: 29329776
DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2018.01.017

Abstract

Pilot tests of sequential dark and photo fermentation H₂ production were for the first time conducted in a 11 m³ reactor (3 m³ for dark and 8 m³ for photo compartments). A combined solar and light-emitting diode illumination system and a thermal controlling system was installed and tested. With dark fermentation unit maintained at pH 4.5 and 35 °C and photo fermentation unit at pH 7.0 and 30 °C, the overall biogas production rate using hydrolyzed corn stover as substrate reached 87.8 ± 3.8 m³/d with 68% H₂ content, contributed by dark unit at 7.5 m³-H₂/m³-d and by photo unit at 4.7 m³/m³-d. Large variation was noted for H₂ production rate in different compartments of the tested units, revealing the adverse effects of poor mixing, washout, and other inhomogeneity associated with large reactor operations.

Keywords: Biohydrogen; Continuous operation; Corn stover; Reactor design; Sequential dark and photo fermentation.

MeSH terms

Biofuels
Fermentation*
Hydrogen*
Zea mays*

Substances

Biofuels
Hydrogen