Influences of pH and hydraulic retention time on anaerobes converting beer processing wastes into hydrogen
Lay, J.J.; Tsai, C.J.; Huang, C.C.; Chang, J.J.; Chou, C.H.; Fan, K.S.; Chang, J.I.; Hsu, P.C.
Water Science and Technology a Journal of the International Association on Water Pollution Research 52(1-2): 123-129
2005
ISSN/ISBN: 0273-1223 PMID: 16180418 Document Number: 584429
To convert high-solids organic wastes (3% w./w.) to high-value hydrogen, a full factorial experimental design was employed in planning the experiments for learning the effects of pH and hydraulic retention time (HRT) on the hydrogen production in a chemostat reactor using waste yeast obtained from beer processing wastes. For determining which experimental variable settings affect hydrogen production, predictive polynomial quadratic equation and response surface methodology were employed to determine and explain the conditions required for high-value hydrogen production. Experimental results indicate that a maximum hydrogen production rate of 460 mL/gVSS/d was obtained at pH=5.8 and HRT=32 hours. Moreover, hydrogenase targeted RT-PCR results indicate that Clostridium thermocellum and Klebsiella pneumoniae predominated.