Produção de hidrogênio a partir da manipueira em reator anaeróbio de leito fixo

Abstract

Future energy needs are the greatest challenge facing our planet and hydrogen emerges as key element to a potential energy solution for the twenty-first century, able to assist environmental emissions issues, sustainability and energy security. The use of agro-industrial waste for the production of hydrogen has shown a very promising trend, because its improper disposal creates environmental problems. Thus, the objective of the research was to evaluate the production of hydrogen from cassava processing residue in anaerobic fixed bed reactor operated under progressively increasing organic loading rate of 12 kg.m-3.d-1 a 96 kg.m-3.d-1 .The support material for the adhesion of biomass was expanded clay with a diameter between 2.8 - 3.35 mm, and the reactor was inoculated with anaerobic sludge pre heat-treated. The reactor was operated for 250 days and the progressive increase of TCO was carried out keeping the COD affluent around 4000 mg. L-1, throughout the operation of the reactor and varying the hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 8 hours to 1 hour. The maximum yield of hydrogen was obtained in HRT of 2h (1.66 mol H2 / mol glucose). The soluble metabolites present during operation of the reactor were acetic acid (30.72% to 84.9%), butyric acid (2.89% to 29.13%), propionic acid (3.98 to 13. 09%), caproic acid (0.55% and 22,79%) and ethanol (3.64% to 10.46%). Methane production was observed along with hydrogen in all operating phases. Thus, it was possible to obtain value-added products.