Effects of pretreatment methods on solubilization of beet-pulp and bio-hydrogen production yield


Ozkan L., ERGUDER T. H., DEMİRER G. N.

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HYDROGEN ENERGY, vol.36, no.1, pp.382-389, 2011 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 36 Issue: 1
  • Publication Date: 2011
  • Doi Number: 10.1016/j.ijhydene.2010.10.006
  • Journal Name: INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HYDROGEN ENERGY
  • Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus
  • Page Numbers: pp.382-389
  • Keywords: Bio-hydrogen, Pretreatment, Anaerobic digestion, Sugar-beet processing wastes, BIOHYDROGEN PRODUCTION, WASTE-WATER, ANAEROBIC FERMENTATION, TEMPERATURE, EXTRACTION, MICROWAVE, DIGESTION, BACTERIA, SUCROSE, CULTURE
  • Middle East Technical University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

Sugar processing wastewater and beet-pulp are two major waste streams of sugar-beet processing plants. Contrary to wastewater, beet-pulp is generally used as animal feed in cattle-raising industry. However, it can serve as a substrate for bio-hydrogen production which corresponds to a higher valorization of beet-pulp. Moreover, pretreatment of lignocellulosic materials like beet-pulp is needed in order to improve overall energy efficiency and enable economic feasibility of bio-hydrogen production. Therefore, the effect pretreatment methods (alkaline, thermal, microwave, thermal-alkaline and microwave-alkaline) on bio-hydrogen production from sugar beet-pulp through dark fermentation were investigated in this study. Reactors pretreated with alkaline, microwave-alkaline and thermal-alkaline methods yielded significant solubilization of beet-pulp compared to others. Therefore, in the second phase of the study, they were used to pretreat the beet-pulp which was then subjected to dark fermentation for bio-hydrogen production. Maximum bio-hydrogen production yield of 115.6 mL H-2/g COD was observed in reactor which contained alkaline pretreated beet-pulp. (C) 2010 Professor T. Nejat Veziroglu. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.