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H 2 production by photofermentation in an innovative plate‐type photobioreactor with meandering channels
Author(s) -
Turon Violette,
Ollivier Stéphane,
Cwicklinski Gregory,
Willison John C.,
AnxionnazMinvielle Zoé
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
biotechnology and bioengineering
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.136
H-Index - 189
eISSN - 1097-0290
pISSN - 0006-3592
DOI - 10.1002/bit.27656
Subject(s) - photobioreactor , rhodobacter , mixing (physics) , hydrogen production , volumetric flow rate , bioreactor , flow (mathematics) , materials science , plug flow , chemistry , mechanics , hydrogen , biofuel , waste management , physics , biochemistry , engineering , organic chemistry , quantum mechanics , mutant , gene
Abstract Hydrogen production by Rhodobacter capsulatus is an anaerobic, photobiological process requiring specific mixing conditions. In this study, an innovative design of a photobioreactor is proposed. The design is based on a plate‐type photobioreactor with an interconnected meandering channel to allow culture mixing and H 2 degassing. The culture flow was characterized as a quasi‐plug‐flow with radial mixing caused by a turbulent‐like regime achieved at a low Reynolds number. The dissipated volumetric power was decreased 10‐fold while maintaining PBR performances (production and yields) when compared with a magnetically stirred tank reactor. To increase hydrogen production flow rate, several bacterial concentrations were tested by increasing the glutamate concentration using fed‐batch cultures. The maximum hydrogen production flow rate (157.7 ± 9.3 ml H 2 /L/h) achieved is one of the highest values so far reported for H 2 production by R. capsulatus . These first results are encouraging for future scale‐up of the plate‐type reactor.