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Effect of Process Variables on Photosynthetic Algal Hydrogen Production
Author(s) -
Hahn John J.,
Ghirardi Maria L.,
Jacoby William A.
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
biotechnology progress
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.572
H-Index - 129
eISSN - 1520-6033
pISSN - 8756-7938
DOI - 10.1021/bp0341287
Subject(s) - hydrogen production , hydrogen , light intensity , photosynthesis , anaerobic exercise , chemistry , pulp and paper industry , biology , biochemistry , physics , physiology , organic chemistry , optics , engineering
Chlamydomonas reinhardti i is a green alga that can use the sunapos;s energy to split water into O 2 and H 2 . This is accomplished by means of a two‐phase cycle, an aerobic growth phase followed by an anaerobic hydrogen production phase. The effects of process variables on hydrogen production are examined here. These variables include cell concentration, light intensity, and reactor design parameters that affect light transport and mixing. An optimum cell concentration and light intensity are identified, and two reactor designs are compared. The maximum hydrogen production observed in this study was 0.29 mL of hydrogen per milliliter of suspension. This was measured at atmospheric pressure during a 96 h production cycle. This corresponds to an average hydrogen production rate of 0.12 mmol/mL·h.