Effect of substrate concentration on dark fermentation hydrogen production using an anaerobic fluidized bed reactor

The effect of substrate (glucose) concentration on the stability and yield of a continuous fermentative process that produces hydrogen was studied. Four anaerobic fluidized bed reactors (AFBRs) were operated with a hydraulic retention time (HRT) from 1 to 8 h and an influent glucose concentration from 2 to 25 g L(-1). The reactors were inoculated with thermally pre-treated anaerobic sludge and operated at a temperature of 30 °C with an influent pH around 5.5 and an effluent pH of about 3.5. The AFBRs with a HRT of 2 h and a feed strength of 2, 4, and 10 g L(-1) showed satisfactory H(2) production performance, but the reactor fed with 25 g L(-1) of glucose did not. The highest hydrogen yield value was obtained in the reactor with a glucose concentration of 2 g L(-1) when it was operated at a HRT of 2 h. The maximum hydrogen production rate value was achieved in the reactor with a HRT of 1 h and a feed strength of 10 g L(-1). The AFBRs operated with glucose concentrations of 2 and 4 g L(-1) produced greater amounts of acetic and butyric acids, while AFBRs with higher glucose concentrations produced a greater amount of solvents.