Bio hydrogen production from kitchen waste

[Curtis]

Bio hydrogen production from kitchen waste
By S. Jayalakshmi; Kurian Joseph; V. Sukumaran;
Courtesy of International Journal of Environment and Waste Management (IJEWM)
Originally published Mar. 2008
The hydrogen producing organisms such as Escherichia coli (E.Coli), Enterobacter cloacae, Hafnia alvei, Citrobacter freundii, Serratia marcescens and Clostridium acetobutylicum strains were isolated from the sludge of biogas plant. The hydrogen producing efficiency of isolated organisms from kitchen waste were examined under anaerobic conditions. Lab scale studies were conducted under controlled and ambient temperature conditions, both in the presence and absence of bacteria. Maximum hydrogen production was found in the experiment with the Clostridium acetobutylicum. The hydrogen production in the reactor with Clostridium acetobutylicum was estimated as 179.59 mL/kg TS/day in ambient temperature condition and 185.92 mL/kg TS/day in controlled temperature condition.

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[Wellarmed]

Re: Bio hydrogen production from kitchen waste

Hydrogen is definately a mixed bag. I wished more people would crunch the numbers on hydrogen before touting it as the fuel source of the future. It is an interesting element in that it exists in our atmosphere at less than 1 part per million. It is one of the only elements that I know of that can resist the earths gravitational pull. It is not easiliy susceptable to ionic or covalent bonding (no mercaptin can be used with Hydrogen). Its range of flammability is extremely wide and static can easily ignite it. It is highly permeamble to most methods of storage and cannot be stored safely in most CNG pressure vessels without causing embrittlement (stainless or teflon liners required). It is not "renewable" unless it comes from H20 as it's feedstock, which also must be distilled if a fuel cell is the method of extraction (this eliminates salt water from the available sources). I find it interesting that more Hydrogen is available from a gallon of water than from a gallon of Liquified Hydrogen. I also find it interesting that if ignited it can burn so clean that one may not see a flame front and accidentally walk past a burning pressurized stream. I personally feel that humans have a responsibility to exercise restraint when challenging the laws of nature, especially when the life that they will be gambling with may not be there own. I am also concerned about the effects of Hydrogen in the upper atmospheres and the balance of our bioshpere if this fuel is to become mainstream. I have not been able to find hard reliable data that will allow me to not be concerned. There are too many energy conversions necessary in my mind to make the use of Hydrogen a viable as alternative fuel. With all this being said, if hydrogen is being created as a byproduct of some manufacturing process, then by all means it should be captured and utilized in as safe a manner as possible rather than being vented to atmosphere.