Modeling and Parameter Estimation in Biofuel Discontinuous Productio by Hydrogen Forming Bacteria

CECILIA PAULO; JIMENA ANDREA DI MAGGIO; MARÍA SOLEDAD DÍAZ; BERNARDO RUGGERI

Chemical Engineering Transactions

AIDIC- The Italian Association of Chemical Engineering

Año: 2013 vol. 32 p. 1033 - 1038

1974-9791

In this work, we study the production of hydrogen through a dark fermentation process by hydrogen forming bacteria consortium. In this sense, fermentation experiments are performed in a discontinuous reactor. Product and substrate profiles are measured in order to study the production of biohydrogen. A kinetic model for the batch bioreactor that describes the production of all fermentation products, the growth of biomass and the consumption of subtrates is developed. The model comprises fifteen differential equtions, one algebraic equation. We formulate a parameter estimation problem for the bioreactor model. Fifteen input parameters are estimated taking account the experimental data obtained in the present work. Numerical results show good agreement between experimental data and simulated profiles.