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The design and operation of a membrane photobioreactor using Rhodopseudomonas palustris for simultaneous wastewater treatment and biohydrogen production
Thesis (MEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2022.
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | en_ZA |
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Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
2022
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| _version_ | 1867614068225867776 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Kriek, Christi Gepke |
| author2 | Pott, Robert William M. |
| author_browse | Kriek, Christi Gepke Pott, Robert William M. |
| author_facet | Pott, Robert William M. Kriek, Christi Gepke |
| author_sort | Kriek, Christi Gepke |
| collection | Thesis |
| dc_rights_str_mv | Stellenbosch University |
| description | Thesis (MEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2022. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/124868 |
| institution | Stellenbosch University (South Africa) |
| language | en_ZA |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:46:09.042Z |
| license_str | Other — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| publishDate | 2022 |
| publishDateRange | 2022 |
| publishDateSort | 2022 |
| publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| publisherStr | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| spelling | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/124868 The design and operation of a membrane photobioreactor using Rhodopseudomonas palustris for simultaneous wastewater treatment and biohydrogen production Kriek, Christi Gepke Pott, Robert William M. Pillay, Visvanathan Lingamvrthi Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Engineering. Dept. of Process Engineering. Membrane photobioreactor Rhodopseudomonas Reactor design Waste valorisation Sustainable engineering Hydrogen industry UCTD Thesis (MEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2022. ENGLISH SUMMARY: Biological hydrogen production has significant potential as a replacement for current hydrogen production methods employed in the industry, although stumbling blocks remain, such as economic viability and environmental sustainability. A promising photosynthetic bacterium named Rhodopseudomonas palustris (R. palustris) has been demonstrated to produce biological hydrogen via photofermentation under certain growth conditions. Additionally, the organism is able to use wastewater components to fuel its hydrogen production metabolism, allowing for the potential integration of hydrogen production and wastewater treatment. While some systems have been designed for the implementation of R. palustris as a method of waste valorisation in wastewater treatment systems with the added goal of biological hydrogen production, there is still much work needed investigating optimal reactor configurations to achieve this. In this project the use of a membrane photobioreactor (MPBR), as a method to separate the hydraulic and solids retention time of the photofermentative system, was investigated for use as waste valorisation for the treatment of glycerol-rich wastewater and simultaneous hydrogen production. The goal of this study was to investigate the performance of the MPBR in both batch and continuous mode operations. The important investigated parameters for this study were: biomass concentration, glycerol conversion and biohydrogen production. Additionally, due to anticipated significant physical factors in the membrane system a ‘pathology map’, was constructed to determine the effe6cts of shear, temperature, nutrient limitations, and pressure on the bacterial cells. The pathology map was developed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and flow cytometry (FCM), and it was observed that pressure, shear stress and elevated temperatures had significant effects on cell integrity, as visually observed by SEM, and supported by the percentage of cells reported alive in the cultures by FCM. It was also observed in this investigation that the time that the cells were exposed to each physical factor also had a significant effect on the cellular integrity, which was a concerning result as the cultures were simultaneously subjected to these conditions for extended periods of time in the MPBR. The design and build of the MPBR was successfully conducted to ensure system sterility and sustainable use of the membrane during system setup and operation. The batch mode operation of the MPBR resulted in good bacterial growth with a final glycerol conversion of ~88% although with only 106±29.06mL cumulative hydrogen production over 240hours, which compared poorly to literature, for similar operational conditions. Poor hydrogen production may be attributable to photo-limitation, stress conditions on the cells or a combination of the two. Continuous mode operation of the MPBR was unsuccessful due to the limitations of the reactor fabrication and operation. In conclusion, the MPBR was successful in displaying growth and glycerol conversion efficiency in batch mode operation. Although poor hydrogen production rates indicate that this reactor configuration is likely to not be the ideal one for use in photofermentative hydrogen production. As the continuous mode operation of the MPBR was unsuccessful in this investigation, the industrial application of this process requires further refinement, should work in this area continue. AFRIKAANS OPSOMMING: Biologiese waterstofproduksie het beduidende potensiaal as ’n plaasvervanger vir huidige waterstofproduksiemetodes gebruik in die industrie, al is daar struikelblokke soos ekonomiese lewensvatbaarheid en omgewingsvolhoubaarheid. ’n Belowende fotosintetiese bakterium byname Rhodopseudomonas palustris (R. palustris) het al gedemonstreer dat dit biologiese waterstof via fotofermentasie onder seker groeikondisies produseer. Daarby, kan die organisme afvalwaterkomponente gebruik om sy waterstofproduksiemetabolisme aan te dryf, wat die potensiële integrasie van waterstofproduksie en afvalwaterbehandeling toelaat. Terwyl sommige sisteme ontwerp is vir die implementasie van R. palustris as ’n metode van afvalvalorisasie in afvalwaterbehandelingsisteme met die toegevoegde doel van biologiese waterstofproduksie, is daar steeds baie werk aangaande ondersoek van optimale reaktorkonfigurasies benodig, om hierdie te bereik. In hierdie projek is die gebruik van ’n membraanfotobioreaktor (MPBR) as ’n metode om die hidroulise en vaste stowwe se retensietyd van die fotofermentatiewe sisteem te skei, ondersoek vir gebruik as afvalvalorisasie vir die behandeling van gliserolryke afvalwater en gelyktydige waterstofproduksie. Die doel van hierdie studie was om die doeltreffendheid van die MPBR in beide lot- en deurlopende wyse bedrywe te ondersoek. Die belangrike parameters ondersoek vir hierdie studie was: biomassakonsentrasie, gliserolomsetting en biowaterstofproduksie. Boonop, as gevolg van die beduidende fisiese faktore in die membraansisteem, is ’n ‘patologiekaart’ gebou om die effek van skuifkrag, temperatuur, nutriënbeperkinge, en druk op die bakteriese selle, te bepaal. Die patologiekaart is ontwikkel deur skandeerelektronmikroskopie (SEM) en vloeisitometrie (FCM) en dis waargeneem dat druk, skuifspanning en verhoogde temperature beduidende effekte op selintegriteit gehad het, soos visueel waargeneem deur SEM en ondersteun deur die persentasie van selle as lewendig in die kulture deur FCM gerapporteer. Dit is ook waargeneem in hierdie ondersoek dat die tyd wat die selle aan elke fisiese faktor blootgestel is, ’n beduidende effek op sellulêre integriteit gehad het, wat ’n kommerwekkende resultaat was omdat die kulture gelyktydig aan hierdie kondisies blootgestel was vir uitgerekte tye in die MPBR. Die ontwerp en bou van die MPBR is suksesvol uitgevoer om sisteemsteriliteit en volhoubare gebruik van die membraan gedurende sisteemopstel en -bedryf te verseker. Die lotwysebedryf van die MPBR het in goeie bakteriële groei ontwikkel met ’n finale gliserolomsetting van ~88%, hoewel met slegs 106 29.06 mL kumulatiewe waterstofproduksie oor 240 ure, wat swak vergelyk met literatuur vir soortgelyke bedryfskondisies. Swak waterstofproduksie kan toegeskryf word aan fotobeperkinge, streskondisies op die selle of ’n kombinasie van die twee. Aanhoudende wyse van bedryf van die MPBR was onsuksesvol as gevolg van die beperkinge van die reaktorfabrikasie en bedryf. Ter slotte, die MPBR was suksesvol om groei en gliserolomsettingdoeltreffendheid in lotwysebedryf ten toon te stel. Hoewel, swak waterstofproduksietempo’s dui aan dat hierdie reaktorkonfigurasie nie die ideale een vir gebruik in fotofermentatiewe waterstofproduksie is nie. Omdat die aanhoudende wyse van bedryf van die MPBR onsuksesvol in hierdie ondersoek was, het die industriële toepassing van hierdie proses verdere verfyning nodig, sou werk in hierdie area aangaan. Masters 2022-03-09T08:49:38Z 2022-04-29T09:38:02Z 2022-03-09T08:49:38Z 2022-04-29T09:38:02Z 2022-04 Thesis http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/124868 en_ZA Stellenbosch University application/pdf Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| spellingShingle | Membrane photobioreactor Rhodopseudomonas Reactor design Waste valorisation Sustainable engineering Hydrogen industry UCTD Kriek, Christi Gepke The design and operation of a membrane photobioreactor using Rhodopseudomonas palustris for simultaneous wastewater treatment and biohydrogen production |
| title | The design and operation of a membrane photobioreactor using Rhodopseudomonas palustris for simultaneous wastewater treatment and biohydrogen production |
| title_full | The design and operation of a membrane photobioreactor using Rhodopseudomonas palustris for simultaneous wastewater treatment and biohydrogen production |
| title_fullStr | The design and operation of a membrane photobioreactor using Rhodopseudomonas palustris for simultaneous wastewater treatment and biohydrogen production |
| title_full_unstemmed | The design and operation of a membrane photobioreactor using Rhodopseudomonas palustris for simultaneous wastewater treatment and biohydrogen production |
| title_short | The design and operation of a membrane photobioreactor using Rhodopseudomonas palustris for simultaneous wastewater treatment and biohydrogen production |
| title_sort | design and operation of a membrane photobioreactor using rhodopseudomonas palustris for simultaneous wastewater treatment and biohydrogen production |
| topic | Membrane photobioreactor Rhodopseudomonas Reactor design Waste valorisation Sustainable engineering Hydrogen industry UCTD |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/124868 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT kriekchristigepke thedesignandoperationofamembranephotobioreactorusingrhodopseudomonaspalustrisforsimultaneouswastewatertreatmentandbiohydrogenproduction AT kriekchristigepke designandoperationofamembranephotobioreactorusingrhodopseudomonaspalustrisforsimultaneouswastewatertreatmentandbiohydrogenproduction |