Two-stage anaerobic process for bio-hydrogen and bio-methane combined production from biodegradable solid wastes

A two-stage anaerobic digestion process intended for biohydrogen and bio-methane combined production from organic fraction of municipal solid wastes was investigated. In thermophilic conditions blocking of methanogenesis at the first stage of the anaerobic fermentation was achieved at pH 9.0. Cumulative hydrogen production made 82.5 l/kg volatile solids. Pretreatment of organic fraction of municipal solid wastes and exploitation of mixed cultures of anaerobic thermophilic cellulolytic and saccharolytic bacteria of Clostridia sp resulted in the increase of hydrogen cumulative production up to 104 l/kg volatile solids. Content of methane in biohydrogen didn’t exceed 0.1%. Cumulative bio-methane production made 520 l/kg volatile solids. Methane percentage in produced biogas was 78.6%. Comparison of energy data for two-stage anaerobic digestion with those for solely methane production shows the increase in energy recovery from biodegradable fraction of municipal solid wastes. Results obtained make a foolproof basis for the development of cost-effective technological process providing hydrogen and methane combined production from solid organic wastes. Technology can be implemented at large scale biogas plants improving economical and ecological characteristics of the overall process.