A thermosiphon photobioreactor (TPBR) can potentially be used for biohydrogen production, circumventing the requirement for external mixing energy inputs. In this study, a TPBR is evaluated for photofermentative hydrogen production by Rhodopseudomonas palustris (R. palustris). Experiments were conducted in a TPBR, and response surface methodology (RSM), varying biomass concentration, and light intensity and temperature were employed to determine the operating conditions for the enhancement of both hydrogen production as well as biomass suspension. Biomass concentration was found to have had the most pronounced effect on both hydrogen production as well as biomass suspension. RSM models predicted maximum specific hydrogen production rates of 0.17 mol m−3h−1 and 0.21 mmol gCDW−1h−1 at R. palustris concentrations of 1.21 and 0.4 g L−1, respectively. The experimentally measured hydrogen yield was in the range of 45 to 77% (±3.8%), and the glycerol consumption was 8 to 19% (±0.48). At a biomass concentration of 0.40 g L−1, the highest percentage of biomass (72.3%), was predicted to remain in suspension in the TPBR. Collectively, the proposed novel photobioreactor was shown to produce hydrogen as well as passively circulate biomass.

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Hydrogen production via microbial photofermentation shows great promise as a method for sustainable hydrogen production; however, operating costs associated with photofermentative hydrogen production need to be reduced. Costs can be reduced using a passive circulation system like the thermosiphon photobioreactor, and by operating it under natural sunlight. In this study, an automated system was implemented to investigate the effect of diurnal light cycles on the hydrogen productivity and growth of Rhodopseudomonas palustris and on the operation of a thermosiphon photobioreactor, under controlled conditions. Diurnal light cycles, simulating daylight times, were found to reduce hydrogen production in the thermosiphon photobioreactor demonstrating a low maximum production rate of 0.015 mol m−3 h−1 (± 0.002 mol m−3 h−1) as compared to 0.180 mol m−3 h−1 (± 0.0003 mol m−3 h−1) under continuous illumination. Glycerol consumption as well as hydrogen yield also decreased under diurnal light cycles. Nonetheless, hydrogen production in a thermosiphon photobioreactor under outdoor conditions was demonstrated as possible avenue for further investigation.

Photofermentative hydrogen production has gained increasing attention as a source of green energy. To make such photofermentation processes economically competitive, operating costs need to be reduced, possibly through outdoor operation. Because photofermentation processes are light dependent, the emission spectrum and intensity of light both have a significant influence on the hydrogen production and merit investigation. This study investigates the effect of light sources on the hydrogen production and growth of Rhodopseudomonas palustris, comparing the organism’s productivity under longer-wavelength light and light mimicking sunlight. Hydrogen production is enhanced under longer-wavelength light, producing 26.8% (± 7.3%) more hydrogen as compared to under light mimicking that of sunlight; however, R. palustris is still able to produce a considerable volume of hydrogen under light with a spectrum mimicking that of sunlight, providing a promising avenue for future research.