Evaluation of microaeration strategies in the digestion zone of UASB reactors as an alternative for biogas desulfurization.

This study aimed at evaluating the microaeration as an alternative for hydrogen sulfide removal from biogas of UASB reactors treating sewage. The set-up consisted of two pilot-scale UASB reactors, including a conventional anaerobic and a modified UASB reactor, operated under microaerated conditions. Air was supplied in the digestion zone, at 1 and 3 m from the bottom of the reactor, and three different air flows were investigated: 10, 20, and 30 mL.min-1, corresponding to 0.003, 0.005 and 0.005 LO2/Linfluent, respectively. The main results showed that the microaeration provided a substantial decrease in hydrogen sulfide concentrations when compared to the concentrations observed in the biogas of the anaerobic UASB reactor. Hydrogen sulfide concentrations remained below 70 ppmv throughout the experimental period, corresponding to an average removal efficiency of 98%. Although a decrease in methane concentrations in biogas was observed, the feasibility of energy use would not be affected. The effect of microaeration on the overall performance of the reactor was evaluated, however, no significant differences were observed. The feasibility of limiting aeration conditions in the reactor digestion zone as an efficient alternative for hydrogen sulfide removal from biogas was demonstrated.

Machine learning applied for metabolic flux-based control of micro-aerated fermentations in bioreactors.

Various bio-based processes depend on controlled micro-aerobic conditions to achieve a satisfactory product yield. However, the limiting oxygen concentration varies according to the micro-organism employed, while for industrial applications, there is no cost-effective way of measuring it at low levels. This study proposes a machine learning procedure within a metabolic flux-based control strategy (SUPERSYS_MCU) to address this issue. The control strategy used simulations of a genome-scale metabolic model to generate a surrogate model in the form of an artificial neural network, to be used in a micro-aerobic fermentation strategy (MF-ANN). The meta-model provided setpoints to the controller, allowing adjustment of the inlet air flow to control the oxygen uptake rate. The strategy was evaluated in micro-aerobic batch cultures employing industrial Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast, with defined medium and glucose as the carbon source, as a case study. The performance of the proposed control scheme was compared with a conventional fermentation and with three previously reported micro-aeration strategies, including respiratory quotient-based control and constant air flow rate. Due to maintenance of the oxidative balance at the anaerobiosis threshold, the MF-ANN provided volumetric ethanol productivity of 4.16 g·L-1 ·h-1 and a yield of 0.48 gethanol .gsubstrate-1 , which were higher than the values achieved for the other conditions studied (maximum of 3.4 g·L-1 ·h-1 and 0.35-0.40 gethanol ·gsubstrate-1 , respectively). Due to its modular character, the MF-ANN strategy could be adapted to other micro-aerated bioprocesses.

Metabolic fluxes-oriented control of bioreactors: a novel approach to tune micro-aeration and substrate feeding in fermentations.

BACKGROUND: Fine-tuning the aeration for cultivations when oxygen-limited conditions are demanded (such as the production of vaccines, isobutanol, 2-3 butanediol, acetone, and bioethanol) is still a challenge in the area of bioreactor automation and advanced control. In this work, an innovative control strategy based on metabolic fluxes was implemented and evaluated in a case study: micro-aerated ethanol fermentation. RESULTS: The experiments were carried out in fed-batch mode, using commercial Saccharomyces cerevisiae, defined medium, and glucose as carbon source. Simulations of a genome-scale metabolic model for Saccharomyces cerevisiae were used to identify the range of oxygen and substrate fluxes that would maximize ethanol fluxes. Oxygen supply and feed flow rate were manipulated to control oxygen and substrate fluxes, as well as the respiratory quotient (RQ). The performance of the controlled cultivation was compared to two other fermentation strategies: a conventional "Brazilian fuel-ethanol plant" fermentation and a strictly anaerobic fermentation (with ultra-pure nitrogen used as the inlet gas). The cultivation carried out under the proposed control strategy showed the best average volumetric ethanol productivity (7.0 g L-1 h-1), with a final ethanol concentration of 87 g L-1 and yield of 0.46 gethanol g substrate -1 . The other fermentation strategies showed lower yields (close to 0.40 gethanol g substrate -1 ) and ethanol productivity around 4.0 g L-1 h-1. CONCLUSION: The control system based on fluxes was successfully implemented. The proposed approach could also be adapted to control several bioprocesses that require restrict aeration.

Anaerobic digestion of wastewater rich in sulfate and sulfide: effects of metallic waste addition and micro-aeration on process performance and methane production.

This work explores the effect of two metallic wastes (mining wastes, MW; fly ashes, FA) and micro-aeration (MA) on the anaerobic digestion of wastewater which is rich in sulfate and sulfide. Two initial COD concentrations (5,000 and 10,000 mg/L) were studied under both conditions in batch systems at 35 °C, with a fixed COD/SO42- ratio = 10, with 100 mg/L of S2-. It was observed that the use of MW and FA in the assays with an initial COD concentration of 10,000 mg/L resulted in a simultaneous increase in COD removal, sulfate removal, sulfide removal and methane generation, while MA only improved the COD and sulfide removals in comparison with the control system. On the contrary, the use of MW, FA or MA in systems with initial COD concentrations equal to or lower than 5,000 mg/L did not show any improvement with respect to the control system in terms of COD removal, sulfate removal or methane generation, with only sulfide removal being positively affected by MW and FA.

A membrane aerated biofilm reactor for sulfide control from anaerobically treated wastewater.

A upflow anaerobic sludge blanket reactor was operated combined to a membrane aerated biofilm reactor for sulfate removal and for elemental sulfur reclamation. A commercial silicon tube was used as an oxygen delivery diffuser. The process achieved high rates of sulfide removal from the liquid phase (90%). The hydrogen sulfide removal was influenced by the pH value and at pH value of 7.5, 98% of the H2S was removed. The elemental sulfur was observed inside the membrane, with content in the biomass of 21%. Through the massive sequencing of the samples, the microbial community diversity and the stratification of biomass inside the silicon tube was demonstrated, confirming the presence of sulfide-oxidizing bacteria on the membrane wall. The most important genera found related to the sulfur cycle were Sulfuricurvum, Geovibrio, Flexispira and Sulforospirillum.

Evaluation of different air dosing strategies to enhance H2S removal in microaerobic systems treating low-strength wastewaters.

This study aimed to evaluate different air dosing strategies such as microaeration flow rates and air dosing points to enhance H2S removal in microaerobic systems treating low-strength wastewaters. Efficiency and stability of the reactors, as well as biogas quality, were assessed, and microbial community changes were evaluated using the PCR-DGGE technique. The results showed that the air dosing point affected the H2S concentration and that air dosing at the headspace promoted the highest H2S removal efficiency. The airflow rate also affected the process, since H2S concentration in the biogas was higher at 0.1 mL air.min-1 than at 0.3 mL air.min-1. The methane concentration in the biogas was also affected by both air dosing point and flow rate, since the lowest value was observed at the highest airflow rate of the headspace dosing point, due to dilution by the N2 influx applied to the system. The highest productivity and operational efficiency were observed at this air dosing point, with this airflow (HD0.3), which corroborates with the operational results and the ecological parameters, since the microaeration at this stage promoted high bacterial and archaeal species richness and diversity, optimum functional organization, high COD and H2S removal efficiencies.

Process bioengineering applied to BTEX degradation in microaerobic treatment systems.

The effect of different microaeration flow rates and dosing points, and of effluent recirculation, on microaerobic BTEX degradation in an anaerobic bioreactor was assessed. Additionally, a sensitivity and recovery analysis for this system was performed during microaeration failure simulations. Under anaerobic conditions, BTEX removal efficiencies between 55 and 82% were achieved depending on the compound, being benzene the most recalcitrant one. Microaeration (0.5-2.0 mL air min-1) ensured high removal efficiencies (>83%) for all compounds, and the best results were obtained for the flow rate of 1.0 mL air min-1, particularly for benzene, with a 30% increase in its removal efficiency. Effluent recirculation showed to be an important factor to improve mass transfer and, consequently, BTEX removal. Volatilization was negligible even under microaerobic conditions, suggesting that microbial activity was the main removal mechanism. Finally, after microaeration shutdown periods, the bioreactor could recover its prior performance within up to 2 days.

Applicability of Microaerobic Technology to Enhance BTEX Removal from Contaminated Waters.

As the addition of low concentrations of oxygen can favor the initial degradation of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes (BTEX) compounds, this work verified the applicability of the microaerobic technology to enhance BTEX removal in an anaerobic bioreactor supplemented with high and low co-substrate (ethanol) concentrations. Additionally, structural alterations on the bioreactor microbiota were assessed throughout the experiment. The bioreactor was fed with a synthetic BTEX-contaminated water (~ 3 mg L-1 of each compound) and operated at a hydraulic retention time of 48 h. The addition of low concentrations of oxygen (1.0 mL min-1 of atmospheric air at 27 °C and 1 atm) assured high removal efficiencies (> 80%) for all compounds under microaerobic conditions. In fact, the applicability of this technology showed to be viable to enhance BTEX removal from contaminated waters, especially concerning benzene (with a 30% removal increase), which is a very recalcitrant compound under anaerobic conditions. However, high concentrations of ethanol adversely affected BTEX removal, especially benzene, under anaerobic and microaerobic conditions. Finally, although bacterial community richness decreased at low concentrations of ethanol, in general, the bioreactor microbiota could deal with the different operational conditions and preserved its functionality during the whole experiment.

Recovery of elemental sulphur from anaerobic effluents through the biological oxidation of sulphides.

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the biological oxidation of sulphide in two different UASB reactors by assessing the occurrence of oxidized forms of sulphur in the effluents and the amount of S0 that could be recovered in the process. The bioreactors employed were an anaerobic hybrid (AH) reactor employing porous polyurethane foam as support media and a micro-aerated UASB reactor equipped with an aeration device above the digestion zone. The AH reactor produced a final effluent containing low concentrations of S2- (3.87% of total sulphur load). It was achieved due to a complete oxidation of 56.1% of total sulphur. The partial biological oxidation that occurred in the AH reactor allowed the recovery of 30% of the sulphur load as S0. The effluent from the micro-aerated UASB reactor contained 5% of the sulphur load in the form of S2-, while 20.9% was present as dissolved SO42- and 46% was precipitated as S0. It is concluded that the AH reactor or micro-aeration carried out above the digestion zone of the UASB reactor favoured the biological oxidation of S2- and the release of odourless effluents. Both technologies represent feasible and low-cost alternatives for the anaerobic treatment of domestic sewage.

Performance evaluation of micro-aerobic hydrolysis of mixed sludge: Optimum aeration and effect on its biochemical methane potential.

This study evaluated the performance of a micro-aerobic hydrolysis of mixed sludge and its influence as a pretreatment of this waste for its subsequent anaerobic digestion. Three experimental series were carried out to evaluate the optimum micro-aeration levels in the range from 0.1 to 0.5 air volume/min.reactor volume (vvm) and operation times within the range of 24-60 h. The maximum methane yield [35 mL CH4/g volatile suspended solids (VSS) added] was obtained for an aeration level of 0.35 vvm. This methane yield value increased 114% with respect to that obtained with the non-aerated sludge. In the micro-aeration process carried out at an aeration level of 0.35 vvm, increases in soluble proteins and total sugars concentrations of 185% and 192% with respect to their initial values were found, respectively, after 48 h of aeration. At the above micro-aerobic conditions, soluble chemical oxygen demand (CODS) augmented 150%, whereas VSS content decreased until 40% of their initial respective values. Higher COD increases and VSS decreases were found at 60 h of micro-aeration, but the above parameters did not vary significantly with respect to the values found at 48 h.

Sulfide-oxidizing bacteria establishment in an innovative microaerobic reactor with an internal silicone membrane for sulfur recovery from wastewater.

A novel bioreactor, employing a silicone membrane for microaeration, was studied for partial sulfide oxidation to elemental sulfur. The objective of this study was to assess the feasibility of using an internal silicone membrane reactor (ISMR) to treat dissolved sulfide and to characterize its microbial community. The ISMR is an effective system to eliminate sulfide produced in anaerobic reactors. Sulfide removal efficiencies reached 96 % in a combined anaerobic/microaerobic reactor and significant sulfate production did not occur. The oxygen transfer was strongly influenced by air pressure and flow. Pyrosequencing analysis indicated various sulfide-oxidizing bacteria (SOB) affiliated to the species Acidithiobacillus thiooxidans, Sulfuricurvum kujiense and Pseudomonas stutzeri attached to the membrane and also indicated similarity between the biomass deposited on the membrane wall and the biomass drawn from the material support, supported the establishment of SOB in an anaerobic sludge under microaerobic conditions. Furthermore, these results showed that the reactor configuration can develop SOB under microaerobic conditions and can improve and reestablish the sulfide conversion to elemental sulfur.