Effect of organic loading rate and solids retention time on microbial population during bio-hydrogen production by dark fermentation in large lab-scale

The experimental investigation aimed at the study of the microbial population during the continuous operation of a complete mixed reactor in large lab-scale (30 L) by variation of the Organic Loading Rate (OLR) and Sludge Retention Time (SRT) ranging from 10 g sucrose/(L∙d) to 30 g/(L∙d) and from 12 h to 48 h respectively. H2 yield reached to 1.72 mol H2/mol hexose for HRT = 1.6 d and OLR = 20 g sucrose/(L∙d). In each phase the dominant...