BIO - HYDROGEN

Presented by Reena ~ 811/18

B.Sc. Biotechnology (Hons.)
5th Semester
 CONTENTS
1. Introduction
2. Paths of Hydrogen Production
Natural Gas Reforming
Coal gasification
Biomass gasification
Thermochemical water splitting
Electrolytic Processes
Photoelectrochemical Water Splitting
3. Bio-Hydrogen Production
Water-Splitting Photosynthesis (Biophotolysis)
Anoxygenic Photofermentation
Dark Fermentation
Microbial Electrolysis Cells (Electrofermentation)
INTRODUCTION
■ Recently, global attention focused on hydrogen (H2) gas as one of the most
promising, eco-friendly, and renewable energy sources.
■ Molecular H2 is primarily produced from the use of fossil fuels through steam
reforming of natural gas or methane (CH4).
■ The production of H2 based on fossil fuel resources increases the emissions of
GHGs. Alternatively, the production of H2 from biomass through biological
pathways is an emerging technology because it is sustainable and eco-friendly.
■ Microalgae that use light energy to split water molecules to produce H2, and
cyanobacteria that typically consume carbohydrates to store energy from
photosynthesis to produce H2 from water molecules.
Paths of Hydrogen Production
■ Hydrogen can be produced using a number of different processes.
■ Thermochemical processes use heat and chemical reactions to release hydrogen
from organic materials such as fossil fuels and biomass.
■ Water (H2O) can be split into hydrogen (H2) and oxygen (O2) using electrolysis
or solar energy.
■ Microorganisms such as bacteria and algae can produce hydrogen through
biological processes.
1.Natural Gas Reforming
■ Natural gas is formed from terrestrial and marine plants as well as the animals
that have been deposited and buried deep enough. 
■ Natural gas contains hydrocarbon and methane (CH4) that can be used to
produce hydrogen with thermal processes.
■ It is a usually contains a large amount of non hydrocarbon gases that must be
removed.
■ There are two processes that obtain hydrogen from natural gas.
A. Steam-methane reformation
B. Partial oxidation.
 A.STEAM-METHANE REFORMING
■ A mature production process in which high-temperature steam (700°C–1,000°C)
is used to produce hydrogen from a methane source, such as natural gas.
■ “Water-gas shift reaction," the carbon monoxide and steam are reacted using a
catalyst to produce carbon dioxide and more hydrogen.
■ In a final process step called "pressure-swing adsorption," carbon dioxide and
other impurities are removed from the gas stream, leaving essentially pure
hydrogen.
■ Steam-methane reforming reaction
CH4 + H2O (+ heat) → CO + 3H2
■ Water-gas shift reaction
CO + H2O → CO2 + H2 (+ small amount of heat)
B.Partial oxidation
■ In partial oxidation, the methane and other hydrocarbons in natural gas react
with a limited amount of oxygen (typically from air) that is not enough to
completely oxidize the hydrocarbons to carbon dioxide and water.
■ With less than the stoichiometric amount of oxygen available, the reaction
products contain primarily hydrogen and carbon monoxide, and a relatively
small amount of carbon dioxide and other compounds.
■ Subsequently, in a water-gas shift reaction, the carbon monoxide reacts with
water to form carbon dioxide and more hydrogen.
■ Partial oxidation of methane reaction
CH4 + ½O2 → CO + 2H2 (+ heat)
■ Water-gas shift reaction
CO + H2O → CO2 + H2 (+ small amount of heat)
2.Coal gasification
■ Coal is an organic sediment and it was initially formed by the decomposition of plant matter.
■ Specifically, hydrogen is produced by first reacting coal with oxygen and steam under high
pressures and temperatures to form synthesis gas, a mixture consisting primarily of carbon
monoxide and hydrogen.
■ Coal gasification reaction :
3C+ O2 + H2 →  H2 + 3CO
CO+ H2O → CO2 + H2
■ After the impurities are removed from the synthesis gas, the carbon monoxide in the gas
mixture is reacted with steam through the water-gas shift reaction to produce additional
hydrogen and carbon dioxide.
 3.Biomass gasification
■ WHAT IS BIOMASS?
Biomass, a renewable organic resource, includes agriculture crop residues (such as corn
stover or wheat straw), forest residues, special crops grown specifically for energy use (such
as switchgrass or willow trees), organic municipal solid waste, and animal wastes.
■ Biomass gasification is a mature technology pathway that uses a controlled process
involving heat, steam, and oxygen to convert biomass to hydrogen and other products,
without combustion.
■ The carbon monoxide then reacts with water to form carbon dioxide and more hydrogen
via a water-gas shift reaction. Adsorbers or special membranes can separate the hydrogen
from this gas stream.
Simplified example reaction
C6H12O6 + O2 + H2O → CO + CO2 + H2 + other species
Water-gas shift reaction
CO + H2O → CO2 + H2 (+ small amount of heat)
4.Thermochemical water splitting
■ Thermochemical water splitting uses high temperatures—from concentrated
solar power or from the waste heat of nuclear power reactions—and chemical
reactions to produce hydrogen and oxygen from water.
■ Thermochemical water splitting processes use high-temperature heat (500°–
2,000°C) to drive a series of chemical reactions that produce hydrogen.
■ The chemicals used in the process are reused within each cycle, creating a
closed loop that consumes only water and produces hydrogen and oxygen.
5.Electrolytic Processes

■ Electrolysis is a promising option for hydrogen production from renewable

resources. Electrolysis is the process of using electricity to split water into
hydrogen and oxygen. This reaction takes place in a unit called an electrolyser.
Equation: H2O → H2 + ½O2 
6.Photoelectrochemical Water Splitting

■ In photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting, hydrogen is produced from

water using sunlight and specialized semiconductors called
photoelectrochemical materials, which use light energy to directly dissociate
water molecules into hydrogen and oxygen.
Biohydrogen
Diversity of Microorganisms as H2 Producing Biocatalysts
■ In nature, a variety of organisms including the archaea, anaerobic and facultative aerobic
bacteria, cyanobacteria, and lower eukaryotes (i.e., green algae and protists) produce H2
■ The major H2 producing biocatalysts are typical heterotrophs in the fermentation
process. Some dark fermentative bacteria do not require solar energy as an energy source
and tolerate O2 deficient conditions; these microorganisms are obligate anaerobes.
■ Briefly, based on the systems that evolve H2, a large number of different natural
biological processes are categorized into four primary groups: (1) water-splitting
photosynthesis; (2) photofermentation; (3) dark fermentation; and (4) microbial
electrolysis processing.
1.Water-Splitting Photosynthesis (Biophotolysis)
■ The most desirable and attractive H2 production process.
■ In this system hydrogen is produced as a result of certain biological organisms
using sunlight.
■ In direct biophotolysis , Algae splits water molecules to H+ and oxygen via
photosynthesis process. The generated H+ are converted into hydrogen gas by
“Hydrogenase Enzyme”.
■ Indirect biophotolysis, Cynobacteria have the unique characteristics of using
CO2 in the air as a carbon source and solar energy as an energy source. The
cells take up CO2 first to produce cellular substances which are used to produce
hydrogen.
2.Anoxygenic Photofermentation
■ Photofermentation involves the conversion of organic substrate with the
production of H2 and carbon dioxide (CO2)
■ For the process of photofermentation, purple nonsulfur (PNS) photosynthetic
bacteria, including Rhodobacter species, are used to convert organic acids such as
acetate, lactate, and butyrate to H2 and CO2 in anaerobic and anoxic conditions.
■ Photofermentation differs from dark fermentation because it only proceeds in
the presence of light.
 3.Dark Fermentation
■ To date, many of the studies on the biological production of H2 through the dark
fermentation process were performed using facultative and obligate anaerobic bacteria.
■ The process of dark fermentation occurs at a higher rate than the processes of
photofermentation and photolysis. However, the low yield of H2 on substrates, because of
the formation of various by-products, is the primary disadvantage.
■ Facultative anaerobic microorganisms transform pyruvate to acetyl-CoA and formate
with the catalysis of pyruvate formate-lyase, and then produce H2 with formate hydrogen
lyase.
■ However, obligate anaerobic microorganisms convert pyruvate to acetyl-CoA and
CO2 with pyruvate ferredoxin oxidoreductase. This process of oxidation requires the
reduction of Fd. During fermentation, the H+ reducing mechanism facilitates the
production of H2 as a by-product.
4.Microbial Electrolysis Cells
(Electrofermentation)

■ Using the Microbial electrolysis cells (MECs) as an alternative electrically driven

H2 production process results in the conversion of a wide range of organic
substrates into H2 under applied external potential instead of solar energy.
■ The MEC technology is also called electrofermentation or biocatalyzed
electrolysis cells.
THANK YOU