Biohydrogen as an Alternative Energy Source for Cuba
M. Barona, M. Giraldo, S. Marini
Presenters: Melissa Barona,
Maggie Giraldo, Seth Marini
[email protected]
(561)207 -1355
College of Engineering, University of Miami
Introduction
Cost Analysis
System Design
 Hydrogen is a clean fuel with a high energy content
 It can be used directly without the need of conversion and be
generated from available resources in Cuba
 Cuba’s infrastructure is deteriorated and in need of upgrades,
specially in rural areas
Estimate of the cost based on theoretical calculations and design DIVISION DESCRIPTION
Division 01 Hydrolysis
Division 02 Fermentation
Objectives
$4,425
$88,320
Division 07 Maintenance Costs
$25,000
Division 08 Miscellaneous
$50,000
Grand Total
$ 407,927
Summary
Figure 4. Fermentation-MEC conceptual design for hydrogen fuel cell from the production of sugarcane bagasse
The bagasse is first hydrolyzed with an acid and then fed into the dark
fermentation reactor
Some of the bagasse cannot be broken down by bacteria after hydrolization,
so it is put into the MEC along with the byproducts of the bacterial
fermentation
The hydrogen gas yield is the collected and stored
The gas can then be used to power electricity with the use of a fuel cell
Figure 1. GIS map of locations of sugar mills in Cuba in the past decade
Figure 5. System design
Results
DESIGN REACTOR VOLUMES
Hydrolysis (L) Fermentation (L) MEC (L)
3,315 4,415 7,113
Conclusions




Bio hydrogen has a potential to supply energy in Cuba
Supplies a fuel with high energy content
Clean, renewable, and independent energy source
Combined system MEC/fermentation can increase hydrogen
yield
 Suitable for distributed small-scale energy needs
Recommendations
Acknowledgements
Thank you Dr. Solo-Grabriele for special guidance and time devoted
to this project
Thank you Dr. Veziroglu for your expertise
Data collection and Assumptions
 Sugarcane production in Cuba is approximately 50 tons/ha-yr.
 25% of sugar production that results in waste consists of 30-35%
(about 33%) of hemicellulose, and the rest of cellulose and lignin
(Pattra et al., 2008)
 The hydrogen flow rate required by a 1kW fuel cell is 23.9 mol H2 /
L (Levin et al., 2004).
Bio hydrogen is sustainable, renewable, and a clean energy source
characterized by a low capital cost
Hydrogen technology is reliable and the gas can be stored for
months of low sugarcane productivity
The usage of the bagasse already available in the island, helps
break the dependency on fossil fuels that must be provided by
foreign nations
Based on literature values, 1kW fuel cell is enough to power a
modest home
 It is important to note that the design is based on experimental
results obtained through laboratory scale methods. Therefore,
assumptions were made in order to scale up the processes. A fullscale prototype is recommended to further analyze hydrogen gas
production
 The utilization of this technology can potentially provide a
promising alternative for power generation in Cuba
 The bio hydrogen production in Cuba can also be increased with
the growth of the sugarcane industry in the island, which can
also be economically beneficial
Using the given data and the total rate of
sugar input into the system:
Figure 3. In MECs, microorganisms catalyze the electron transfer and oxidation of
organic matter during electrochemical reactions produces hydrogen
$9,939
Division 05 Plumbing
Division 06 Operating Costs
Methods
Figure 2. Sugarcane bagasse is rich in glucose and hemicellulose
In fermentation bacteria produces hydrogen through anaerobic
digestion by breaking down organic materials and releasing energy
$171,875
Division 04 Fuel Cell
 Sugarcane waste, called bagasse , accounts for up to 25% of the
sugarcane mass production and is rich in sugars
 This bio waste can be used as a substrate for bacteria to ferment
and yield hydrogen
 The bagasse that cannot be broken down any further by the
bacteria can be fed into a microbial electrolysis cell (MEC) for
further hydrogen production
$7,987
$50,379
Division 03 MEC
 Design a system to obtain hydrogen from available resources in
Cuba
 Provide a reliable and sustainable energy source for rural areas in
Cuba
 Break dependency of fossil fuels and decrease the emission of toxic
gases into the atmosphere
TOTAL
DESIGN HYDROGEN RATE
Hydrogen Rate Generating (mol H2/h)
Power (kW) 23.90
1.00
Special thanks to the Goizueta Foundation for the aid provided
Also, a special thanks to the Cuban Heritage Collection at the
University of Miami