PRODUCTION OF HYDROGEN FROM CORN-COB BY USING PHOTO-ELECTROCHEMICAL PROCESS

Abstract

The need to energy may be even now expanding because of generally speaking development in the planet populace and in addition the developing interest for change previously, expectation for everyday life. The globe is confronting extreme contamination issues from those by-products of fossil fuel uses. In this study hydrogen was produced in simple methodology by using environmentally available materials such as water, light and biomass which was collected from Jimma zone Asendabo. The physical properties of collected biomass was analyzed, the effect of operating parameters on hydrogen production was investigated and optimization of operating parameters was occurred with Response Surface Methodology by Design Expert Version11. The sample was collected from the study area and it was minimized into small size to dry simply and to crush it with pestle. The crushed sample was sieved with sieve size of 2mm. The sieved sample was used to characterize the corn cob and also used as electrolyte in the process. The experiment run had occurred in a dish that connected with stainless steel both at cathode and anode. Light was applied on the solution by immersing electric bulb to speed up the breakdown of water molecules into hydrogen and oxygen. The experiment was run by varying time in the interval of 1hr-4hr, pH in the interval of 5-9, temperature in the interval of 200C-350C and biomass concentration in-between 5g/l and 10g/l. The physical characteristics of corn cob was analyzed and it fulfills the required standard and the effect of operating parameters were optimized through Response surface methodology of Design Expert Version11. When time increases the production rate decrease, and the production rate increase with pH approaches to 7. When biomass concentration and temperature rate increase the production rate also increase. So, the optimum hydrogen (59.7922%) was located at time, pH, biomass concentration and temperature of 1hr, 6.8662, 10g/l and 350C respectively. Further researches have to be carried out to increase the yield of H2 gas from other types of biomass, which are pollutant in the environment but they are the sources of energy.