Thesis topic:
Biological conversion of hydrogen to methane by hydrogenotrophic methanogens
Motivation
Anaerobic fermentation is a widespread technology that uses a natural process during which organic matter decomposes to produce biogas. Since organic substances contain oxygen in their structures, another major part of biogas, besides usable methane, is carbon dioxide, which is considered to be the main pollutant.
Nowadays, we also encounter a problem in the application of alternative sources, where we often obtain electricity from these sources at a time when we do not have an actual use for it, and there are limitations to the existing possibilities for its storage. These limitations gave rise to the idea of converting this excess electrical energy by electrolysis of water into usable hydrogen (the Power to Gas principle), which would be stored and converted back to energy in fuel cells when needed. Hydrogen storage, however, places enormous demands on the tightness of the apparatus, wherein extreme cases the apparatus may leak explosively with air.
Solution
By bringing the hydrogen produced by the electrolysis from excess energy from alternative sources into an anaerobic microbial culture containing hydrogenotrophic methanogens, the remaining carbon dioxide contained in the biogas could also be converted to methane, which could subsequently be used in existing natural gas distribution networks or other applications. The topic will be the optimization of conditions, adaptation of culture, activation of hydrogenotrophic methanogens and increase of system efficiency together with the comparison of possible solutions of methanization.
Other areas of interest:
- Organization and hosting of PhD students meetings (a regular event where the students present the results of their work, one by one during the year).
Education
- 2016 - present: ICT Prague, FTOP, Department of Water technology and environmental engineering, PhD. Student
- 2014 – 2016 ICT Prague, FTOP, Department of Water technology and environmental engineering, diploma thesis: „Operation of pilot-scale bioflocculation unit treating municipal wastewater.“
- 2012 – 2014 ICT Prague, FTOP, bachelor thesis: “ Monitoring of biofilm developed during water treatment using membrane separation “.
Participation on teaching
- Laboratory of Water Technology
- Laboratory of Water Analysis
Publications
Papers:
- Andreides, D.; Varga, Z.; Pokorna, D.; Zabranska, J., Performance evaluation of sulfide-based autotrophic denitrification for petrochemical industry wastewater. Journal of Water Process Engineering 2020, 40, 101834.
- Dolejš, P., Varga, Z., Luza, B., Pícha, A., Jeníček, P., Bartáček. J. (2019). "Maximizing energy recovery from wastewater via bioflocculation-enhanced primary treatment: A pilot-scale study." Environmental Technology: 1-30.
- Dolejs, P., Varga, Z., Pícha, A., Bartáček, J. 2016. Poloprovozní ověření přínosů bioflokulace odpadní vody - cesta k maximalizaci recyklace energie na ČOV. Chemagazín, Ročník XXVI(Číslo 6), 8-10.
Presentations:
- Dolejš P., Luza B.D.A.M., Varga Z., Gotvald R., Hejnic J., Pícha A., Jeníček P., Bartáček J. Bioflokulace k zakoncentrování energie z městské odpadní vody: Cesta z laboratoře k poloprovozu; Kaly a odpady, 17. - 18.3. 2016, Senec