SBIR Phase II: Exogen: Enhanced Anaerobic Digestion of Wastewater Using Bio-electrodes

这个小企业创新研究（SBIR）第二阶段项目将优化和试点测试正在申请专利的Exogen系统，用于在废水处理过程中产生沼气。基于一种新发现的称为电产甲烷的工艺，ExogenTM使用外加电压和生物电极，与竞争的固定膜厌氧消化工艺相比，提高了废水处理率和甲烷含量。第一阶段研发表明：（1）化学需氧量去除率提高30% - 50%，（2）沼气产量提高30%-60%，（3）人工和真实世界废水的甲烷浓度提高5 - 18%，投资回收期为1.7 - 3.7年。其他好处包括缩短启动时间以及通过直接电气反馈实现实时自动化的潜力。在第二阶段研发期间，Cambrian Innovation将优化技术，并在客户现场建立一个规模化的示范工厂。该项目更广泛的影响/商业潜力是通过增强废水处理产生能源的过程，帮助缓解美国和整个工业化世界对水和能源的冲突需求。厌氧消化可以从废水中产生能量。AgSTAR最近的一份报告强调了这项技术在美国的潜力，确定了8，000多个畜牧设施和许多适合该技术的工业用地。Cambrian的ExogenTM平台旨在降低成本，增加与在关键行业领域部署厌氧消化相关的效益，从而加快扩散速度。最终，这项技术可以为厌氧消化过程开辟新的工业。外源还具有通过将CO2直接还原为CH 4来进行碳封存的潜力。因此，ExogenTM技术提供了广泛的应用，具有显著的社会效益。

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project will optimize and pilot test the patent-pending Exogen system for the generation of biogas during wastewater treatment. Based on a newly discovered process called electromethanogenesis, ExogenTM uses applied voltages and bio-electrodes to increase wastewater treatment rates and methane fraction compared to competing fixed-film anaerobic digestion processes. Phase I R&D demonstrated (1) 30% - 50% increase in chemical oxygen demand removal rate, (2) 30%-60% increase in biogas production, (3) 5 - 18% increase in methane concentrations with both artificial and real-world wastewater, resulting in a payback period of 1.7 - 3.7 years. Further benefits include reduction in start-up time and the potential for real-time automation via direct electrical feedback. During Phase II R&D Cambrian Innovation will optimize the technology and build a scaled demonstration plant at a customer site The broader impact/commercial potential of this project is to help alleviate the conflicting demands for water and energy in the United States and across the industrialized world by enhancing the process of generating energy from wastewater treatment. Anaerobic digestion can generate energy from wastewater. A recent AgSTAR report has highlighted the potential for this technology in the U.S., identifying over 8,000 livestock facilities and numerous industrial sites suitable for the technology. Cambrian's ExogenTM platform aims to decrease the costs and increase the benefit associated with deploying anaerobic digestion in key industry segments, resulting in faster diffusion. Eventually the technology could open up new industries for anaerobic digestion processes. Exogen further has the potential for carbon sequestration via the direct reduction of CO2 to CH4. As such, ExogenTM technology offers a broad range of applications with significant societal benefit.