EFRI-PSBR: Closing the loop- towards a PSBR design framework for self-sustained marine microalgal-based fuel production

EFRI-PSBR：闭环 - 实现 PSBR 设计框架，用于自我维持的海洋微藻燃料生产

• 批准号: 1332341
• 负责人: Amy Grunden
• 金额: $ 200万
• 依托单位: North Carolina State University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2013
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2013-09-01 至 2019-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1332341&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: EFRI; PSBR; Closing; loop; towards

ABSTRACT Intellectual MeritAlgal oils have many characteristics of an ideal feedstock for biofuels production, offering the ability to use poor quality water (municipal wastewater, brackish water, etc.), atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2), and to reuse CO2 in flue gases in their preparation. However, there are several technical challenges associated with culturing and harvesting algae in current generation photosynthetic biorefineries (PSBRs). The overall goal of this project awarded jointly by NSF Emerging Frontiers in Research and Innovation Division and the Division of Molecular & Cellular Biosciences to Professors Amy Grunden, Francis de los Reyes III, Joel Ducoste, S. Ranji Ranjithan, and Heike Sederoff, all of North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, is to model, develop, implement, and evaluate a scalable PSBR that uses transformational nutrient recycle processes and supports efficient conversion of CO2 to oils in a marine microalgae-based system. Using synergistic engineering and biotechnological approaches, the team will: 1) genetically engineer a marine microalgae species (Dunaliella spp.) with enhanced CO2 uptake/fixation and the capability to recycle nitrogen and phosphorous from microalgal biomass; 2) design a small-scale PSBR using a kinetic model, which will be used to develop a scalable dynamic reactor model based on computational fluids dynamics simulation of the PSBR; 3) develop innovative, scalable approaches for algal harvesting and lipid extraction; and 4) develop a life-cycle analysis (LCA) framework that includes flexible and scalable cost and life-cycle inventory process models of the microalgal PSBR system. In a novel feature of the effort, the North Carolina State team plan the demonstration of novel Lagrangian microsensors that can assess accumulation of light radiation in proportion to its exposure during transport through the reactor, which will significantly aid in the modeling and testing of PSBR operation in response to light. Thus, genetic enhancement, reactor modeling, and LCA will be used to optimize the production of algal biomass and lipids in the PSBR.Broader Impacts Development of truly scalable and sustainable PSBRs offers tremendous economic and environmental impact by reducing the transportation sector reliance on fossil fuels. Innovative and transformative enabling-technologies that will permit robust production of marine microalgae biomass and lipids in scalable and sustainable PSBRs will bring significant environmental and economic benefits to the nation through the development of an efficient, high-yield alternative energy feedstock production platform. In addition, through the proposed mentoring and outreach programs, this interdisciplinary project involving engineers, microbiologists, molecular biologists, and plant physiologists provides unique opportunities for broadening STEM participation among high school, undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral scholars who will be required to bridge traditional disciplines and become the new generation of scientists and engineers to develop renewable energy for future generations. Specifically, the NCSU team will develop widely distributable web-based teaching modules for secondary students based on PSBR technologies in collaboration with faculty from Research Triangle High School (RTHS, www.rthighschool.org), a STEM-focused public charter school serving a diverse population from seven North Carolina counties. The PIs will also host a 6-week high school student summer research program for students that have matriculated through a 1-week preparatory Research Methods Bootcamp developed by the RTHS team. In addition, the team will introduce a new undergraduate special topics honors course, Photosynthetic Biorefineries for Fuel Production, to train undergraduate engineering and biology students in an integrated Honors seminar/discussion course providing opportunities for independent study as well as teamwork on topics relevant to photosynthetic biorefinery design, modeling, and operation.

藻类油具有生物燃料生产的理想原料的许多特性，提供使用劣质水（城市废水、微咸水等）的能力，大气中的二氧化碳（CO2），以及在其制备中再利用烟道气中的CO2。然而，在当前一代光合生物炼制（PSBR）中，存在与培养和收获藻类相关的若干技术挑战。该项目由美国国家科学基金会新兴前沿研究与创新部和分子细胞生物科学部联合授予Amy Grunden，弗朗西斯de洛斯雷耶斯III，Joel Ducoste，S. Ranji Ranjithan和Heike Sederoff都来自北卡罗来纳州北卡罗来纳州罗利的州立大学，他们将对一种可扩展的PSBR进行建模、开发、实施和评估，该PSBR使用转化营养物再循环过程，并支持在基于海洋微藻的系统中将CO2有效转化为油。利用协同工程和生物技术方法，该团队将：1）遗传工程的海洋微藻物种（杜氏藻属）。具有增强的CO2吸收/固定以及从微藻生物质中回收氮和磷的能力; 2）使用动力学模型设计小规模PSBR，该动力学模型将用于基于PSBR的计算流体动力学模拟开发可扩展的动态反应器模型; 3）开发用于藻类收获和脂质提取的创新的、可扩展的方法;以及4）开发生命周期分析（LCA）框架，其包括微藻PSBR系统的灵活且可扩展的成本和生命周期库存过程模型。在这项工作的一个新特点中，北卡罗来纳州的团队计划演示新型拉格朗日微传感器，该微传感器可以评估在通过反应堆运输期间光辐射的积累与其暴露成比例，这将大大有助于模拟和测试PSBR响应光的操作。因此，遗传增强、反应器建模和生命周期评估将用于优化PSBR中藻类生物质和脂质的生产。更广泛的影响真正可扩展和可持续的PSBR的开发通过减少运输部门对化石燃料的依赖，提供了巨大的经济和环境影响。创新和变革性的使能技术将允许在可扩展和可持续的PSBR中稳健地生产海洋微藻生物质和脂质，通过开发高效，高产的替代能源原料生产平台，将为国家带来重大的环境和经济效益。此外，通过拟议的指导和推广计划，这个涉及工程师，微生物学家，分子生物学家和植物生理学家的跨学科项目为扩大高中，本科，研究生和博士后学者的STEM参与提供了独特的机会，他们将被要求弥合传统学科，成为新一代的科学家和工程师，为子孙后代开发可再生能源。具体而言，NCSU团队将与三角研究高中（RTHS，www.rthighschool.org）的教师合作，为中学生开发基于PSBR技术的可广泛分发的基于网络的教学模块，三角研究高中是一所专注于STEM的公立特许学校，为来自七个北卡罗来纳州县的多样化人口提供服务。 PI还将为通过RTHS团队开发的为期1周的预备研究方法训练营录取的学生举办为期6周的高中生暑期研究计划。此外，该团队将引入一个新的本科专题荣誉课程，光合生物炼制燃料生产，培养本科工程和生物学学生在综合荣誉研讨会/讨论课程提供独立学习的机会，以及在光合生物炼制设计，建模和操作相关主题的团队合作。