SCC-CIVIC-FA Track A: Novel Fuel-Flexible Combustion to Enable Ultra-Clean and Efficient Waste-to-Renewable Energy in Changing Climate

贝勒大学和韦科市的NSF CIVIC合作伙伴关系在韦科的汉娜山垃圾填埋场试验了一种气候智能型、垃圾-能源多燃料燃烧器（CSWEC），使清洁垃圾填埋场燃烧成为可能;清洁垃圾-能源（WtE）具有高燃料灵活性;接近零排放;该地区的能源弹性更高。这一共同努力将寻求减少甲烷和主要空气污染物（颗粒物，未燃烧的碳氢化合物和垃圾填埋气（LFG）中的氮氧化物），并帮助实现韦科为应对2021年德克萨斯州冬季风暴Uri而制定的能源可持续性和恢复力的战略重点。CSWEC系统的开发不仅可以帮助减少垃圾填埋场所需的表面积，还可以防止导致气候变化的垃圾填埋场温室气体排放和燃烧。值得注意的是，垃圾填埋场甲烷的全球变暖潜力是二氧化碳的28-36倍;因此，美国甲烷减排行动计划敦促减少垃圾填埋场甲烷排放以及工业和农场的甲烷排放。沿着减少污染，CSWEC开发了一种独特的WtE燃烧工艺，该工艺能够使用具有各种特性和成分的废物源，这些废物源以前无法有效地转化为能源。根据NSF的优先事项，CSWEC将推进与WtE和气候相关的自然和社会科学。这种新型CSWEC与贝勒专有的“插入式”组件的成功和最终规模将减少当地废物处理负担，提高能源弹性，并有可能显著影响美国和全球穷人和受空气污染，气候变化和高能源成本影响最大的有色人种。拟议的工作将通过以下方式推进WtE的技术和社会差距：（1）通过在韦科垃圾填埋场对CSWEC进行试点测试，展示各种废物燃料的超清洁燃烧和电力，并进行最低限度的处理;（2）评估CSWEC试点系统对当地排放，能源弹性，经济和能源公平的影响。结果还将显示CSWEC扩展和转移到（1）其他垃圾填埋场和行业运营的非零排放火炬，以及（2）EPA确定的美国951个运营和潜在的垃圾填埋气能源系统（德克萨斯州74个）的可行性，成本效益和显著效益，以及（3）非LFG废物燃料的WtE系统。除了传统的出版物，研究结果还将通过非正式教育在贝勒的梅伯恩博物馆通过NSF门户网站向公众计划，并与韦科可持续发展网络合作，并通过贝勒的实验室到市场团队开发商业化。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

This Baylor University and City of Waco NSF CIVIC partnership pilots a Climate-Smart, Waste-to-Energy multi-Fuel combustor (CSWEC) on Waco’s Hannah Hill landfill, enabling clean landfill flare; clean waste-to-energy (WtE) with high fuel flexibility; near-zero-emissions; and higher energy resilience for the area. This joint effort will seek to reduce methane and key air pollutants (particulate matter, unburned hydrocarbons, and nitrogen oxides in landfill gas (LFG), and help fulfill Waco’s strategic priorities of energy sustainability and resilience developed in response to the 2021 TX Winter Storm Uri. Development of the CSWEC system can potentially help not only reduce surface area needed for landfills but also combat landfill greenhouse gas emissions and combustion which contribute to climate change. Significantly, landfill methane has a global warming potential 28-36 times that of CO2; therefore, the U.S. Methane Emissions Reduction Action Plan urges to reduce landfill methane emissions and those from industry and farms. Along with reducing pollution, CSWEC develops a unique process of WtE combustion which enable the use of waste sources with a variety of properties and compositions not previously able to be turned into energy effectively. In alignment with NSF’s priorities, CSWEC will advance natural and social sciences related to WtE and climate. Success and eventual scaling of this novel CSWEC with Baylor’s proprietary “drop-in” components will decrease local waste treatment burdens, boost energy resilience, and has the potential to significantly impact U.S. and global poor and people of color who suffer most from air pollution, climate change, and high energy costs. The proposed work will advance technical and social gaps in WtE by (1) demonstrating ultra-clean flaring and power from various waste-fuels with minimal processing via pilot testing of the CSWEC at the Waco landfill; (2) evaluating the impacts of the CSWEC pilot system on local emissions, energy resilience, economy, and energy equity. Results will also show the feasibility, cost-effectiveness, and significant benefits of scaling and transferring the CSWEC to (1) other landfills and industry-operating non-zero-emission flares, and (2) the EPA-identified 951 operational and potential Landfill Gas to Energy systems in the U.S (74 in Texas), and (3) WtE systems for non-LFG waste-based fuels. In addition to conventional publications, results will also be disseminated through informal education at Baylor’s Mayborn Museum through the NSF Portal-to-the-Public program, and collaboration with Waco Sustainability Network, and developed for commercialization through Baylor’s Lab-to-Market team.The CIVIC Innovation Challenge is a collaboration with Department of Energy, Department of Homeland Security, and the National Science Foundation.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.