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

贝勒大学和韦科市国家科学基金会公民合作伙伴关系在韦科的汉纳山垃圾填埋场试点了一个气候智能，废物转化为能源的多燃料燃烧器（CSWEC），实现了清洁的垃圾填埋火炬；具有高燃料灵活性的清洁废物转化能源（WtE）；近零排放;以及该地区更高的能量恢复能力。这项联合努力将寻求减少甲烷和垃圾填埋气（LFG）中的主要空气污染物（颗粒物、未燃烧的碳氢化合物和氮氧化物），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弹性战略重点。CSWEC系统的发展不仅有助于减少堆填区所需的表面积，而且还有助于对抗导致气候变化的堆填区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能值是二氧化碳的28-36倍；因此，美国减少甲烷排放行动计划敦促减少垃圾填埋场以及工业和农场的甲烷排放。在减少污染的同时，CSWEC开发了一种独特的WtE燃烧工艺，可以利用以前无法有效转化为能源的各种性质和成分的废物来源。与NSF的工作重点一致，CSWEC将推进与WtE和气候相关的自然科学和社会科学。该新型CSWEC采用贝勒专有的“直接”组件，其成功和最终规模将减少当地的废物处理负担，提高能源弹性，并有可能对美国和全球贫困人口以及遭受空气污染、气候变化和高能源成本的有色人种产生重大影响。拟议的工作将通过(1)通过在韦科堆填区进行的CSWEC试点测试，展示各种废物燃料的超清洁燃烧和发电，并以最少的处理工序，来缩小垃圾焚烧方面的技术和社会差距；(2)评价cswc试点系统对地方排放、能源弹性、经济和能源公平的影响。结果还将显示扩展和转移CSWEC的可行性，成本效益和显着效益：(1)其他垃圾填埋场和工业运营的非零排放火炬；(2)美国环保局确定的951个运营和潜在的垃圾填埋气能源系统（德克萨斯州74个）；(3)非lfg废物燃料的WtE系统。除了传统的出版物外，研究结果还将通过贝勒大学梅伯恩博物馆的非正式教育，通过国家科学基金会的公众门户项目，以及与韦科可持续发展网络的合作，进行传播，并通过贝勒大学的实验室到市场团队进行商业化开发。公民创新挑战赛是能源部、国土安全部和国家科学基金会的合作项目。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，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.