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

这个小型企业创新研究(SBIR)第二阶段项目将对正在申请专利的Exogen系统进行优化和中试，以在废水处理过程中产生沼气。基于新发现的一种名为电甲烷生成的过程，ExgenTM使用外加电压和生物电极来提高废水处理率和甲烷含量，与竞争的固定膜厌氧消化工艺相比。第一阶段研发表明：(1)化学需氧量去除效率提高30%-50%，(2)沼气产量提高30%-60%，(3)人工废水和实际废水的甲烷浓度提高5%-18%，回收期为1.7-3.7年。进一步的好处包括减少启动时间和通过直接电反馈实现实时自动化的潜力。在第二阶段研发期间，寒武纪创新将优化技术，并在客户现场建立一个规模示范工厂。该项目的更广泛影响/商业潜力是通过加强废水处理发电过程，帮助缓解美国和整个工业化世界对水和能源的相互冲突的需求。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多个畜牧场和许多适合这项技术的工业地点。寒武纪的ExgenTM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收益，从而实现更快的扩散。最终，这项技术可能会为厌氧消化过程开辟新的行业。Exgen还具有通过将二氧化碳直接还原为CH4进行碳封存的潜力。因此，ExgenTM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.