SusChEM: COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: Engineering the hollow-fiber membrane biofilm reactor to convert syngas to valuable products

1603656/1604385 PI：Rittmann，Bruce E./Lavly，Ryan P.标题：SusChEM：合作研究：设计中空纤维膜生物膜反应器，将合成气转化为有价值的产品木质纤维生物质转化为液体生物燃料的合成气体平台包括一个热化学转化步骤，以产生合成气(H2+CO)，然后将合成气生物转化为液体生物燃料。将这两个步骤结合起来，克服了生产第二代生物燃料的连续转化步骤的局限性，但只有在合成气体生物反应器允许向负责合成气体转化的同产乙酸菌输送高速率气体的情况下才能进行。PIS提出了一个合作项目，旨在改装目前用于水处理的中空纤维膜生物膜反应器(MBfR)，将低溶解度气体直接输送到生长在中空纤维膜外表面并利用这些气体作为基质的生物膜。基于膜的生物膜避免了直接的气液传质，而气液传质通常会减缓H2和CO的输送速度。总体目标是使MBfR用于从合成气中生产有价值的化学品。拟议的合作项目旨在为一个新的环境生物技术平台发展科学和工程基础，使合成气能够快速且具有成本效益地转化为有价值的有机产品。拟议的研究将集中于发展对用于MBfR的不对称膜的新型材料特性、在生物膜中工作良好的同乙酸菌的生理学以及在充氢和CO的生物膜中的生物动力学、生态和传质过程的相互作用的基本机理的理解。拟议的研究如果成功，将有助于建立一个新的环境生物技术平台，用于从合成气(H2和CO)生产有价值的产品。该项目将涉及一项实验调查，重点是膜的开发以及合适微生物(高乙酸菌)的选择和特征。它还将涉及基于实验数据开发理论模型，以描述和优化生物膜反应器的性能。该项目将包括STEM教育和劳动力发展努力，让代表不足的社区大学生参与研究。面向高中生的外展工作将侧重于高中科学实验室的可持续性和绿色化学示范，以及接待教师和学生进行暑期研究实习。

1603656 / 1604385 PIs: Rittmann, Bruce E. / Lively, Ryan P. Title: SusChEM: COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: Engineering the hollow-fiber membrane biofilm reactor to convert syngas to valuable productsThe syngas platform for conversion of lignocellulosic biomass to liquid biofuels involves a thermochemical conversion step to produce syngas (H2 + CO) followed by biological conversion of syngas to liquid biofuels. Combining the two steps overcomes the limitations of sequential conversion steps for producing second-generation biofuels, but only when the syngas bioreactor allows high rates of gas delivery to the homoacetogenic bacteria responsible for syngas conversion. The PIs propose a collaborative project aiming to adapt the hollow-fiber membrane biofilm reactor (MBfR), now used for water treatment, to deliver the low-solubility gases directly to a biofilm that grows on the outer surface of a hollow-fiber membrane and utilizes the gas as a substrate. The membrane-based biofilm avoids direct gas-liquid mass transfer, which normally slows the rate of H2 and CO delivery. The over-arching goal is to adapt the MBfR for the production of valuable chemicals from syngas.The proposed collaborative project aims to develop the scientific and engineering foundations for a new environmental-biotechnology platform that allows rapid and cost-effective conversion of syngas to valuable organic products. The proposed research will be focused on developing a fundamental mechanistic understanding of the novel material properties of asymmetric membranes useful in the MBfR, the physiology of homoacetogens that work well in a biofilm, and the interactions of biokinetic, ecological, and mass-transfer processes in biofilms fed with H2 and CO. The proposed research, if successful, will contribute to the foundation of a new environmental biotechnology platform for the production of valuable products from syngas (H2 and CO). The project will involve an experimental investigation focused on the development of membranes and the selection and characterization of suitable microorganisms (homoacetogens). It will also involve the development of a theoretical model, based on the experimental data, to describe and optimize the performance of biofilm reactors. The project will include a STEM education and workforce development effort by involving under-represented community-college students in research. An outreach effort to high school students will be focused on sustainability and green chemistry demonstrations in high school science laboratories and on hosting teachers and students for summer research internships.