I-Corps: Zero-waste Approach to Reuse Spent Coffee Grounds

这个i-Corps项目的更广泛的影响/商业潜力是由于回收废咖啡渣(SCG)的零废物方法。这项技术可能会导致更可持续的废物管理实践。它可以极大地降低市政当局和SCG发电机的垃圾填埋成本。这项技术将通过产生增值材料来节省更多的资源，并减少社区-S的碳足迹。这个i-Corps项目将使企业家领导者直接受益，因为他们可以走出实验室，与现实世界的客户建立联系。这一经历将使PI更好地掌握心态和技能，以追求她未来研究的商业应用。这一客户发现过程将为团队提供有关技术与市场匹配的基本信息，从而为商业化铺平道路。该项目可能会极大地促进这项环保技术被社会采用。这个i-Corps项目基于实验室验证的技术，可以重复使用SCG的全部部件。SCG将被分成两种产品，脂类部分作为生物燃料，其余固体作为生物炭或专门的活性碳。直接酯化工艺用于油脂提取，这也加强了后续的碳再利用工艺，使硫得到浓缩。与其他国家使用的溶剂萃取法相比，我们正在申请专利的工艺更具成本效益、效率和环保。它的简单和低成本将促进其广泛使用，从而有效地将SCG从垃圾填埋场分流出来，并产生可在当地使用的增值产品。客户发现是理解产品市场适合性的关键，这将极大地促进技术商业化。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The broader impact/commercial potential of this I-Corps project is due to the zero-waste approach to resue spent coffee grounds (SCGs). This technology can potentially result in a more sustainable waste management practice. It can greatly reduce landfill costs for the municipalities and SCG generators. The technology will result in more resources conserved by generating value added materials and reduce the community?s carbon footprint. This I-Corps project will directly benefit the entrepreneurial leaders by allowing them to go out of the laboratory and make real world customer connections. This experience will better equip the PI with the mindset and skills to pursue commercial applications of her future research. This customer discovery process will provide the team with essential information on technology-market fit, thus paving the way of commercialization. This project may greatly promote the adoption of this environmentally friendly technology by the society. This I-Corps project is based on laboratory proven technology to reuse the whole parts of SCGs. The SCGs will be separated into two products, the lipid fraction as biofuels and the remaining solids as either biochar or a specialized activated carbon. A direct esterification process is used for lipid extraction, which also enhances the subsequent carbon reuse process with sulfur enrichment. Compared with the solvent extraction process used by others, our patent-pending process is more cost effective, efficient and environmentally friendly. The simplicity and low cost will promote its wide use, and thus effectively divert SCG from landfills and generate value added products that can be used locally. Customer discovery is essential in understanding the product market fit, which will greatly facilitate technology commercialization.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.