EPSRC DTP Research Studentship: Developing a new electro-photosynthesis system for CO2 fixation

在全球变暖的时代，追求可持续的低碳或零碳能源解决方案已成为当务之急。然而，实现真正可持续的未来不仅取决于能源生产的成功脱碳，而且还取决于同时减少大气中的二氧化碳水平和提供净零或净负的化学品生产。这些迫切需要引导我们将电合成作为一种变革性技术，解决生产脱碳和大气碳去除的共生挑战，仅使用清洁的电能和/或阳光。微生物电合成是细菌利用微生物作为催化剂（反应中心）将低能底物转化为高能产物的过程。当用于二氧化碳捕获时，这些系统的关键输入是：二氧化碳、水和电力（由太阳能电池板提供），潜在的潜在输出是无限的。通过在细菌中设计一种光利用途径，我们已经证明我们可以增加细胞代谢，进一步提高由太阳能电池板供电的微生物电合成驱动的人工光合系统的效率。该项目主要旨在回答“基于微生物电化学的人工光合系统”（MEBAPS）是否可以成为碳捕获和利用问题的可扩展解决方案的问题。我们打算通过实现以下主要目标来做到这一点：评估关键操作因素对系统性能的影响（如流量、反应堆设计参数）开发生物电化学系统快速测试平台3。开发详细的工程模型来预测系统瓶颈，并通过经验验证模型。使用实验-建模相结合的方法来快速评估系统瓶颈的解决方案。应用计算方法（量子建模/代谢建模/分子建模/ML）来评估增强光利用途径的方法。利用已开发的模型评估光增强微生物电合成大规模长时间碳利用的可行性。正如研究问题所强调的那样，本研究的重点是将MEBAPS从实验规模转移到评估系统可行性。目前对微生物电合成和人工光合作用的研究主要集中在概念证明和低水平的科学发展上，通常使用实验或建模方法。所提出的研究方法在这个领域是独一无二的，原因有三个：1。它协同使用建模和实验快速开发和设计。2. 利用的光利用途径是微生物而不是物理化学，因此该系统具有潜在的更低成本和更低的环境影响，同时具有自我修复和适应能力。技术经济模型将从头开始开发，基于实验验证的低水平设备模型的发现，而不是仅仅使用文献价值。该项目主要属于能源和脱碳主题，目前没有重要的工业合作或大学以外的合作。

In the era of global warming the pursuit of sustainable, low or zero-carbon energy solutions has emerged as a pressing imperative. Yet, the realization of a truly sustainable future hinges not only on the successful decarbonization of energy production, but also on the simultaneous reduction of atmospheric CO2 levels and provision of net-zero or net-negative chemical production. These imperatives direct us towards electrosynthesis as a transformative technology, addressing the symbiotic challenges of decarbonization of production and atmospheric carbon removal, using solely clean electrical energy and/or sunlight. Microbial Electrosynthesis is a process by which bacteria convert low energy substrates into high energy products using microbes as a catalyst (reaction centre). When used for CO2 capture these systems have key inputs of: CO2, Water, and electricity (supplied by a solar panel) with potentially limitless potential outputs. By engineering a light harnessing pathway into the bacteria, we have already shown that we can increase cell metabolism, further driving the efficiency of an artificial photosynthetic system driven by microbial electrosynthesis powered by a solar panel.This project primarily aims to answer the question of whether, "Microbial Electrochemical based Artificial Photosynthetic Systems" (MEBAPS) can be a scalable solution to the problem of Carbon capture and utilisation. We intend to do this by meeting the following key aims:1. Assess the impact of key operational factors on system performance (e.g. Flow rates, Reactor Design parameters)2. Develop a platform for rapid testing of Bio-Electrochemical Systems3. Developed detailed engineering models to predict system bottlenecks and validate models empirically.4. Use a combined experimental-modelling approach to rapidly assess solutions to system bottlenecks.5. Apply computational methods (Quantum Modelling/Metabolic Modelling/Molecular Modelling/ML) to assess methods to enhance light harnessing pathways.6. Assess the viability of light enhanced microbial electrosynthesis for large scale long duration carbon utilisation using developed models.As highlighted by the research questions this research focusses on moving MEBAPS away from the bench scale and assessing system viability. Existing research on microbial electrosynthesis and artificial photosynthesis is primarily centred around proof of concept and low-level scientific developments, typically using experimental or modelling methods. The proposed research methodology is unique in this field for three reasons:1. It Synergistically uses Modelling and experimentation for rapid development and design. 2. The light harnessing Pathway utilised is Microbial rather than physiochemical, hence the system has potentially lower costs and lower environmental impact while being self-healing and adapting.3. The technoeconomic model will be developed form the ground up, basing findings on low level device models that have been experimentally validated rather than solely using literature values.This project primarily falls within the Energy and decarbonisation theme, currently there is no significant industrial collaboration or collaboration outside of the university.