I-Corps: Customer Discovery for Waste Valorization Technology

University Of Tennessee Knoxville, Knoxville TN

Investigators

Abstract

The broader impact/commercial potential of this I-Corps project is to substantially reduce green house gas (GHG) emissions from landfills, industry, and transportation, while providing a zero-emission fuel to collectively contribute towards a more sustainable, closed-loop economy. Fuel cell technologies are a solution that has the potential to transform transportation industry with zero tailpipe emissions like electric cars, but with mileage range similar to gasoline and diesel fuel. Additionally, stationary fuel cells can provide a zero emission electricity source. Developing a viable system to convert organic waste into renewable hydrogen in a modular, decentralized fashion can be a paradigm changer for hydrogen supply and the fuel cell market while solving additional societal issues surrounding food waste and fossil fuel emissions. This I-Corps project proposes to develop a modular microbial electrolysis stack system capable of continuous high-rate hydrogen production from food waste. The innovation is based on electron or electricity producing bacteria, which generate current from organic waste and a device that Electro-Active has developed to enable high-rate hydrogen production from that current. It incorporates optimized reactor design and operation to sustain productivities typically seen only with pure substrates. To demonstrate proof-of-concept for this technology, target productivities and price point must be demonstrated in a larger reactor unit over a longer period of time. Sustained performance requires high-rate biocatalytic conversion of feedstock, and high-rate proton transport to the cathode. To overcome these challenges, a patented microbial enrichment process has been created to develop a robust microbial community capable of converting complex waste into electrons at high rates and efficiency. Additionally, preliminary data with robust biocatalyst, novel reactor design and operation provides evidence that the integrated approach can overcome these limitations. 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.