Electromethanogenesis reactor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11111468-B2
Application number	US-201815949378-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 10, 2018
Priority date	Apr 10, 2018
Publication date	Sep 7, 2021
Grant date	Sep 7, 2021

Abstract

Generation of energy and storage of energy for subsequent use is provided by electromethanogenesis of carbon dioxide into a fuel gas and the storage of the fuel gas for subsequent use. An electromethanogenic reactor includes an anode conductor and a cathode conductor wherein the cathode conductor includes submicron to micron scale pores. Electromethanogenesis microbes and/or enzymes are located in the micron scale pores of the cathode electrode conductor. Carbon dioxide is introduced into the electromethanogenic reactor and the electromethanogenesis microbes/enzymes and the carbon dioxide interact and produce a fuel gas. The fuel gas is stored for subsequent use, for example use in power generation.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An apparatus for generating energy and storing the energy for subsequent use, comprising:
an electromethanogenesis reactor,
an anode electrode conductor in said reactor,
a cathode electrode conductor in said reactor wherein said cathode electrode conductor is a 3D printed cathode electrode conductor with cubic lattices having ten orthogonal layers of parallel cylindrical rods,
submicron to micron scale pores in said cathode electrode conductor,
electromethanogenesis enzymes in said submicron to micron scale pores in said cathode electrode conductor,
electromethanogenesis microbes in said submicron to micron scale pores in said cathode electrode conductor,
a CO2 source for introducing carbon dioxide into said reactor,
an electrical load connected to said anode electrode conductor and said second cathode electrode conductor wherein fuel gas is produced in said reactor, and
a storage system for storing said fuel gas for subsequent use.

2. The apparatus for generating energy and storing the energy for subsequent use of claim 1 wherein said cathode electrode conductor is a graphene aerogel cathode electrode conductor.

3. An apparatus for generating energy and storing the energy for subsequent use, comprising:
an electromethanogenesis reactor,
an anode electrode conductor in said reactor,
a cathode electrode conductor in said reactor wherein said cathode electrode conductor is a resorcinol-formaldehyde aerogel cathode electrode conductor with cubic lattices having ten orthogonal layers of parallel cylindrical rods,
submicron to micron scale pores in said cathode electrode conductor,
electromethanogenesis enzymes in said submicron to micron scale pores in said cathode electrode conductor,
electromethanogenesis microbes in said submicron to micron scale pores in said cathode electrode conductor,
a CO2 source for introducing carbon dioxide into said reactor,
an electrical load connected to said anode electrode conductor and said cathode electrode conductor wherein fuel gas is produced in said reactor, and
a storage system for storing said fuel gas for subsequent use.

4. The apparatus for generating energy and storing the energy for subsequent use of claim 3 wherein said cathode electrode conductor is a 3D printed cathode electrode conductor having a thickness that is greater than the thickness of standard electrodes.

5. The apparatus for generating energy and storing the energy for subsequent use of claim 3 wherein said cathode electrode conductor is a 3D printed cathode electrode conductor having a surface and pores that extend from said surface into said 3D printed cathode electrode conductor.

6. The apparatus for generating energy and storing the energy for subsequent use of claim 3 wherein said electrical load provides current density in said cathode electrode conductor and wherein said submicron to micron scale pores in said cathode electrode conductor, said electromethanogenesis enzymes, and said electromethanogenesis microbes are selected to provide maximum current density in said cathode electrode conductor.

7. The apparatus for generating energy and storing the energy for subsequent use of claim 3 wherein said electromethanogenesis enzymes in said submicron to micron scale pores in said cathode electrode conductor, said electromethanogenesis microbes in said submicron to micron scale pores in said cathode electrode conductor, said CO2 source for introducing carbon dioxide into said reactor, and said electrical load for applying a voltage to said anode electrode conductor and said cathode electrode conductor produces methane gas in said reactor.

8. A reactor apparatus for electromethanogenesis of carbon dioxide to methane, comprising:
an electromethanogenesis reactor housing,
an anode electrode conductor in said electromethanogenesis reactor housing;
a cathode electrode conductor in said electromethanogenesis reactor housing, said cathode electrode conductor having submicron to micron scale pores wherein said cathode electrode conductor is a resorcinol-formaldehyde aerogel cathode electrode conductor with cubic lattices having ten orthogonal layers of parallel cylindrical rods;
electromethanogenesis enzymes in said submicron to micron scale pores in said cathode electrode conductor,
electromethanogenesis microbes in said submicron to micron scale pores in said cathode electrode conductor,
a s CO2 source for introducing carbon dioxide into said electromethanogenesis reactor housing; and
an electrical load connected to said anode electrode conductor and said cathode electrode conductor wherein methane is produced in said electromethanogenesis reactor housing.

9. The reactor apparatus for electromethanogenesis of carbon dioxide to methane of claim 8 wherein said cathode electrode conductor is a 3D printed cathode electrode conductor having a thickness that is greater than the thickness of standard electrodes.

10. The reactor apparatus for electromethanogenesis of carbon dioxide to methane of claim 8 wherein said cathode electrode conductor is a 3D printed cathode electrode conductor having a surface and pores that extend from said surface into said 3D printed cathode electrode conductor.

11. The reactor apparatus for electromethanogenesis of carbon dioxide to methane of claim 8 wherein said cathode electrode conductor is a resorcinol-formaldehyde aerogel cathode electrode conductor.

12. A method of electromethanogenesis of carbon dioxide to methane, comprising the steps of:
providing an electromethanogenesis reactor housing,
providing an anode electrode conductor in said electromethanogenesis reactor housing;
providing a cathode electrode conductor in said electromethanogenesis reactor housing, said cathode electrode conductor having submicron to micron scale pores wherein said cathode electrode conductor is a resorcinol-formaldehyde aerogel cathode electrode conductor with cubic lattices having ten orthogonal layers of parallel cylindrical rods;
providing electromethanogenesis enzymes in said submicron to micron scale pores in said cathode electrode conductor,
providing electromethanogenesis microbes in said submicron to micron scale pores in said cathode electrode conductor,
providing a CO2 source for introducing carbon dioxide into said electromethanogenesis reactor housing; and
providing an electrical load connected to said anode electrode conductor and said cathode electrode conductor wherein methane is produced in said electromethanogenesis reactor housing.

13. The method of electromethanogenesis of carbon dioxide to methane of claim 12 further comprising the step of selecting said electromethanogenesis enzymes and said electromethanogenesis microbes to provide maximum current density in said cathode electrode conductor.

14. The method of electromethanogenesis of carbon dioxide to methane of claim 12 wherein said step of providing a cathode electrode conductor in said electromethanogenesis reactor housing, said cathode electrode conductor having submicron to micron scale pores comprises providing a 3D printed cathode electrode conductor having a thickness that is greater than the thickness of standard electrodes.

Assignees

• L Livermore Nat Security Llc
• Lawrence Livermore Nat Laboratory Llc

Inventors

• Knipe Jennifer Marie
• Baker Sarah E
• Worsley Marcus A
• Chandrasekaran Swetha

Classifications

• Y02P20/10

  Process efficiency · CPC title

• C12P5/023 Primary

  Methane · CPC title

• C12M21/04 Primary

  for producing gas, e.g. biogas (digesters for manure with production of biogas A01C3/028, biological treatment of water, waste water or sewage C02F3/00, C02F11/02, preparation of natural gas or syngas C10L3/06, C10L3/10) · CPC title

• C12M35/02

  Electrical or electromagnetic means, e.g. for electroporation or for cell fusion · CPC title

• C12N13/00

  Treatment of microorganisms or enzymes with electrical or wave energy, e.g. magnetism, sonic waves · CPC title