Electromethanogenesis reactor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2019309242-A1
Application number	US-201815949378-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 10, 2018
Priority date	Apr 10, 2018
Publication date	Oct 10, 2019
Grant date	—

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

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, 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 system for introducing carbon dioxide into said reactor, a voltage system for applying a voltage 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 . The apparatus for generating energy and storing the energy for subsequent use of claim 1 wherein said cathode electrode conductor is a resorcinol-formaldehyde aerogel cathode electrode conductor.

4 . The apparatus for generating energy and storing the energy for subsequent use of claim 1 wherein said cathode electrode conductor is a 3D printed cathode electrode conductor.

5 . The apparatus for generating energy and storing the energy for subsequent use of claim 1 wherein said cathode electrode conductor is a 3D printed cathode electrode conductor having a thickness that is greater than the thickness of standard electrodes.

6 . The apparatus for generating energy and storing the energy for subsequent use of claim 1 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.

7 . The apparatus for generating energy and storing the energy for subsequent use of claim 1 wherein said voltage system 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.

8 . The apparatus for generating energy and storing the energy for subsequent use of claim 1 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 system for introducing carbon dioxide into said reactor, and said voltage system for applying a voltage to said anode electrode conductor and said second cathode electrode conductor produces methane gas in said reactor

9 . 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; 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 system for introducing carbon dioxide into said electromethanogenesis reactor housing; and a voltage system for applying a voltage to said anode electrode conductor and said cathode electrode conductor wherein methane is produced in said electromethanogenesis reactor housing.

10 . The reactor apparatus for electromethanogenesis of carbon dioxide to methane of claim 9 wherein said cathode electrode conductor is a 3D printed cathode electrode conductor.

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

12 . The reactor apparatus for electromethanogenesis of carbon dioxide to methane of claim 9 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.

13 . The reactor apparatus for electromethanogenesis of carbon dioxide to methane of claim 9 wherein said cathode electrode conductor is a graphene aerogel cathode electrode conductor.

14 . The reactor apparatus for electromethanogenesis of carbon dioxide to methane of claim 9 wherein said cathode electrode conductor is a resorcinol-formaldehyde aerogel cathode electrode conductor.

15 . A method of generating energy and storing the energy for subsequent use, comprising the steps of:
providing carbon dioxide, electromethanogenesis of said carbon dioxide into a fuel gas, and storing said fuel gas for subsequent use.

16 . The method of generating energy and storing the energy for subsequent use of claim 15 wherein said electromethanogenesis of said carbon dioxide into a fuel gas comprises electromethanogenesis of said carbon dioxide into methane gas.

17 . The method of generating energy and storing the energy for subsequent use of claim 15 wherein said electromethanogenesis of said carbon dioxide into a fuel gas comprises electromethanogenesis of said carbon dioxide into syngas.

18 . The method of generating energy and storing the energy for subsequent use of claim 15 wherein said step of storing said fuel gas for subsequent use comprises using said fuel gas for power generation.

19 . 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; 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 system for introducing carbon dioxide into said electromethanogenesis reactor housing; and providing a voltage system for applying a voltage to said anode electrode conductor and said cathode electrode conductor wherein methane is produced in said electromethanogenesis reactor housing.

20 . The method of electromethanogenesis of carbon dioxide to methane of claim 19 further comprising the step of selecting said electromethanogenesis enzymes and said electromethanogenesis microbes to provide maximum current density in said cathode electrode conductor.

21 . The method of electromethanogenesis of carbon dioxide to methane of claim 19 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.

22 . The method of electromethanogenesis of carbon dioxide to methane of claim 19 wherein said ste

Assignees

• L Livermore Nat Security Llc

Inventors

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

Classifications

• 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

• C12M23/34

  Internal compartments or partitions · 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

• C12P5/023 Primary

  Methane · CPC title