Title: Bioelectrochemical biorefining for the conversion of hydrogenous matter to hydrogen gas and other useful products

Abstract

A method for the substantially complete conversion of hydrogenous matter to higher value product, the method comprising: (i) subjecting the hydrogenous matter to a substantially complete deconstruction process in which an aqueous phase containing a multiplicity of deconstructed compounds is produced; and (ii) contacting the aqueous phase with an anode of a microbial electrolysis cell, the anode containing a community of microbes thereon which oxidatively degrade one or more of the oxygenated organic compounds in the aqueous phase to produce protons and free electrons at the anode, wherein the protons and free electrons are transported to the cathode to produce hydrogen gas or a valuable reduced organic compound at the cathode upon application of a suitable cell potential across the anode and cathode. The invention is also directed to an apparatus for practicing the method described above.

Inventors:

Borole, Abhijeet P.; Lewis, Alex James

Issue Date:

Tue Sep 01 00:00:00 EDT 2020

Research Org.:

Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

Sponsoring Org.:

USDOE

OSTI Identifier:

1735206

Patent Number(s):

10760169

Application Number:

15/623,794

Assignee:

UT-Battelle, LLC (Oak Ridge, TN); University of Tennessee Research Foundation (Knoxville, TN)

Patent Classifications (CPCs):

C - CHEMISTRY C12 - BIOCHEMISTRY C12M - APPARATUS FOR ENZYMOLOGY OR MICROBIOLOGY

C - CHEMISTRY C12 - BIOCHEMISTRY C12N - MICROORGANISMS OR ENZYMES

Show more

C - CHEMISTRY C12 - BIOCHEMISTRY C12M - APPARATUS FOR ENZYMOLOGY OR MICROBIOLOGY

C12M35/02 - {Electrical or electromagnetic means, e.g. for electroporation or for cell fusion}

C - CHEMISTRY C12 - BIOCHEMISTRY C12N - MICROORGANISMS OR ENZYMES

C12N13/00 - Treatment of microorganisms or enzymes with electrical or wave energy, e.g. magnetism, sonic waves

C - CHEMISTRY C12 - BIOCHEMISTRY C12P - FERMENTATION OR ENZYME-USING PROCESSES TO SYNTHESISE A DESIRED CHEMICAL COMPOUND OR COMPOSITION OR TO SEPARATE OPTICAL ISOMERS FROM A RACEMIC MIXTURE {

C12P3/00 - Preparation of elements or inorganic compounds except carbon dioxide {
C12P7/065 - {with microorganisms other than yeasts}
C12P7/16 - Butanols
C12P7/18 - polyhydric

Y - NEW / CROSS SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES Y02 - TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE Y02E - REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION

Y02E50/10 - Biofuels

Show less

DOE Contract Number:  

AC05-00OR22725

Resource Type:

Patent

Resource Relation:

Patent File Date: 06/15/2017

Country of Publication:

United States

Language:

English

Subject:

09 BIOMASS FUELS; 37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY