EFRI-PSBR: Closing the loop- towards a PSBR design framework for self-sustained marine microalgal-based fuel production

EFRI-PSBR：闭环 - 实现 PSBR 设计框架，用于自我维持的海洋微藻燃料生产

• 批准号: 1332341
• 负责人: Amy Grunden
• 金额: $ 200万
• 依托单位: North Carolina State University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2013
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2013-09-01 至 2019-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1332341&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: EFRI; PSBR; Closing; loop; towards

ABSTRACT Intellectual MeritAlgal oils have many characteristics of an ideal feedstock for biofuels production, offering the ability to use poor quality water (municipal wastewater, brackish water, etc.), atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2), and to reuse CO2 in flue gases in their preparation. However, there are several technical challenges associated with culturing and harvesting algae in current generation photosynthetic biorefineries (PSBRs). The overall goal of this project awarded jointly by NSF Emerging Frontiers in Research and Innovation Division and the Division of Molecular & Cellular Biosciences to Professors Amy Grunden, Francis de los Reyes III, Joel Ducoste, S. Ranji Ranjithan, and Heike Sederoff, all of North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, is to model, develop, implement, and evaluate a scalable PSBR that uses transformational nutrient recycle processes and supports efficient conversion of CO2 to oils in a marine microalgae-based system. Using synergistic engineering and biotechnological approaches, the team will: 1) genetically engineer a marine microalgae species (Dunaliella spp.) with enhanced CO2 uptake/fixation and the capability to recycle nitrogen and phosphorous from microalgal biomass; 2) design a small-scale PSBR using a kinetic model, which will be used to develop a scalable dynamic reactor model based on computational fluids dynamics simulation of the PSBR; 3) develop innovative, scalable approaches for algal harvesting and lipid extraction; and 4) develop a life-cycle analysis (LCA) framework that includes flexible and scalable cost and life-cycle inventory process models of the microalgal PSBR system. In a novel feature of the effort, the North Carolina State team plan the demonstration of novel Lagrangian microsensors that can assess accumulation of light radiation in proportion to its exposure during transport through the reactor, which will significantly aid in the modeling and testing of PSBR operation in response to light. Thus, genetic enhancement, reactor modeling, and LCA will be used to optimize the production of algal biomass and lipids in the PSBR.Broader Impacts Development of truly scalable and sustainable PSBRs offers tremendous economic and environmental impact by reducing the transportation sector reliance on fossil fuels. Innovative and transformative enabling-technologies that will permit robust production of marine microalgae biomass and lipids in scalable and sustainable PSBRs will bring significant environmental and economic benefits to the nation through the development of an efficient, high-yield alternative energy feedstock production platform. In addition, through the proposed mentoring and outreach programs, this interdisciplinary project involving engineers, microbiologists, molecular biologists, and plant physiologists provides unique opportunities for broadening STEM participation among high school, undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral scholars who will be required to bridge traditional disciplines and become the new generation of scientists and engineers to develop renewable energy for future generations. Specifically, the NCSU team will develop widely distributable web-based teaching modules for secondary students based on PSBR technologies in collaboration with faculty from Research Triangle High School (RTHS, www.rthighschool.org), a STEM-focused public charter school serving a diverse population from seven North Carolina counties. The PIs will also host a 6-week high school student summer research program for students that have matriculated through a 1-week preparatory Research Methods Bootcamp developed by the RTHS team. In addition, the team will introduce a new undergraduate special topics honors course, Photosynthetic Biorefineries for Fuel Production, to train undergraduate engineering and biology students in an integrated Honors seminar/discussion course providing opportunities for independent study as well as teamwork on topics relevant to photosynthetic biorefinery design, modeling, and operation.

摘要 知识优点 藻类油具有生物燃料生产理想原料的许多特性，能够利用劣质水（市政废水、苦咸水等）、大气中的二氧化碳 (CO2)，并在其生产过程中再利用烟道气中的二氧化碳。准备。然而，在当前一代光合生物精炼厂（PSBR）中培养和收获藻类存在一些技术挑战。该项目的总体目标由 NSF 研究与创新新兴前沿司和分子与细胞生物科学司联合授予 Amy Grunden、Francis de los Reyes III、Joel Ducoste、S. Ranji Ranjithan 和 Heike Sederoff 教授，位于北卡罗来纳州罗利的北卡罗来纳州立大学将建模、开发、实施和评估可扩展的 PSBR，该 PSBR 使用转化养分回收流程并支持高效转化在基于海洋微藻的系统中将二氧化碳转化为油。利用协同工程和生物技术方法，该团队将：1）对海洋微藻物种（杜氏藻属）进行基因改造，使其具有增强的二氧化碳吸收/固定能力以及从微藻生物质中回收氮和磷的能力； 2）使用动力学模型设计小型PSBR，该模型将用于开发基于PSBR计算流体动力学模拟的可扩展动态反应器模型； 3) 开发创新的、可扩展的藻类收获和脂质提取方法； 4) 开发生命周期分析（LCA）框架，其中包括微藻 PSBR 系统的灵活且可扩展的成本和生命周期库存过程模型。在这项工作的一个新特点中，北卡罗来纳州立大学团队计划展示新型拉格朗日微传感器，该传感器可以评估光辐射的积累与其在反应器传输过程中的暴露比例，这将极大地帮助 PSBR 操作的建模和测试对光的反应。因此，遗传增强、反应器建模和 LCA 将用于优化 PSBR 中藻类生物质和脂质的生产。 更广泛的影响 真正可扩展和可持续的 PSBR 的开发通过减少运输部门对化石燃料的依赖，带来巨大的经济和环境影响。创新和变革性的使能技术将允许在可扩展和可持续的 PSBR 中大量生产海洋微藻生物质和脂质，通过开发高效、高产的替代能源原料生产平台，将为国家带来显着的环境和经济效益。此外，通过拟议的指导和推广计划，这个涉及工程师、微生物学家、分子生物学家和植物生理学家的跨学科项目为扩大高中生、本科生、研究生和博士后学者的 STEM 参与提供了独特的机会，这些学者将需要跨越传统的桥梁学科并成为新一代科学家和工程师，为子孙后代开发可再生能源。具体来说，NCSU 团队将与 Research Triangle 高中（RTHS，www.rthighschool.org）的教师合作，基于 PSBR 技术为中学生开发可广泛分发的基于网络的教学模块，Research Triangle 高中是一所专注于 STEM 的公立特许学校，为多元化的学生提供服务。来自北卡罗来纳州七个县的人口。 PI 还将为通过 RTHS 团队开发的为期 1 周的预备研究方法训练营录取的学生举办为期 6 周的高中生暑期研究项目。此外，该团队还将推出一门新的本科专题荣誉课程“用于燃料生产的光合生物精炼厂”，以在综合荣誉研讨会/讨论课程中培训工程和生物学本科生，为光合作用相关主题的独立学习和团队合作提供机会生物精炼厂设计、建模和运营。