SBIR Phase I: A Carbon Capture System for Algae Cultivation and Biochemicals Production using Hybrid Solar Lighting

SBIR 第一阶段：使用混合太阳能照明进行藻类培养和生化产品生产的碳捕获系统

• 批准号: 2324850
• 负责人: Sanjitha Rajapakshe
• 金额: $ 27.5万
• 依托单位: NATIONAL RESOURCE CONSULTANTS, LLC
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2023
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2023-10-01 至 2024-09-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2324850&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: SBIR; Phase; Carbon; Capture; System

The broader/commercial impact of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project is to mitigate CO2 (carbon dioxide) emissions into the atmosphere from point sources by developing a cost-effective carbon capture technology using a hybrid solar algae cultivation system. The team seeks to develop a method to use algae to produce biochemicals and biofuels. The algae cultivation system will utilize deep photobioreactors operated under controlled environmental conditions so as to obtain high area biomass productivities at a low land footprint. An algal biorefinery approach will be used to produce organic chemicals from the carbohydrate fraction, biodiesel from the lipids fraction, and end use for the residue. The adverse effects of CO2 accumulation include the frequent incidences of wildfires, flooding, intense hurricanes, and the acidification of the marine environment. The annual cost of wildfires alone in the U.S. in terms of damage to human health and the ecosystems is estimated to range from $71 to $348 billion. Growth rates of algae and the ability to absorb CO2 are about ten times that of terrestrial plants. This project will provide a sustainable carbon capture technology as it primarily relies on solar energy to capture CO2 and produce high value bioproduct. Implementation of this technology would also provide significant employment opportunities in diverse areas. The project will develop a hybrid solar/Light Emitting Diode (LED) lighting system within a photobioreactor to obtain high algal productivity and carbon dioxide capture from point emission sources. The novel hybrid solar lighting system will provide internal illumination at optimal intensity and temperature conditions to maximize carbohydrate productivity. The carbohydrate fraction of the algae will be processed to obtain high value platform organic acids using a proprietary low pH fermentation process. The goal of this project is to a obtain proof-of-concept for a photobioreactor design that will maximize volume per unit surface area so as to obtain high areal carbohydrate productivity with a small land area footprint and low external energy input. Fiber optic lighting will be used to provide internal illumination. The project scope also includes the feasibility of converting algae via acid hydrolysis to sugars and subsequent fermentation of these sugars to high value organic acids.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.

这项小型企业创新研究（SBIR）I期项目的更广泛/商业影响是通过使用混合太阳藻培养系统开发成本效益的碳捕获技术来减轻二氧化碳（二氧化碳）的排放。 该团队试图开发一种使用藻类生产生化物和生物燃料的方法。藻类培养系统将利用在受控环境条件下运行的深度光生反应器，以便在低土地足迹下获得高面积的生物量生产率。藻类生物填充方法将用于从碳水化合物馏分，脂质分数的生物柴油中生产有机化学物质，并最终用于残留物。 二氧化碳积累的不利影响包括野火的频繁发生，洪水，强烈的飓风和海洋环境的酸化。仅在美国，仅在美国损害人类健康和生态系统的年度野火费用估计从71至348亿美元不等。藻类的生长速率和吸收CO2的能力约为陆生植物的十倍。该项目将提供可持续的碳捕获技术，因为它主要依靠太阳能来捕获二氧化碳并产生高价值的生物产品。该技术的实施还将在不同领域提供大量就业机会。该项目将在光生反应器中开发一个混合太阳能/光发射二极管（LED）照明系统，以从点发射源获得高藻类生产率和二氧化碳捕获。新型的杂种太阳照明系统将在最佳强度和温度条件下提供内部照明，以最大程度地提高碳水化合物的生产率。藻类的碳水化合物分数将被处理，以使用专有的低pH发酵过程获得高价值平台有机酸。该项目的目的是获得光生反应器设计的概念验证，该设计将最大程度地提高单位表面积的体积，从而获得高面积的碳水化合物生产率，并具有较小的土地面积足迹和低外部能量输入。光纤照明将用于提供内部照明。该项目范围还包括通过酸水解转化为糖的藻类的可行性，并随后发酵这些糖以高价值有机酸。该奖项反映了NSF的法定任务，并被认为是值得通过基金会的智力优点和更广泛影响的评估标准来通过评估来进行评估的。