3D-printed scaffolds help turn waste methane into useful chemical using less power than liquid reactors
When landfills and wastewater treatment plants create methane as a byproduct, much of it is simply burned and its value is lost. But the gas is an energy-rich resource that could be recycled as a fuel, chemical feedstock or bioproduct. Capturing and converting waste methane offers an opportunity to recover energy and create useful products from an otherwise wasted gas stream.
Researchers at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) have developed a 3D-printed solid-state bioreactor that efficiently converts methane waste into succinate, a valuable chemical. By using porous scaffolds to house methane-consuming bacteria, the bioreactor achieves a tenfold improvement in performance compared to traditional liquid-state systems while consuming significantly less power.
Methanotrophs, bacteria naturally designed to process methane, are responsible for the conversion, eliminating the need for added heat or pressure. The unique scaffold structure enables direct contact between the methane gas and the bacteria, improving gas exchange and overall efficiency. Scaling from a 2-milliliter reactor to a 1-liter reactor was achieved using LLNL's advanced additive manufacturing capabilities, and further scaling is necessary for real-world deployment.
This innovative approach could be applied at small-scale facilities such as landfills and wastewater treatment plants, providing an economically viable solution for recovering value from methane waste.
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