Project contents
Initially economically optimized materials for the construction of the microbial electrolysis cell will be identified and tested. Based on the results, the construction will be up-scaled and optimized. This will accompanied by an ecological and economic evaluation of the materials and construction, combined with an iterative optimization. To improve the performance of the microbial electrolysis cell, the established inoculation and adaptation processes for the anode from the previous project will be further developed. The long-term stability of these procedures will be investigated and optimized using real brewery waste water.
Parallel to this an improved catalyst for the direct synthesis for DME from H2 and CO2 as well as an appropriate DME-synthesis plant will be developed. The plant will be operated together with the microbial electrolysis cell using brewery waste water and thoroughly characterised. Based on the operation data a detailed ecologic and economic evaluation of the concept will be carried out and it will be compared with conventional waste water treatments.
The overall project is divided into five major tasks over the scheduled period of 42 months (1.9.2010 until 28.2.2023). Hereunder you will find every task broken down into work packages. The first-mentioned partner is responsible for the work package.
WP 1.1: Operation of a state-of-the art microbial electrolysis cell with brewery waste water as benchmark, (Uni Bremen)
WP 1.2: Identification and qualification of economically and ecologically optimized materials, (Uni Bremen, Fraunhofer ISE, TUTTAHS & MEYER)
WP 1.3: Scale-up and optimization of the MEC construction with regard to cost and ecological impact, (Uni Bremen, Fraunhofer ISE, TUTTAHS & MEYER)
WP 2.1: Isolation campaign for the identification of new biocatalysts for the operation with brewery waste water, (KIT)
WP 2.2: Correlation between the biofilm structure and the current density, (KIT)
WP 2.3: Long term stability and influence of the feed concentration on the biofilm activity, (KIT)
WP 3.1: Development of a portable reactor for the production of dimethyl ether, (Uni Freiburg, Uni Bremen)
WP 3.2: Development of a flexible bifunctional catalyst system for the production of DME-synthesis from CO₂ and H₂, (Uni Freiburg)
WP 3.3: Test of the portable reactor for the production of dimethyl ether, (Uni Freiburg)
WP 3.4: Optimization of the flexible bifunctional catalyst system for the production of DME-synthesis from CO₂ and H₂, (Uni Freiburg)
WP 4.1: Setup of the DME-synthesis plant, (Uni Freiburg, Uni Bremen)
WP 4.2: Coupling and characterization of the up-scaled complete system, (Uni Bremen, Uni Freiburg, KIT, Brauerei Beck)
WP 5.1: Life cycle inventory and definition of the overall system, (Fraunhofer ISE, Uni Bremen, Uni Freiburg, KIT, TUTTAHS & MEYER)
WP 5.2: Technological evaluation, (Fraunhofer ISE, Uni Bremen, Uni Freiburg, KIT, TUTTAHS & MEYER)
WP 5.3: Economical evaluation and Life-Cycle-Assessment, (Fraunhofer ISE)