# US 11,111,468 B2 · Electromethanogenesis reactor

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- Number: US 11,111,468 B2
- Document ID: US11111468B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/949,378
- Filed: 2018-04-10
- Published: 2019-10-10
- Granted: 2021-09-07
- Earliest claimed: 2018-04-10
- Assignees: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, LLC
- Applicants: Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC
- Inventors: Jennifer Marie Knipe; Sarah E. Baker; Marcus A. Worsley; Swetha Chandrasekaran
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11111468B2

## CPC

- C12M 21/04: {for producing gas, e.g. biogas (digesters for manure with production of biogas A01C3/028, biological treatment of water, waste water or sewage C02F3/00, C02F11/02, preparation of natural gas or syngas C10L3/06, C10L3/10)}
- C12M 23/34: {Internal compartments or partitions}
- C12M 35/02: {Electrical or electromagnetic means, e.g. for electroporation or for cell fusion}
- C12P 5/023: {Methane}
- C12N 13/00: Treatment of microorganisms or enzymes with electrical or wave energy, e.g. magnetism, sonic waves
- Y02E 50/30: Fuel from waste, e.g. synthetic alcohol or diesel
- Y02P 20/10: Process efficiency
- C12M: APPARATUS FOR ENZYMOLOGY OR MICROBIOLOGY; {APPARATUS FOR CULTURING MICROORGANISMS FOR PRODUCING BIOMASS, FOR GROWING CELLS OR FOR OBTAINING FERMENTATION OR METABOLIC PRODUCTS, i.e. BIOREACTORS OR FERMENTERS}
- C12P: FERMENTATION OR ENZYME-USING PROCESSES TO SYNTHESISE A DESIRED CHEMICAL COMPOUND OR COMPOSITION OR TO SEPARATE OPTICAL ISOMERS FROM A RACEMIC MIXTURE {(brewing of beer C12C; producing vinegar C12J; producing specific peptides or proteins C07K; producing enzymes C12N9/00; DNA or RNA concerning genetic engineering, vectors, e.g. plasmids, or their isolation, preparation or purification C12N15/00; measuring or testing processes involving enzymes or microorganisms C12Q; measuring or testing processes involving nucleic acid amplification reactions C12Q1/6844; fermentation processes to form a food composition, A21 or A23; compounds in general, see the relevant compound class, e.g. C01, C07)}
- C12N: MICROORGANISMS OR ENZYMES; COMPOSITIONS THEREOF; PROPAGATING, PRESERVING, OR MAINTAINING MICROORGANISMS; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING; CULTURE MEDIA (microbiological testing media C12Q1/00)
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
- Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS

## Abstract

Generation of energy and storage of energy for subsequent use is provided by electromethanogenesis of carbon dioxide into a fuel gas and the storage of the fuel gas for subsequent use. An electromethanogenic reactor includes an anode conductor and a cathode conductor wherein the cathode conductor includes submicron to micron scale pores. Electromethanogenesis microbes and/or enzymes are located in the micron scale pores of the cathode electrode conductor. Carbon dioxide is introduced into the electromethanogenic reactor and the electromethanogenesis microbes/enzymes and the carbon dioxide interact and produce a fuel gas. The fuel gas is stored for subsequent use, for example use in power generation.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An apparatus for generating energy and storing the energy for subsequent use, comprising:
an electromethanogenesis reactor,
an anode electrode conductor in said reactor,
a cathode electrode conductor in said reactor wherein said cathode electrode conductor is a 3D printed cathode electrode conductor with cubic lattices having ten orthogonal layers of parallel cylindrical rods,
submicron to micron scale pores in said cathode electrode conductor,
electromethanogenesis enzymes in said submicron to micron scale pores in said cathode electrode conductor,
electromethanogenesis microbes in said submicron to micron scale pores in said cathode electrode conductor,
a CO2 source for introducing carbon dioxide into said reactor,
an electrical load connected to said anode electrode conductor and said second cathode electrode conductor wherein fuel gas is produced in said reactor, and
a storage system for storing said fuel gas for subsequent use.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The apparatus for generating energy and storing the energy for subsequent use of claim 1 wherein said cathode electrode conductor is a graphene aerogel cathode electrode conductor.

### Claim 3

An apparatus for generating energy and storing the energy for subsequent use, comprising:
an electromethanogenesis reactor,
an anode electrode conductor in said reactor,
a cathode electrode conductor in said reactor wherein said cathode electrode conductor is a resorcinol-formaldehyde aerogel cathode electrode conductor with cubic lattices having ten orthogonal layers of parallel cylindrical rods,
submicron to micron scale pores in said cathode electrode conductor,
electromethanogenesis enzymes in said submicron to micron scale pores in said cathode electrode conductor,
electromethanogenesis microbes in said submicron to micron scale pores in said cathode electrode conductor,
a CO2 source for introducing carbon dioxide into said reactor,
an electrical load connected to said anode electrode conductor and said cathode electrode conductor wherein fuel gas is produced in said reactor, and
a storage system for storing said fuel gas for subsequent use.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The apparatus for generating energy and storing the energy for subsequent use of claim 3 wherein said cathode electrode conductor is a 3D printed cathode electrode conductor having a thickness that is greater than the thickness of standard electrodes.

### Claim 5 (depends on 3)

The apparatus for generating energy and storing the energy for subsequent use of claim 3 wherein said cathode electrode conductor is a 3D printed cathode electrode conductor having a surface and pores that extend from said surface into said 3D printed cathode electrode conductor.

### Claim 6 (depends on 3)

The apparatus for generating energy and storing the energy for subsequent use of claim 3 wherein said electrical load provides current density in said cathode electrode conductor and wherein said submicron to micron scale pores in said cathode electrode conductor, said electromethanogenesis enzymes, and said electromethanogenesis microbes are selected to provide maximum current density in said cathode electrode conductor.

### Claim 7 (depends on 3)

The apparatus for generating energy and storing the energy for subsequent use of claim 3 wherein said electromethanogenesis enzymes in said submicron to micron scale pores in said cathode electrode conductor, said electromethanogenesis microbes in said submicron to micron scale pores in said cathode electrode conductor, said CO2 source for introducing carbon dioxide into said reactor, and said electrical load for applying a voltage to said anode electrode conductor and said cathode electrode conductor produces methane gas in said reactor.

### Claim 8

A reactor apparatus for electromethanogenesis of carbon dioxide to methane, comprising:
an electromethanogenesis reactor housing,
an anode electrode conductor in said electromethanogenesis reactor housing;
a cathode electrode conductor in said electromethanogenesis reactor housing, said cathode electrode conductor having submicron to micron scale pores wherein said cathode electrode conductor is a resorcinol-formaldehyde aerogel cathode electrode conductor with cubic lattices having ten orthogonal layers of parallel cylindrical rods;
electromethanogenesis enzymes in said submicron to micron scale pores in said cathode electrode conductor,
electromethanogenesis microbes in said submicron to micron scale pores in said cathode electrode conductor,
a s CO2 source for introducing carbon dioxide into said electromethanogenesis reactor housing; and
an electrical load connected to said anode electrode conductor and said cathode electrode conductor wherein methane is produced in said electromethanogenesis reactor housing.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The reactor apparatus for electromethanogenesis of carbon dioxide to methane of claim 8 wherein said cathode electrode conductor is a 3D printed cathode electrode conductor having a thickness that is greater than the thickness of standard electrodes.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The reactor apparatus for electromethanogenesis of carbon dioxide to methane of claim 8 wherein said cathode electrode conductor is a 3D printed cathode electrode conductor having a surface and pores that extend from said surface into said 3D printed cathode electrode conductor.

### Claim 11 (depends on 8)

The reactor apparatus for electromethanogenesis of carbon dioxide to methane of claim 8 wherein said cathode electrode conductor is a resorcinol-formaldehyde aerogel cathode electrode conductor.

### Claim 12

A method of electromethanogenesis of carbon dioxide to methane, comprising the steps of:
providing an electromethanogenesis reactor housing,
providing an anode electrode conductor in said electromethanogenesis reactor housing;
providing a cathode electrode conductor in said electromethanogenesis reactor housing, said cathode electrode conductor having submicron to micron scale pores wherein said cathode electrode conductor is a resorcinol-formaldehyde aerogel cathode electrode conductor with cubic lattices having ten orthogonal layers of parallel cylindrical rods;
providing electromethanogenesis enzymes in said submicron to micron scale pores in said cathode electrode conductor,
providing electromethanogenesis microbes in said submicron to micron scale pores in said cathode electrode conductor,
providing a CO2 source for introducing carbon dioxide into said electromethanogenesis reactor housing; and
providing an electrical load connected to said anode electrode conductor and said cathode electrode conductor wherein methane is produced in said electromethanogenesis reactor housing.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The method of electromethanogenesis of carbon dioxide to methane of claim 12 further comprising the step of selecting said electromethanogenesis enzymes and said electromethanogenesis microbes to provide maximum current density in said cathode electrode conductor.

### Claim 14 (depends on 12)

The method of electromethanogenesis of carbon dioxide to methane of claim 12 wherein said step of providing a cathode electrode conductor in said electromethanogenesis reactor housing, said cathode electrode conductor having submicron to micron scale pores comprises providing a 3D printed cathode electrode conductor having a thickness that is greater than the thickness of standard electrodes.