| Grant: 2.6 MDKK for 2 years Assistant Professor Jo Philips, Department of Biological and Chemical Engineering, Aarhus University Professor Bruce Logan, Pennsylvania State University, USA Professor Alfred Spormann, Stanford University, USA |
This project is a collaboration between Jo Philips, Bruce Logan (Penn State, USA) and Alfred Spormann (CORC and Stanford University, USA). This project aims to overcome the engineering hurdles that still limit the industrial implementation of electromethanogenesis, i.e. the microbial electrosynthesis of methane from CO2 gas and electricity using methanogenic microorganisms.
Each partner has its own focus area. The group of Jo Philips focusses on applying mathematical modelling to identify the factors limiting the current rates of electromethanogenesis. This includes the simulation of how differences between methanogenic strains affect the methane formation rates. For instance, we will compare planktonic growth versus biofilm formation. In addition, we will evaluate pure cultures versus microbial methanogenic communities. Furthermore, the effect of different reactor designs on the efficiency of the electromethanogenesis process will be simulated.
