This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project will optimize and pilot test the patent-pending Exogen system for the generation of biogas during wastewater treatment. Based on a newly discovered process called electromethanogenesis, ExogenTM uses applied voltages and bio-electrodes to increase wastewater treatment rates and methane fraction compared to competing fixed-film anaerobic digestion processes. Phase I R&D demonstrated (1) 30% - 50% increase in chemical oxygen demand removal rate, (2) 30%-60% increase in biogas production, (3) 5 - 18% increase in methane concentrations with both artificial and real-world wastewater, resulting in a payback period of 1.7 - 3.7 years. Further benefits include reduction in start-up time and the potential for real-time automation via direct electrical feedback. During Phase II R&D Cambrian Innovation will optimize the technology and build a scaled demonstration plant at a customer site
The broader impact/commercial potential of this project is to help alleviate the conflicting demands for water and energy in the United States and across the industrialized world by enhancing the process of generating energy from wastewater treatment. Anaerobic digestion can generate energy from wastewater. A recent AgSTAR report has highlighted the potential for this technology in the U.S., identifying over 8,000 livestock facilities and numerous industrial sites suitable for the technology. Cambrian's ExogenTM platform aims to decrease the costs and increase the benefit associated with deploying anaerobic digestion in key industry segments, resulting in faster diffusion. Eventually the technology could open up new industries for anaerobic digestion processes. Exogen further has the potential for carbon sequestration via the direct reduction of CO2 to CH4. As such, ExogenTM technology offers a broad range of applications with significant societal benefit.
