Biofertilizer Production via Renewable Electricity-Driven Nitrogen Fixation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current ammonia synthesis methods, such as the Haber-Bosch process, are unsustainable due to high energy consumption, reliance on natural gas, and environmental impact, while alternative approaches using transition metal catalysts, electrocatalysts, and nitrogenases often suffer from low efficiency and selectivity when powered by renewable energy at ambient conditions.
Innovation Solution
A bioreactor system that couples hydrogen generation from electricity-dependent water splitting with the nitrogen-fixing capabilities of autotrophic microorganisms like Xanthobacter autotrophicus to produce ammonia-enriched biomass, which can be used as a biofertilizer, enabling sustainable and selective ammonia production by inhibiting glutamine synthetase to divert ammonia production extracellularly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the Haber-Bosch process is used for ammonia synthesis, then high efficiency and scalability are achieved, but high energy consumption and environmental damage occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical/thermal Haber-Bosch process with a biological system using nitrogen-fixing microorganisms that convert atmospheric nitrogen to ammonia under ambient conditions through enzymatic reactions, eliminating the need for high temperature and pressure equipment
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the operating parameters from extreme conditions (high temperature, high pressure) to ambient conditions by using biological catalysts (nitrogenases) that function optimally at moderate temperatures and atmospheric pressure, dramatically reducing energy input requirements
2Use of energy by moving object
If transition metal catalysts or electrocatalysts are used for nitrogen reduction at ambient conditions, then energy consumption is reduced, but efficiency and selectivity deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses microorganisms that naturally possess nitrogenase enzymes for nitrogen fixation, leveraging evolved biological systems that efficiently catalyze nitrogen reduction without requiring external energy input or complex catalyst design, achieving both low energy consumption and high efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The invention combines biological components (nitrogen-fixing microorganisms, enzymes) with controlled environmental conditions to create a hybrid system that achieves catalytic efficiency comparable to or exceeding synthetic catalysts while operating under sustainable energy conditions
3Reliability
If nitrogen-fixing microorganisms are used for ammonia production, then sustainable and selective ammonia production is achieved, but ammonia must be diverted from biomass formation
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts ammonia from the microorganisms after nitrogen fixation, separating the ammonia production function from biomass formation, allowing ammonia to be harvested as a product while the microorganisms continue to fix nitrogen sustainably
Solution Approach 2:
The microorganisms act as intermediary agents that convert atmospheric nitrogen to ammonia, which is then extracted and used as fertilizer, decoupling the sustainable nitrogen fixation process from the biomass production pathway
4Productivity
If conventional fertilizers are applied to soils, then crop yields are maintained, but environmental damage and decreasing efficiency occur
Solution Approach 1:
The system converts atmospheric nitrogen (which is inert and unusable by plants) into bioavailable ammonia through biological fixation, providing a sustainable nitrogen source that eliminates the environmental harm associated with synthetic fertilizer production and application
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach enables the production of ammonia at ambient conditions with enhanced efficiency and selectivity, powered by renewable electricity, and when applied as a biofertilizer, significantly increases crop yields, such as radish storage root mass by up to 1440%, while reducing CO2 emissions.
Implementation Method 1
hydrogen generation from electricity-dependent water splitting
Implementation Method 2
nitrogen-fixing capabilities of autotrophic microorganisms like Xanthobacter autotrophicus to produce ammonia-enriched biomass
Data Source
AI summary
The disclosure provides a bioreactor system for conducting nitrogen fixation with renewable electricity to produce an engineered soil microbiome enriched in ammonia and carbon. The disclosure further provides an inorganic-biological hybrid bioreactor system that couples the generation of H2 by electricity-dependent H2O-splitting with the nitrogen-fixing capabilities of autotrophic, N2-fixing microorganisms to cultivate NH3-enriched and/or carbon-enriched biomass. The disclosure also provides methods for using NH3-enriched and/or carbon-enriched biomass for applications, such as, biofertilizers for improving the characteristics and performance of soils, e.g., to enhance the yield of agricultural crops. The disclosure further provides biofertilizers, as well as engineered soils and seeds augmented with a biofertilizer.