Greenhouse Gases Sustain Landfill EcoComplex: Utilization of Landfill CO2 for Commercial Crops and Landfill Methane for Fuel Cells

50690-98-I Greenhouse Gases Sustain Landfill EcoComplex: Utilization of Landfill CO2 for Commercial Crops and Landfill Methane for Fuel Cells--Acrion Technologies, Inc., 9099 Bank Street, Cleveland, OH 44125-3436; (216) 573-1187 Dr. William R. Brown, Principal Investigator Dr. William R. Brown, Business Official DOE Grant No. DE-FG02-98ER82516 Amount: $74,548 Landfill gas (contaminated methane and CO2) is a plentiful resource largely wasted by venting or flaring. Landfill gas could provide CO¿ and energy to grow hothouse crops year-round in landfill-based greenhouse as well as methane gas for fuel cells. However, a major technical/economic barrier to the wide commercial use of landfill CO2 and methane is contaminant removal. This project will use separation technology to convert landfill gas to clean mixtures of CO2 and methane. Phase I will develop experimental thermodynamic data and integrated landfill gas process design(s) for greenhouse quality CO2 and fuel cell grade methane. In particular, the removal of ethylene, a common landfill gas contaminant which is not welcome in greenhouses, will be addressed. In Phase II, one ton CO2/day will be produced for greenhouse comsumption and enough methane will be produced to power a 200k fuel cell. Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee: The technology should lead to economic gas utilization at landfill sites with reduced greenhouse gas emissions. Alternative landfill gas products include medium Btu gas; compressed or liquefied methane for pipeline gas, high pressure turbine fuel for cogeneration, or heavy vehicle fuel; methane-CO2 feedstocks for methanol and di-methyl ether; and merchant liquid CO2. _