Grantee Research Project Results

2024 Progress Report: Implementation of an Industrial Scale Larvae BioReactor

EPA Grant Number: SU840580
Title: Implementation of an Industrial Scale Larvae BioReactor
Investigators: Brownell, Sarah
Institution: Rochester Institute of Technology
EPA Project Officer: Page, Angela
Phase: I
Project Period: August 1, 2023 through July 31, 2024 (Extended to January 31, 2025)
Project Period Covered by this Report: August 1, 2023 through July 31,2024
Project Amount: $24,931
RFA: 19th Annual P3 Awards: A National Student Design Competition Focusing on People, Prosperity and the Planet Request for Applications (RFA) (2022) RFA Text |  Recipients Lists
Research Category: P3 Awards , P3 Challenge Area - Sustainable and Healthy Communities

Objective:

As cities grow, so does the complexity of managing the waste of their residents. In 2018, Americans generated an astonishing 67.9 million tons of municipal solid food waste. Meanwhile only 4.1% of this food waste is recovered for composting with 67.9% (42.9 million tons) destined for landfills or incinerators. The US EPA estimates that “more food reaches landfills and incinerators than any other single material in our everyday trash,” and Our World in Data estimates that food waste accounts for 6-8% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Addressing the food waste issue is a necessary step in advancing the numerous sustainability goals set forth by state, federal, and international governing organizations and is an opportunity for significant GHG emission reduction. While numerous options currently exist for the handling of food waste, each has significant drawbacks that contribute to the strikingly low percentage of recovered waste (4.1%). Incinerators generate emissions and the high moisture content of food waste means that combustion generally requires the investment of significant energy, often from fossil fuels. Landfill sites occupy large areas of land, generate potentially dangerous leachate, and emit odors and GHGs. Additionally, determining appropriate siting for new landfills and incinerators has proven to be politically challenging. One alternative approach that has the potential to improve the viability of food waste recovery is the utilization of Black Soldier Fly (Hermetia Illucens; Diptera: Stratiomyidae) larvae (BSFL). Advantages of BSFL over traditional composting methods include a more rapid waste processing cycle, a significantly smaller processing footprint, low sensitivity to incoming feedstock, and production of more valuable outputs. The BSFL can be processed into animal feed, biodiesel, biogas, or into chemical components currently being used in pharmaceuticals and others being researched for use in organic semiconductors. One important technical challenge that remains for greater adoption of BSFL upcycling technology is the issue of scaling bioreactor designs up to the industrial level. Currently there is a significant body of research into smaller scale benchmark experiments, but there is much less research into experimentation at a scale necessary for meaningful implementation. Research shows that some of the key learnings from these benchmark experiments do not translate to larger scale implementations. To address this gap our objectives include 1] Development of a scalable design for a bioreactor for testing in our environmentally monitored, insulated smart shed 2] Scaling and implementation of this design with any necessary pre-processing steps inside a larger structure capable of composting at least 100 lbs/week of campus dining hall food waste streams 3] Analysis of the inputs and outputs of the bioreactor systems to determine problems, means of improvement, and further applications. 

Progress Summary:

•  A Multidisciplinary Senior Design (MSD) team designed and built a flow-through bioreactor with a 0.9 square meter feeding area, and ran a 30-day trial test to validate measurement methods, standardize data collection, and determine final experiment parameters (moisture levels, input sizes, etc.). The bioreactor is able to process between 15 (experimental average) and 72 (maximum observed) kg food waste/wk. Follow on experiments hope to demonstrate processing rates above an average of 45 kg/wk.
• A second MSD team designed a shed system with insulation, ventilation, and sensing equipment to be used for the final experiment. This team worked with RIT Facilities Management to secure space and power for the shed.
• A third MSD team has been assembled to finalize the shed system and scale the bioreactor design for use in the final experiment.
• We have presented our work in multiple venues, established a module for a Campus Ecology course, and plan to publish the results of our mass and energy balance work in 2025.
• We are currently exploring possible partnerships with a local composting company and other avenues for extending our research capabilities. 

Future Activities:

As a result of on-campus siting delays for the final experiment and a subsequent nocost extension to our proposal, shed construction is being finalized and the final experiment will be run in November ‘24. We plan to publish the results of our mass and energy balance work in 2025. We will also be exploring further research and partnership opportunities with an aim to commercialize the technology. 

Supplemental Keywords:

food waste, composting, black soldier fly  

Relevant Websites:

Imagine RIT Exit , Smart Black Soldier Fly Composting Enclosure with Environmental Monitoring and Control System Exit

Progress and Final Reports:

Original Abstract

Final