Solid-state bioreactors for efficient energy recovery from gaseous waste streams

Energy recovery from gas-phase waste streams is essential for reducing environmental impact, promoting sustainable industrial practices, and increasing profit margins. Compared to thermochemical pathways, biocatalytic conversions offer a compelling alternative due to their mild operating conditions and high specificity. However, conventional systems are hindered by slow gas-to-liquid mass transfer, resulting in high energy consumption and low productivity. Here, we demonstrate a new solid-state bioreactor (SSB) technology through a case study of methane-to-succinate conversion using methanotrophs. SSBs immobilize high densities of methanotrophs within gas-permeable, 3D-printed geometries that operate under gas-phase and static conditions. These reactors exhibit a 1–2 order of magnitude increase in biocatalytic performance compared to traditional liquid-phase reactors. Computational models of the SSB are developed and benchmarked against conventional stirred-tank reactor models to highlight design advantages.