GB2613039A

GB2613039A - Method

Info

Publication number: GB2613039A
Application number: GB2201449.2A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Patrick Kincaid Kevin; Luis Busi Da Silva Marcio; Karimi Mojtaba; Amanda Goncalves Renata; Allen Harris Roger; Christopher Trevino Aaron; Richard Broussard Zachary; Karimi Tahereh; Lesse Andrade Lahme Luiza; De Freitas Magalhaes Barbara; Walter Rimbau Christian
Original assignee: Cemvita Factory Inc
Current assignee: Cemvita Factory Inc
Priority date: 2021-09-24
Filing date: 2022-02-04
Publication date: 2023-05-24
Also published as: GB2611370A; GB2611124A; GB2611123A

Abstract

A method of increasing hydrogen production from an enclosed bioreactor comprising: providing at least one anode and at least one cathode connected to an interior of the enclosed bioreactor; providing a baseline reaction mixture in the enclosed bioreactor, wherein the baseline reaction mixture includes an organic substrate, water, and a baseline amount of at least one microorganism; measuring a baseline amount of hydrogen in a baseline gas sample of gasses collected from the enclosed bioreactor; increasing hydrogen production from the enclosed bioreactor from the baseline amount of hydrogen to a production amount of hydrogen by applying a potential difference between the at least one anode and the at least one cathode; and harvesting the hydrogen from the enclosed bioreactor at a hydrogen harvesting rate by separating the hydrogen from other gasses and transferring the hydrogen into a hydrogen storage container.

Description

METHOD

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention concerns a method of, and system for, increasing hydrogen production from an enclosed bioreactor.

BACKGROUND

Hydrogen is an important fuel and chemical process substrate. It is known in the art to use microbes to produce hydrogen from hydrocarbon substrates.

US20070298479 describes a process for stimulating microbial hydrogen production in a petroleum-bearing subterranean formation, comprising: (a) analyzing one or more components of the formation to determine characteristics of the formation environment; (b) detecting the presence of a microbial consortium, comprising at least one fermentative syntrophic microorganism, within the formation; (c) assessing whether the formation microorganisms are currently active; (d) determining whether the microbial consortium comprises one or more fermentative syntrophic microorganisms; (e) characterization of one or more fermentative syntrophic microorganism of the consortium, and comparing the one or more characterized organisms with at least one known characterized known microorganism having one or more known physiological and ecological characteristics; (f) characterizations of one or more hydrogen consuming microorganism of the consortium, and comparing the one or more characterized microorganisms with at least one known characterized, known microorganism having one or more known physiological and ecological characteristics; (g) using information obtained from steps (a) through (e) for determining an ecological environment that promotes in situ microbial degradation of petroleum and promotes microbial generation of hydrogen by at least one fermentative syntrophic microorganism of the consortium; (h) using information obtained from steps (a) and (f), if methanogenic, sulphate reducing, or other hydrogen consuming microorganisms are present, for determining an ecological environment that inhibits in situ microbial degradation of hydrogen by at least one hydrogen-oxidizing microorganism of the consortium; (i) modifying the formation environment based on the determinations of step (g) and (h), if methanogenic sulphate reducing or other hydrogen-oxidizing microorganisms are present, to stimulate microbial conversion of petroleum to hydrogen; and (j) removal of the hydrogen generated from the sites of generation.

However, there is a need in the art for improved methods of increasing the production of clean hydrogen.

SUMMARY

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of increasing hydrogen production from an enclosed bioreactor comprising: providing at least one anode and at least one cathode connected to an interior of the enclosed bioreactor, wherein the enclosed bioreactor is a subterranean formation, an enclosed landfill, or a combination thereof, and the at least one anode and the at least one cathode are connected through the enclosed bioreactor by at least one bioreactor liquid pathway; providing a baseline reaction mixture in the enclosed bioreactor, wherein the baseline reaction mixture includes an organic substrate, water, and a baseline amount of at least one microorganism; measuring a baseline amount of hydrogen in a baseline gas sample of gasses collected from the enclosed bioreactor; increasing hydrogen production from the enclosed bioreactor from the baseline amount of hydrogen to a production amount of hydrogen by applying a potential between the at least one anode and the at least one cathode; and harvesting the hydrogen from the enclosed bioreactor at a hydrogen harvesting rate by separating the hydrogen from other gasses and transferring the hydrogen into a hydrogen storage container, wherein the production amount of hydrogen is at least 20% greater than the baseline amount of hydrogen.

The inventors of the present invention have surprisingly found that by introducing an anode and cathode to the bioreactor, the microbes can be encouraged to produce more hydrogen.

This is particularly beneficial at times where electricity is cheap and in plentiful supply. For example, this cheap electricity could be used to convert and store a greater amount of hydrogen for use when electricity is more expensive.

The at least one cathode may include two or more cathodes and/or the at least one anode may include two or more anodes connected to the enclosed bioreactor.

The at least one anode, the at least one cathode, or a combination thereof may include at least one wellbore casing electrically connected to a power source.

A closest distance between an anode of the at least one anode and a cathode of the at least one cathode may be from 100 m to 1000 m.

The at least one anode and the at least one cathode may be electrically connected to a at least one power source. The at least one power source may include a wind turbine, a solar cell, an electric dam, a power grid, or a combination thereof.

The at least one anode and the at least one cathode may be directly electrically connected 15 to a at least one power source. The at least one power source may include a wind turbine, a solar cell, or a combination thereof.

The method may comprise applying a potential between the at least one anode and the at least one cathode of from about 0.6 V to about 9.0 V. The method may comprise applying a voltage per cubic meter in the enclosed bioreactor of from about 0.1 V/m3 to a about 0.5 V/m3 as measured a distance of from about 10 m to about 50 m from the at least one anode or the at least one cathode.

The method may further comprise producing baseline microorganism data on an identity and a baseline percentage of the at least one microorganism, relative to a baseline total percentage of microorganisms in the baseline reaction mixture, by performing DNA and/or RNA sequencing of a baseline microorganism sample from the baseline reaction mixture; and forming a synthetic reaction mixture in the enclosed bioreactor.

The synthetic reaction mixture in the enclosed bioreactor may be formed by one or more of: a) adding at least one non-native hydrogen producing microorganism until a percentage of the non-native hydrogen producing microorganism in the synthetic reaction mixture is at least 20% of a total amount of microorganisms in the synthetic reaction mixture; b) adding at least one hydrogen production enhancer to the baseline reaction mixture until a post-baseline amount of hydrogen in a post-baseline gas sample of gasses collected from the enclosed bioreactor is at least 10% higher than the baseline amount of hydrogen; c) adding at least one recombinant microorganism to the baseline reaction mixture until a percentage of the at least one recombinant microorganism in the synthetic reaction mixture is at least 20% of a total amount of microorganisms in the reaction mixture; and/or d) adding at least one electro-synthetic microorganism to the baseline reaction mixture until a percentage of the at least one recombinant microorganism in the synthetic reaction mixture is at least 20% of a total amount of microorganisms in the reaction mixture.

The at least one microorganism may have a genus of Syntrophobacter, Syntrophus, Syntrophomonas, Thermoanaerobacter, Thermotoga, Pseudothermotoga, Thermoanaerobacterium, Fervidobacterium, Thermosipho, Haloanaerobium, Acetoanaerobium, Anaerobaculum, Geotoga, Petrotoga, Thermococcus, Pyrococcus, Clostridium, Enterobacter, Klebsiella, Ethanoligenens, Pantoea, Escherichia, Bacillus, Caldicellulosiruptor, Pelobacter, Caldanaerobacter, Marinitoga, Oceanotoga, Defluviitoga, Kosmotoga, or a combination or mixture thereof.

The at least one non-native hydrogen producing microorganism or the at least one 25 recombinant microorganism may be the same or different The non-native hydrogen producing microorganism and/or the recombinant microorganism may express at least one protein selected from hydrogenases, dehydrogenases, hydroxylases, carboxylases, esterases, hydratases and acetyltransferases having an amino acid sequence at least 95% identical to a sequence expressed by an upregulated or downregulated gene selected from mth (EC 1.12.98.2), mrt, hycA (ID: 45797123), fdhF (ID: 66346687), fhlA (ID: 947181), IdhA (ID: 946315), nuoB (ID: 65303631), hybO (ID: 945902), fdh1, narP, ppk or Pepc by expressing a non-native protein expressing nucleotide sequence.

Preferably, an amount of hydrogen produced or protein produced by the non-native hydrogen producing microorganism and/or the recombinant microorganism is greater than that produced relative to a control microorganism lacking the non-native protein expressing nucleotide sequence.

The hydrogen harvesting rate may be at least about 0.1 Uhr, or at least about 1 Uhr, or at least about 10 Uhr, or at least about 100 Uhr. The hydrogen harvesting rate may be up to about 106 L/hr, or up to about 106 Uhr, or up to about 104 Uhr, or up to about 103 Uhr. The hydrogen harvesting rate may be from about 0.1 Uhr to about 106 L/hr, or from about 0.1 Uhr to about 103 Uhr, or from about 103 Uhr to about 106 Uhr.

The organic mass may include a hydrocarbon having up to 120 carbon atoms, or from 170 carbon atoms, or from 1 to 40 carbon atoms, a biodegradable waste, a paper waste, a plant waste, a pulp waste, or a combination thereof.

The subterranean formation may include a natural formation, non-natural formation, a hydrocarbon-bearing formation, a natural gas-bearing formation, a methane-bearing formation, a depleted hydrocarbon formation, a depleted natural gas-bearing formation, a wellbore, or a combination thereof.

The enclosed landfill may include a landfill that is enclosed by a building material. The building material may include at least one of a brick, a cement, a plastic, a non-natural rubber, a geomembrane of any kind, concrete, steel, a glass, or a combination thereof.

The at least one bioreactor liquid pathway may be a natural subterranean formation, a constructed subterranean opening, a drilled opening, or one or more gaps between waste in a landfill, or a combination thereof.

The method may further comprise harvesting carbon dioxide from the enclosed bioreactor at a carbon dioxide harvesting rate, and separating the carbon dioxide from other gasses by filtering the carbon dioxide through a carbon dioxide-selective membrane filter; and pumping the carbon dioxide into the enclosed bioreactor at a replenishment rate or to a different enclosed bioreactor at an injection rate, or forming an algal biomass by reacting the carbon dioxide with an algae reaction mixture in an algal bioreactor, and pumping the algal biomass into the reaction mixture of the enclosed bioreactor or a different enclosed bioreactor.

The method may further comprise harvesting the hydrogen from the enclosed bioreactor by accessing a resealable hydrogen gas path located closer to the at a least one cathode than any anode of the at least one anode.

The method may further comprise harvesting the carbon dioxide from the enclosed bioreactor by accessing a resealable carbon dioxide gas path located closer to the at a least one anode than any cathode of the at least one cathode.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a system for increasing hydrogen production from an enclosed bioreactor comprising: an enclosed bioreactor, at least one anode, at least one cathode, a hydrogen storage container, and a hydrogen separator, wherein the at least one anode and the at least one cathode extend into an interior of the enclosed bioreactor, wherein the enclosed bioreactor is a subterranean formation, an enclosed landfill, or a combination thereof, and the at least one anode and the at least one cathode are connected through the enclosed bioreactor by at least one bioreactor liquid pathway, and the enclosed bioreactor includes a reaction mixture, wherein the reaction mixture includes an organic substrate, water, and a baseline amount of at least one microorganism; wherein the hydrogen separator includes at least one hydrogen-selective membrane filter; wherein the enclosed bioreactor is connected to the hydrogen separator by a hydrogen gas path, wherein the hydrogen separator is connected to the hydrogen storage container by a filtered hydrogen gas path, wherein at least one anode and at least one cathode are electrically connected to a power source.

The enclosed bioreactor may have a volume of at least about 100 m3, or at least about 103 m3, or at least about 104 m3, or at least about 106 m3. The enclosed bioreactor may have a volume of up to about 4 x 108 m3, or up to about 4 x 108 m3, or up to about 4 x 107 m3, or up to about 4 x 106 m3. The enclosed bioreactor may have a volume of from about 100 m3 to about 4 x 103 m3, or from about 100 m3 to about 4 x 106 m3, or from about 4 x 106 m3 to about 4 x 103 m3.

The hydrogen storage container may be a gas tank, a hydrogen subterranean formation, or a hydrogen artificial enclosure.

The hydrogen subterranean formation may include a natural formation or non-natural formation.

The hydrogen artificial enclosure may be made of one or more building materials. The building materials may include a cement, a plastic, a non-natural rubber, a geomembrane of any kind, concrete" a metal or metal alloy (such as steel), or a combination thereof.

The at least one anode, the at least one cathode, or a combination thereof may include a wellbore casing electrically connected to a power source.

The at least one anode and the at least one cathode may be electrically connected to a at 30 least one power source. The at least one power source may include a wind turbine, a solar cell, an electric dam, a power grid, or a combination thereof.

The enclosed bioreactor may further include a resealable hydrogen gas path located closer to the at a least one cathode than any anode of the at least one anode and the resealable hydrogen gas path connects to the interior of the enclosed bioreactor.

The enclosed bioreactor may further include a resealable carbon dioxide gas path located closer to the at a least one anode than any cathode of the at least one cathode and the resealable carbon dioxide gas path connects to the interior of the enclosed bioreactor.

The system may further comprise an algal (or phototrophic organism) bioreactor. The algal bioreactor may contain a carbon dioxide, oxygen and an algae reaction mixture. The algae reaction mixture may include water and at least one alga. The algal bioreactor may be connected to by a carbon dioxide gas path to the hydrogen separator or the enclosed bioreactor. The algal bioreactor may be connected to the enclosed bioreactor by a biomass gas path or a biomass liquid path or a combination thereof The algal bioreactor may have a volume of from about 100 m3 to about 2,000 m3.

The system may further comprise a genetic material testing facility, preferably within about 1000 meters of a resealable opening of the enclosed bioreactor. The genetic material testing facility may contain at least one gene sequencer, such as a DNA and/or 20 RNA sequencer.

For the avoidance of doubt, all features relating to the method of the present invention also relate, where appropriate, to the system of the present invention and vice versa.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will now be more particularly described with reference to the following examples and figures, in which; Figure 1 is a schematic illustration of a system for increasing hydrogen production from an enclosed bioreactor according to some embodiments herein; and Figure 2 is a schematic illustration of a system for increasing hydrogen production from an enclosed bioreactor according to some embodiments herein.

The foregoing summary, as well as the following detailed description of the embodiments, will be better understood when read in conjunction with the attached drawings. For the purpose of illustration, there are shown in the drawings some embodiments, which may be preferable. It should be understood that the embodiments depicted are not limited to the precise details shown. Unless otherwise noted, the drawings are not to scale.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Unless otherwise noted, all measurements are in standard metric units.

Unless otherwise noted, all instances of the words "a," "an," or "the" can refer to one or more than one of the word that they modify.

Unless otherwise noted, the phrase "at least one of" means one or more than one of an object. For example, "at least one of a single walled carbon nanotube, a double walled carbon nanotube, and a triple walled carbon nanotube" means a single walled carbon nanotube, a double walled carbon nanotube, or a triple walled carbon nanotube, or any combination thereof.

Unless otherwise noted, the term "about" refers to ±10% of the non-percentage number that is described, rounded to the nearest whole integer. For example, about 100 mm, would include 90 to 110 mm. Unless otherwise noted, the term "about" refers to ±5% of a percentage number. For example, about 20% would include 15 to 25%. When the term "about" is discussed in terms of a range, then the term refers to the appropriate amount less than the lower limit and more than the upper limit. For example, from about 100 to about 200 mm would include from 90 to 220 mm.

Unless otherwise noted, properties (height, width, length, ratio etc.) as described herein 30 are understood to be averaged measurements.

Unless otherwise noted, the terms "provide", "provided" or "providing" refer to the supply, production, purchase, manufacture, assembly, formation, selection, configuration, conversion, introduction, addition, or incorporation of any element, amount, component, reagent, quantity, measurement, or analysis of any method or system of any embodiment herein.

Unless otherwise noted, the term "non-native" refers to a microorganism that is not naturally occurring in a particular location, such as a particular subterranean formation.

Unless otherwise noted, the term "recombinant microorganism" refers to a microorganism that does not occur in nature and is the synthetic product of genetic manipulation.

Unless otherwise noted, the term "hydrocarbon" refers to a compound that contains only contains hydrogen and carbon atoms.

Unless otherwise noted, the term "gas path" is interchangeable with the term "gas flow path." Unless otherwise noted, the term "gas path" refers to an enclosed solid structure or channel that a gas can move or be pumped through. For example, in various embodiments of the systems and methods disclosed herein, a gas path includes one or more pipes and/or tubes connected to or connected through one or more valves or pumps, so long as gas can flow or be pumped continuously through the structure of the gas path.

Unless otherwise noted, the term "liquid path" is interchangeable with the term "liquid flow path." Unless otherwise noted, the term "liquid path" refers to an enclosed solid structure or channel that a gas can move or be pumped through. For example, in various embodiments of the systems and methods disclosed herein, a gas path includes one or more pipes and/or tubes connected to or connected through one or more valves or pumps, so long as gas can be made to flow or be pumped continuously through the structure of the gas path.

Unless otherwise noted, the term "electrically connected" refers to connecting two or more objects such they can conduct electricity.

Unless otherwise noted, the term "biomass" refers to a product which can contain one or more microorganisms, such as alga (phototrophic organisms), living or dead, colonies of those organisms, and/or the contents of one or more microorganisms, such as enzymes, cytoplasm, nutrients, and the like. An example of a "biomass" can include alga that have been mechanically disrupted.

Unless otherwise noted, the term "enclosed" or "enclosure" refers to a structure that is sealable or resealable, such that when the structure is sealed, the contents of the structure are not free to mix with the open air.

Unless otherwise noted, the term "hydrogen-containing liquid" refers to a molecule that contains hydrogen atoms and from 80% to 100% weight of the compound, relative to the total weight of the compound, is a liquid or liquid slurry at standard temperature and pressure.

EXAMPLES

Example 1: Initial set-up for a depleted oil well.

Purchasing or leasing land having a depleted oilwell with a wellbore and a well casing already in place such that the wellbore and well casing extend into a subterranean formation that has been substantially depleted of hydrocarbons. Attaching a valve assembly to the head of the wellbore such that the valves of the valve assembly can control what enters and leaves the wellbore. A suitable valve assembly can be purchased from oil field service companies such as Magas, Suez Water Technologies, and Halliburton, among others.

Using a bulldozer to dig a pool into the surface within about 100 to 200 meters out of the valve assembly of the depleted oil well. Digging the pool to a depth up about 5 feet any length and width of about 100 meters. The pool would be filled with water and alga of the genera Chlorella or Scenedesmus which can be purchased from UTEX Culture Collection of Algae at the University of Texas at Austin. A series of rods would be extended over the length and width of the pool to form a support structure, and a transparent polyethylene cover would be used to seal the top of the pool, making it substantially airtight. The covered pool would serve as an algal bioreactor.

A free-standing structure would be connected by one or more gas pipes to the algal reactor to form a hydrogen separation building. The hydrogen separation building would be connected to the subterranean formation either directly by drilling a wellbore into the subterranean formation or by one or more pipes connecting to the valve assembly. The freestanding structure would contain a T-junction connecting a gas path from the subterranean formation to a hydrogen selective membrane, where in on one side of the hydrogen selective membrane (the filtered hydrogen side) the hydrogen separator is connected to a hydrogen storage tank by a gas pipe. A suitable hydrogen selective membrane can be hollow microfiber membranes, which can be purchased from Generon located in California, among other suppliers. Alternatively, palladium-based membranes, such as those available from HySep, can be used for hydrogen separation. The other side of the membrane (the carbon dioxide side) would be connected to the algal bioreactor by a gas pipe.

The valve assembly would be connected to two containers, one serving as a microorganism container and one serving as a hydrogen production enhancer container. The valve assembly would further connect to a genetic material testing facility wherein the genetic material testing facility includes a DNA and/or RNA sequencer and would further connect the valve assembly to the DNA and/or RNA sequencer, such that sequencing could be controlled by a computer or remotely. A suitable DNA and/or RNA sequencer would include the Minion nanopore sequencer, which can be commercially purchased from Oxford Nanopore Technologies located in the United Kingdom.

The algal bioreactor would further be connected to the subterranean formation either directly by a well bore and liquid tube or indirectly by connecting the algal bioreactor to the valve assembly.

Example 2: Applying potential to increase hydrogen production using hydrocarbons in place as substrate in the subterranean formation.

Providing the setup according to Example 1 above. Electric current would be applied to the reservoir by electrodes placed in water injection wells and production wells. Salt water (recycled produced water) would be injected simultaneously with application of electric current. To reduce the flow of electricity to overlying beds, casing above the electrode would be electrically isolated. Both water and electric current may be transmitted in the well through electrically conductive tubing, so that both the tubing and injected salt water would be utilized as electric conductors. The tubing could be externally insulated, or it could be equipped with non-conductive centralizers and installed with an insulating fluid in the casing-tubing annulus.

Example 3: Applying potential to increase hydrogen production using alternative organic mass as substrate in the subterranean formation.

Providing the setup according to Example 1 and Example 2 above except there is not enough recalcitrant hydrocarbons left in situ to produce hydrogen to the desired degree.

A biomass consisting of biodegradable waste, paper waste, plant waste, pulp waste, or a combination thereof is pumped into the subterranean formation.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A method of increasing hydrogen production from an enclosed bioreactor comprising: providing at least one anode and at least one cathode connected to an interior of the enclosed bioreactor, wherein the enclosed bioreactor is a subterranean formation, an enclosed landfill, or a combination thereof, and the at least one anode and the at least one cathode are connected through the enclosed bioreactor by at least one bioreactor liquid pathway; providing a baseline reaction mixture in the enclosed bioreactor, wherein the baseline reaction mixture includes an organic substrate, water, and a baseline amount of at least one microorganism; measuring a baseline amount of hydrogen in a baseline gas sample of gasses collected from the enclosed bioreactor; increasing hydrogen production from the enclosed bioreactor from the baseline amount of hydrogen to a production amount of hydrogen by applying a potential between the at least one anode and the at least one cathode; and harvesting the hydrogen from the enclosed bioreactor at a hydrogen harvesting rate by separating the hydrogen from other gasses and transferring the hydrogen into a hydrogen storage container, wherein the production amount of hydrogen is at least 20% greater than the baseline amount of hydrogen.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one cathode includes two or more cathodes or the at least one anode includes two or more anodes connected to the enclosed bioreactor; or wherein the at least one anode, the at least one cathode, or a combination thereof include at least one wellbore casing electrically connected to a power source; or wherein a closest distance between an anode of the at least one anode and a cathode of the at least one cathode is from 100 m to 1000 m; or wherein the at least one anode and the at least one cathode are electrically connected to a at least one power source, wherein the at least one power source includes a wind turbine, a solar cell, an electric dam, a power grid, or a combination thereof; or wherein the at least one anode and the at least one cathode are directly electrically connected to a at least one power source, wherein the at least one power source includes a wind turbine, a solar cell, or a combination thereof
3. The method of any of the preceding claims 1 to 2, applying a potential between the at least one anode and the at least one cathode of from about 0.6 V to about 9.0 V; or applying a voltage per cubic meter in the enclosed bioreactor of from about 0.1 V/m3 to a about 0.5 V/m3 as measured a distance of from about 10 m to about 50 m from the at least one anode or the at least one cathode.
4. The method of any of the preceding claims 1 to 3, further comprising: producing baseline microorganism data on an identity and a baseline percentage of the at least one microorganism, relative to a baseline total percentage of microorganisms in the baseline reaction mixture, by performing DNA and/or RNA sequencing of a baseline microorganism sample from the baseline reaction mixture; and forming a synthetic reaction mixture in the enclosed bioreactor by: adding at least one non-native hydrogen producing microorganism until a percentage of the non-native hydrogen producing microorganism in the synthetic reaction mixture is at least 20% of a total amount of microorganisms in the synthetic reaction mixture; or adding at least one hydrogen production enhancer to the baseline reaction mixture until a post-baseline amount of hydrogen in a post-baseline gas sample of gasses collected from the enclosed bioreactor is at least 10% higher than the baseline amount of hydrogen; or adding at least one recombinant microorganism to the baseline reaction mixture until a percentage of the at least one recombinant microorganism in the synthetic reaction mixture is at least 20% of a total amount of microorganisms in the reaction mixture, or adding at least one electro-synthetic microorganism to the baseline reaction mixture until a percentage of the at least one recombinant microorganism in the synthetic reaction mixture is at least 20% of a total amount of microorganisms in the reaction mixture, or a combination thereof.
5. The method of any of the preceding claims 1 to 4, wherein the at least one microorganism has a genus of Syntrophobacter, Syntrophus, Syntrophomonas, Thermoanaerobacter, Thermotoga, Pseudothermotoga, Thermoanaerobacterium, Fervidobacterium, Thermosipho, Haloanaerobium, Acetoanaerobium, Anaerobaculum, Geotoga, Petrotoga, Thermococcus, Pyrococcus, Clostridium, Enterobacter, Klebsiella, Ethanoligenens, Pantoea, Escherichia, Bacillus, Caldicellulosiruptor, Pelobacter, Coldanaerobacter, Marinitoga, Oceanotoga, Defluviitoga, Kosmotoga, or a combination or mixture thereof.
6. The method of claim 4, wherein the non-native hydrogen producing microorganism or the recombinant microorganism expresses at least one protein selected from hydrogenases, dehydrogenases, hydroxylases, carboxylases, esterases, hydratases and acetyltransferases having an amino acid sequence at least 95% identical to a sequence expressed by an upregulated or downregulated gene selected from mth (EC 1.12.98.2), mrt, hycA (ID: 45797123), fdhF (ID: 66346687), fhlA (ID: 947181), IdhA (ID: 946315), nuoB (ID: 65303631), hybO (ID: 945902), fdh1, narP, ppk or Pepc by expressing a non-native protein expressing nucleotide sequence, wherein an amount of hydrogen produced or protein produced by the non-native hydrogen producing microorganism or the recombinant microorganism is greater than that produced relative to a control microorganism lacking the nonnative protein expressing nucleotide sequence.
7. The method of any of the preceding claims 1 to 6, wherein the organic mass includes a hydrocarbon having up to 120 carbon atoms, a biodegradable waste, a paper waste, a plant waste, a pulp waste, or a combination thereof; and/or wherein the subterranean formation includes a natural formation, non-natural formation, a hydrocarbon-bearing formation, a natural gas-bearing formation, a methane-bearing formation, a depleted hydrocarbon formation, a depleted natural gas-bearing formation, a wellbore, or a combination thereof; and/or wherein the enclosed landfill includes a landfill that is enclosed by a building material, wherein the building material includes at least one of a brick, a cement, a plastic, a non-natural rubber, a geomembrane of any kind, concrete, steel, a glass, or a combination thereof; and/or wherein the at least one bioreactor liquid pathway is a natural subterranean formation, a constructed subterranean opening, a drilled opening, or one or more gaps between waste in a landfill, or a combination thereof.
8. The method of claim 7, wherein the organic mass includes a hydrocarbon having from 1-70 carbon atoms, or 1-40 carbon atoms.
9. The method of any of the preceding claims 1 to 8, further comprising: harvesting carbon dioxide from the enclosed bioreactor at a carbon dioxide harvesting rate, and separating the carbon dioxide from other gasses by filtering the carbon dioxide through a carbon dioxide-selective membrane filter; and pumping the carbon dioxide into the enclosed bioreactor at a replenishment rate or to a different enclosed bioreactor at an injection rate; or forming an algal biomass by reacting the carbon dioxide with an algae reaction mixture in an algal bioreactor, and pumping the algal biomass into the reaction mixture of the enclosed bioreactor or a different enclosed bioreactor.
10. The method of claim 9, further comprising: harvesting the hydrogen from the enclosed bioreactor by accessing a resealable hydrogen gas path located closer to the at a least one cathode than any anode of the at least one anode; or harvesting the carbon dioxide from the enclosed bioreactor by accessing a resealable carbon dioxide gas path located closer to the at a least one anode than any cathode of the at least one cathode.
11.A system for increasing hydrogen production from an enclosed bioreactor comprising: an enclosed bioreactor, at least one anode, at least one cathode, a hydrogen storage container, and a hydrogen separator, wherein the at least one anode and the at least one cathode extend into an interior of the enclosed bioreactor, wherein the enclosed bioreactor is a subterranean formation, an enclosed landfill, or a combination thereof, and the at least one anode and the at least one cathode are connected through the enclosed bioreactor by at least one bioreactor liquid pathway, and the enclosed bioreactor includes a reaction mixture, wherein the reaction mixture includes an organic substrate, water, and a baseline amount of at least one microorganism; wherein the hydrogen separator includes at least one hydrogen-selective membrane filter; wherein the enclosed bioreactor is connected to the hydrogen separator by a hydrogen gas path, wherein the hydrogen separator is connected to the hydrogen storage container by a filtered hydrogen gas path, wherein at least one anode and at least one cathode are electrically connected to a power source.
12. The system of claim 11, wherein the enclosed bioreactor has a volume of from about 100 rn3 to about 4 x 10s rn3; and/or wherein the subterranean formation includes a natural formation, non-natural formation, a hydrocarbon-bearing formation, a natural gas-bearing formation, a methane-bearing formation, a depleted hydrocarbon formation, a depleted natural gas-bearing formation, a wellbore, or a combination thereof; and/or wherein the enclosed landfill includes a landfill that is enclosed by a building material, wherein the building material includes at least one of a brick, a cement, a plastic, a non-natural rubber, a geomembrane of any kind, concrete, steel, a glass, or a combination thereof; and/or wherein the hydrogen storage container is a gas tank, a hydrogen subterranean formation, or a hydrogen artificial enclosure, wherein the hydrogen subterranean formation includes a natural formation or non-natural formation, wherein the hydrogen artificial enclosure is made of one or more building materials, wherein the building materials include a cement, a plastic, a non-natural rubber, a geomembrane of any kind, concrete, a metal or metal alloy, or a combination thereof; or wherein the at least one cathode includes two or more cathodes and the at least one anode includes two or more anodes connected to the enclosed bioreactor; Or wherein the at least one anode, the at least one cathode, or a combination thereof include a wellbore casing electrically connected to a power source; or wherein a closest distance between an anode of the at least one anode and a cathode of the at least one cathode is from 100 m to 1000 m; or wherein the at least one anode and the at least one cathode are electrically connected to a at least one power source, wherein the at least one power source includes a wind turbine, a solar cell, an electric dam, a power grid, or a combination thereof.
13. The system of any of the preceding claims 11 to 12, wherein the enclosed bioreactor further includes: a resealable hydrogen gas path located closer to the at a least one cathode than any anode of the at least one anode and the resealable hydrogen gas path connects to the interior of the enclosed bioreactor; or a resealable carbon dioxide gas path located closer to the at a least one anode than any cathode of the at least one cathode and the resealable carbon dioxide gas path connects to the interior of the enclosed bioreactor.
14. The system of any of the preceding claims 11 to 13, further comprising: an algal bioreactor, wherein the algal bioreactor contains a carbon dioxide, oxygen and an algae reaction mixture, wherein the algae reaction mixture includes water and at least one alga, wherein the algal bioreactor is connected to by a carbon dioxide gas path to the hydrogen separator or the enclosed bioreactor, wherein the algal bioreactor is connected to the enclosed bioreactor by a biomass gas path or a biomass liquid path or a combination thereof, and wherein the algal bioreactor has a volume of from about 100 m3 to about 2,000 m3.
15. The system of any of the preceding claims 11 to 14, further comprising: a genetic material testing facility within about 1000 meters of a resealable opening of the enclosed bioreactor, wherein the genetic material testing facility contains at least one gene sequencer.