IB50K Finalists 2020 Edition
Argentina is a large producer of biomass that, thanks to different chemical processes, takes advantage of the energy generated in biogas. If its use is promoted, it will allow the generation of electrical or thermal energy on a large scale without harming the environment, reducing soil and water pollution and mitigating the effects of climate change. This year, in the tenth edition of the IB50K Contest organized by the Balseiro Institute, a group of teachers, graduates, and advanced students from the Faculty of Biochemistry and Biological Sciences (FBCB) of the National University of the Litoral (UNL) was awarded for their DIOXI project, an innovative solution to produce biogas with the incorporation of Artificial Intelligence.
The entrepreneurial team is made up of Axel Kemmerer, advanced student of the Bachelor’s Degree in Biotechnology, professor of the Physics Department (Student Assistant) of the FBCB and team coordinator; Pablo Javier Gonzalez, Associate Researcher at CONICET and Assistant Professor of Physics; Betzabet de Valle Morero, Assistant Researcher at INTEC-CONICET and Adjunct Professor of Sustainable Energy at the Faculty of Water Sciences (FICH); Ernesto Jerónimo Kemmerer, engineer specializing in Linkage and Technological Management, businessman and Master in Marketing; Tomás Turi, advanced student of Computer Engineering at FICH and Franco Nardi, advanced student of Environmental Engineering and teacher of Environmental Chemistry I (Student Assistant) at FICH.
During the process we saw the need to design and build a bioprocess controller that ultimately demonstrated industrial-scale potential for biogas production from biomass.
-Axel Kemmerer
DIOXI Project
It is a cutting-edge technology that seeks to make possible the transition towards a sustainable energy matrix. To do this, together with experts from different disciplines, the group developed a modular system that uses artificial intelligence to control biogas production. DIOXI reads variables such as temperature, pressure, pH, methane content in the biogas, etc., through sensors placed in the biogas production plant and, in addition, maintains the values of these variables within the optimal ranges for the production of biogas, through the control of pumps and valves. The innovative thing about this project is that while carrying out this task, you learn from the process and improve it. In this way, DIOXI proposes to bring to the industry a system that, using Artificial Intelligence, allows the automation of the operation of biogas plants, maximizing the energy potential that the region has in terms of biomass.
About the contest
The IB50K Contest is annual and is organized by the Balseiro Institute (IB), dependent on the National Atomic Energy Commission (CNEA) and the National University of Cuyo (UNCUYO). The objective of the IB50K is to promote the entrepreneurial capacity of students and young professionals as well as to encourage the creation and development of technology-based companies in Argentina. The contest is based on the conviction that promoting this type of challenges is strategic for the country and could mark a qualitative leap in the path of promoting development based on the complexity of the Argentine productive matrix.