Methane-driven microbial fuel cells recover energy and mitigate dissolved methane emissions from anaerobic effluents

2018 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 67-79 ◽  
Author(s):  
Siming Chen ◽  
Adam L. Smith
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cells ◽  
Microbial Fuel Cells ◽  
Large Fraction ◽  
Anaerobic Treatment ◽  
Membrane Bioreactors ◽  
Ghg Emission ◽  
Dissolved Methane ◽  
Available Energy ◽  
Treatment Processes ◽  
Anaerobic Membrane Bioreactors

The effluents of mainstream anaerobic treatment processes such as anaerobic membrane bioreactors (AnMBRs) contain dissolved methane that represents a large fraction of the available energy (approximately 50% at 15 °C) and a significant greenhouse gas (GHG) emission if released to the atmosphere.

Fouling cake layer in a submerged anaerobic membrane bioreactor treating saline wastewaters: curse or a blessing?

2011 ◽  
Vol 63 (12) ◽  
pp. 2902-2908 ◽  
Author(s):  
I. Vyrides ◽  
D. C. Stuckey
Keyword(s):  
Membrane Fouling ◽  
Membrane Bioreactor ◽  
Large Fraction ◽  
Membrane Bioreactors ◽  
Extracellular Polysaccharides ◽  
Cake Layer ◽  
Anaerobic Membrane Bioreactors ◽  
Suspended Biomass ◽  
Microbial Products

The treatment of inhibitory (saline) wastewaters is known to produce considerable amounts of soluble microbial products (SMPs), and this has been implicated in membrane fouling; the fate of these SMPs was of considerable interest in this work. This study also investigated the contribution of SMPs to membrane fouling of the; (a) cake layer/biofilm layer, (b) the compounds below the biofilm/cake layer and strongly attached to the surface of the membrane, (c) the compounds in the inner pores of the membrane, and (d) the membrane. It was found that the cake/biofilm layer was the main reason for fouling of the membrane. Interestingly, the bacteria attached to the cake/biofilm layer showed higher biodegradation rates compared with the bacteria in suspension. Moreover, the bacteria attached to the cake layer showed higher amounts of attached extracellular polysaccharides (EPS) compared with the bacteria in suspension, possibly due to accumulation of the released EPS from suspended biomass in the cake/biofilm layer. Molecular weight (MW) analysis of the effluent and reactor bulk showed that the cake layer can retain a large fraction of the SMPs in the reactor and prevent them from being released into the effluent. Hence, while cake layers lead to lower fluxes in submerged anaerobic membrane bioreactors (SAMBRs), and hence higher costs, they can improve the quality of the reactor effluent.

The Dynamics of Electrochemicals and Microbial Populations during Anaerobic Treatment of Human Urine in Soil Microbial Fuel Cells

2020 ◽  
pp. 11-21
Author(s):  
H. O. Stanley ◽  
C. J. Ugboma
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cells ◽  
Organic Carbon ◽  
Human Urine ◽  
Microbial Fuel Cells ◽  
Anaerobic Bacteria ◽  
Anaerobic Treatment ◽  
Microbial Populations ◽  
Soil Microbial ◽  
Microbiological Parameters ◽  
Daily Urine

The dynamics of electrochemicals and microbial populations during anaerobic treatment of human urine in soil microbial fuel cells (MFCs) were investigated. The experimental MFC was supplemented with daily urine input while the control MFC was without urine. During the treatment process, electrochemical and microbiological parameters in effluent of the urine-supplemented MFC were monitored using standard methods. The pH of the urine increased from 5.70 to 7.16 after 15 days of treatment in the urine supplemented MFC. The concentration of phosphorus, potassium, sodium, calcium, magnesium, total nitrogen and total organic carbon of the urine reduced from 0.76 g/l to 0.07 g/l, 1.91 g/l to 0.17 g/l, 2.24 g/l to 0.09 g/l, 0.14 g/l to 0.003 g/l, 0.08 g/l to 0.00 g/l, 8.25 g/l to 0.74 g/l and 7.10 g/l to 0.53 g/l respectively after 15 days of treatment. Furthermore, Open voltage of the urine supplemented MFC ranged from 5.63 V to 10.34 V while Open voltage of the control ranged from 1.84 V to 5.02 V after 15 days of operation. The population of facultative bacteria (FAB) and strict anaerobic bacteria (SAB) ranged from 64.2 x 104 CFU to 36.2 x 104 CFU and 21.2 x104 CFU to 61.3 x104 CFU respectively with time. The urine supplemented MFC performed significantly (p < 0.05) better than the control with respect to voltage output while significantly reduced concentrations of organic carbon, nitrogen and metallic (salt) species were found. Therefore, the soil MFC may be applied as a waste management option to treat human urine while generating electricity before disposal.

Treating municipal wastewater with the goal of resource recovery

2011 ◽  
Vol 63 (1) ◽  
pp. 25-31 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. M. Sutton ◽  
H. Melcer ◽  
O. J. Schraa ◽  
A. P. Togna
Keyword(s):  
Municipal Wastewater ◽  
Large Fraction ◽  
Treatment Plant ◽  
Membrane Bioreactors ◽  
Municipal Wastewater Treatment ◽  
Energy Sustainability ◽  
Capital Costs ◽  
Lower Treatment ◽  
Anaerobic Membrane Bioreactors ◽  
Aerobic And Anaerobic

A new municipal wastewater treatment flowsheet was developed with the objectives of energy sustainability, and water and nutrient recovery. Energy is derived by shunting a large fraction of the organic carbon in the wastewater to an anaerobic digestion system. Aerobic and anaerobic membrane bioreactors play a key role in energy recovery. Phosphorus and nitrogen are removed from the wastewater and recovered through physical-chemical processes. Computer modeling and simulation results together with energy balance calculations, imply the new flowsheet will result in a dramatic reduction in energy usage at lower treatment plant capital costs in comparison to conventional methods.

Performance of anaerobic fluidized membrane bioreactors using effluents of microbial fuel cells treating domestic wastewater

2016 ◽  
Vol 208 ◽  
pp. 58-63 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kyoung-Yeol Kim ◽  
Wulin Yang ◽  
Yaoli Ye ◽  
Nicole LaBarge ◽  
Bruce E. Logan
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cells ◽  
Microbial Fuel Cells ◽  
Domestic Wastewater ◽  
Membrane Bioreactors

Wastewater as a resource: a unique approach to achieving energy sustainability

2011 ◽  
Vol 63 (9) ◽  
pp. 2004-2009 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. M. Sutton ◽  
B. E. Rittmann ◽  
O. J. Schraa ◽  
J. E. Banaszak ◽  
A. P. Togna
Keyword(s):  
Anaerobic Digestion ◽  
Organic Carbon ◽  
Computer Modelling ◽  
Large Fraction ◽  
Membrane Bioreactors ◽  
Biological Processes ◽  
Energy Sustainability ◽  
Physical Chemical ◽  
Anaerobic Membrane Bioreactors ◽  
Unique Approach

A wastewater-treatment flowsheet was developed to integrate uniquely designed biological processes with physical-chemical unit processes, allowing conversion of the organic carbon in the wastewater to methane, the removal and recovery of phosphorus and nitrogen from the wastewater, and the production of water suitable for reuse. In the flowsheet, energy is derived from the wastewater by first shunting a large fraction of the organic carbon in the wastewater to a solids slurry which is treated via anaerobic digestion. The anaerobic digestion system consists of focused pulsed (FP) pretreatment coupled to anaerobic membrane bioreactors (MBRs). Computer modelling and simulation results are used to optimize design of the system. Energy generation from the system is maximized and costs are reduced by using modest levels of recycle flow from the anaerobic MBRs to the FP pretreatment step.

Life Cycle Assessment of High-Rate Anaerobic Treatment, Microbial Fuel Cells, and Microbial Electrolysis Cells

2010 ◽  
Vol 44 (9) ◽  
pp. 3629-3637 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeffrey M. Foley ◽  
René A. Rozendal ◽  
Christopher K. Hertle ◽  
Paul A. Lant ◽  
Korneel Rabaey
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle Assessment ◽  
Fuel Cells ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
Microbial Fuel Cells ◽  
Anaerobic Treatment ◽  
High Rate ◽  
Microbial Electrolysis Cells ◽  
Electrolysis Cells ◽  
Microbial Electrolysis
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