Combination of Biological Processes and Fuel Cells to Harvest Solar Energy

2008 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Dieter F. Ihrig ◽  
H. Michael Heise ◽  
Ulrich Brunert ◽  
Martin Poschmann ◽  
Ruediger Kuckuk ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Dioxide ◽  
Fuel Cells ◽  
Solar Energy ◽  
Anaerobic Fermentation ◽  
Algal Cell ◽  
Electrical Energy ◽  
Dry Mass ◽  
Solar Energy Harvesting ◽  
First Results ◽  
Continuous Feeding

Biomass production by micro-algae is by a factor of 10 more efficient than by plants, by which an economic process of solar energy harvesting can be established. Owing to the very low dry mass content of algal suspensions, the most promising way of their conversion to a high exoergic and transportable form of energy is the anaerobic production of biogas. On account of this, we are developing such processes including a micro-algal reactor, methods for micro-algal cell separation and biomass treatment, and a subsequent two-stage anaerobic fermentation process. First results from parts of this development work are shown. The continuous feeding of the anaerobic process over several weeks using micro-algal biomass is discussed in more details. The biogas is composed of methane, higher hydrocarbons, carbon dioxide, and hydrogen sulphide. Using steam reforming, it can be converted to a mixture of carbon dioxide and hydrogen. These gases can be separated using membrane technology. It is possible to form a closed carbon cycle by recycling the carbon dioxide to the micro-algal process. The transportable and storable hydrogen product is a valuable energy source and can be converted to electrical energy and heat using fuel cells. The simulation of such a process will be explicated.

scholarly journals A Cofacial Metal-Organic Framework Based Photocathode for Carbon Dioxide Reduction

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bowen Ding ◽  
Bun Chan ◽  
Nicholas Proschogo ◽  
Marcello Solomon ◽  
Cameron Kepert ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Dioxide ◽  
Energy Harvesting ◽  
Solar Energy ◽  
Metal Organic Framework ◽  
Carbon Dioxide Reduction ◽  
Solar Energy Harvesting ◽  
Metal Organic ◽  
Organic Framework

Innovative and robust photosensitisation materials play a cardinal role in advancing the combined effort towards efficient solar energy harvesting. Here, we demonstrate the photocathode functionality of a Metal-Organic Framework (MOF)...

Intlp compounds for Underwater Solar Energy Harvesting

MRS Advances ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
pp. 153-158 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ahmed Zayan ◽  
Thomas E. Vandervelde
Keyword(s):  
Energy Harvesting ◽  
Solar Energy ◽  
Spectral Response ◽  
Solar Spectrum ◽  
Electrical Energy ◽  
Unmanned Underwater Vehicles ◽  
Solar Energy Harvesting ◽  
System P ◽  
Term Energy ◽  
P Cells

ABSTRACTWith the rising interest in oceanic monitoring, climate awareness and surveillance, the scientific community need for developing autonomous, self-sustaining Unmanned Underwater Vehicles (UUVs) increased as well. Limitations on the size, maneuverability, power consumption, and available on-site maintenance of these UUVs make a number of proposed technologies to power them harder to implement than others; solar energy harvesting stands as one of the more promising candidates to address the need for a long-term energy supply for UUVs due to its relatively small size and ease of deployment. Studies show research groups focusing on the use of Si cells (amorphous and crystalline), InGaP, and more recently Organic Photovoltaics to convert the attenuated solar spectrum under shallow depths (no deeper than 9.1 m) into electrical energy used or stored by the UUV’s power management system (P. P. Jenkins et al. 2014; Walters et al. 2015). In our study, we consider the ternary compound In1-xTlxP that allows for varying the quantum efficiency of the cell, and by extension the overall harvesting efficiency of the system by altering the Tl content (x) in the compound. In1-xTlxP on InP is a low strain system since the compound exhibits very little change in its lattice constant with changing Tl content due to the comparable atomic size and forces of In and Tl allowing for relatively easy growth on InP substrates. The study focuses on studying the spectral response and comparing the performance of an optimized single junction In1-xTlxP cells to In1-yGayP cells while accounting for the optical losses of the solar irradiance underwater for various depths.

scholarly journals Periodic Nanophotonic Structures-Based Light Management for Solar Energy Harvesting

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nikhil Deep Gupta
Keyword(s):  
Solar Cells ◽  
Solar Energy ◽  
Light Harvesting ◽  
Light Trapping ◽  
Electrical Energy ◽  
Vital Role ◽  
Photoelectrochemical Cells ◽  
Large Area ◽  
Solar Energy Harvesting ◽  
Nanophotonic Structures

Solar energy has always been an obvious choice for solving the energy issues for the humans for centuries. The two most popular choices, out of many, to harness this infinite source of energy are: solar cells and photoelectrochemical cells. Although both these techniques are quite attractive, they have inherent limitations for tapping all of the incident photons. Maximizing the absorption of incident photons to produce maximum possible electrical output is always the main impetus for the researchers working to streamline these two techniques and making them compatible with existing sources of electrical energy. It has been well established that the light trapping in the solar cells and photoelectrochemical cells can play a vital role in improving their performance. To design light harvesting structures for both these applications, periodic nanophotonic structures have demonstrated stupendous results and shown that they have the real potential to enhance their performance. The chapter, in this regard, presents and reviews the current and historical aspects of the light harvesting structures for these two interesting applications and also discusses about the future of the research to further the performance of these large-area solar-to-electrical conversion transducers.

Buoyancy-Driven Circulation Flow of an Electrical Conductive Liquid in a Rectangular Annulus

2007 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peiwen Li ◽  
Cho Lik Chan ◽  
C. F. Chen
Keyword(s):  
Energy Harvesting ◽  
Solar Energy ◽  
Closed Form Solution ◽  
Simple Algorithm ◽  
Electrical Energy ◽  
Ambient Air ◽  
Form Solution ◽  
Conductive Liquid ◽  
Heating And Cooling ◽  
Solar Energy Harvesting

A study on the characteristics of a buoyancy-driven flow in a rectangular circulation channel in a solar-energy-harvesting device is presented in this paper. The solar-energy-harvesting device is projected to convert solar radiation into electrical energy. As a first step of the energy conversion in the device, a flow is generated by an imbalance of buoyancy forces in the heating and cooling sections for a liquid in the circulation channel. Whereas solar energy is collected to provide the heat, free convection of ambient air provides the cooling in the device. The fluid used in the circulation channel is electrically conductive and has high thermal expansion coefficient. The present investigation focuses on the effects of channel dimensions on the buoyancy-driven flow field and uniformities of velocities. Both analytical and numerical approaches are applied in the study. Analytical closed-form solution is obtained by assuming uni-direction flow. Steady-state two-dimensional laminar solutions are obtained by numerical computation using QUICK scheme and SIMPLE algorithm.

DESIGN OF INTEGRATED ENERGY HARVESTING SYSTEM ON WINDOW BUILDING USING SOLAR PV

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rishal Asri ◽  
Koko Friansa
Keyword(s):  
Energy Harvesting ◽  
Solar Energy ◽  
Electrical Energy ◽  
City Government ◽  
Solar Pv ◽  
Energy Potential ◽  
Solar Energy Harvesting ◽  
Harvesting Systems ◽  
Energy Harvesting System ◽  
Physical Comfort

The current building is expected to provide physical comfort, such as room comfort, temperature, sound and lighting. Some equipment is needed that requires electrical energy to provide physical comfort. Like a room cooling device to provide thermal comfort, a room lamp to provide lighting comfort. The ITERA building built by the City Government of Bandar Lampung has high solar energy potential. While the electricity source still uses diesel fuel. The potential for solar energy radiation is used to become electrical energy by using glass windows as the foundation for installing solar energy harvesting systems using solar PV.

scholarly journals Single/Dual-Polarized Infrared Rectenna for Solar Energy Harvesting

2016 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 1 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. H. Zainud-Deen ◽  
N. A. Eltresy ◽  
H. A. Malhat ◽  
K. H. Awadalla
Keyword(s):  
Energy Harvesting ◽  
Solar Energy ◽  
Electrical Energy ◽  
Solar Energy Harvesting ◽  
Metal Insulator Metal ◽  
Linearly Polarized ◽  
Different Shapes ◽  
Mim Diode ◽  
Dual Polarized ◽  
Thz Applications

Single and dual linearly-polarized receiving mode nanoantennas are designed for solar energy harvesting at 28.3 THz. The infrared rectennas are used to harvest the solar energy and converting it to electrical energy.  The proposed infrared rectenna is a thin dipole made of gold and printed on a silicon dioxide substrate. Different shapes of the dipole arms have been investigated for maximum collected energy. The two poles of the dipole have been determined in a rectangular, circular and rhombus shapes. The rectenna dipole is used to concentrate the electromagnetic energy into a small localized area at the inner tips of the gap between the dipole arms. The dimensions of the different dipole shapes are optimized for maximum near electric field intensity at a frequency of 28.3 THz. A Metal Insulator Metal (MIM) diode is incorporated with the nanoantenna dipole to rectify the received energy. The receiving efficiency of the solar energy collector with integrated MIM diode has been investigated. A dual-polarized, four arms, rhombus shaped nanoantenna dipole for solar energy harvesting has been designed and optimized for 28.3 THz applications.

scholarly journals An investigation of anode and cathode materials in photomicrobial fuel cells

2016 ◽  
Vol 374 (2061) ◽  
pp. 20150080 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kenneth Schneider ◽  
Rebecca J. Thorne ◽  
Petra J. Cameron
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cells ◽  
Cathode Materials ◽  
Direct Electron Transfer ◽  
Porous Ceramic ◽  
Electrical Energy ◽  
Anode Surface ◽  
Electron Mediator ◽  
Photosynthetic Organisms ◽  
First Results ◽  
Rate Limit

Photomicrobial fuel cells (p-MFCs) are devices that use photosynthetic organisms (such as cyanobacteria or algae) to turn light energy into electrical energy. In a p-MFC, the anode accepts electrons from microorganisms that are either growing directly on the anode surface (biofilm) or are free floating in solution (planktonic). The nature of both the anode and cathode material is critical for device efficiency. An ideal anode is biocompatible and facilitates direct electron transfer from the microorganisms, with no need for an electron mediator. For a p-MFC, there is the additional requirement that the anode should not prevent light from perfusing through the photosynthetic cells. The cathode should facilitate the rapid reaction of protons and oxygen to form water so as not to rate limit the device. In this paper, we first review the range of anode and cathode materials currently used in p-MFCs. We then present our own data comparing cathode materials in a p-MFC and our first results using porous ceramic anodes in a mediator-free p-MFC.

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