scholarly journals Autonomous Sensor Node Powered by CM-Scale Benthic Microbial Fuel Cell and Low-Cost and Off-the-Shelf Components

2016 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
T. Chailloux ◽  
A. Capitaine ◽  
B. Erable ◽  
G. Pillonnet
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cells ◽  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Microbial Fuel Cell ◽  
Power Management ◽  
Microbial Fuel Cells ◽  
Sensor Node ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Aquatic Environments ◽  
Energy Harvesters ◽  
Autonomous Sensor

AbstractMicrobial fuel cells (MFC’s) are promising energy harvesters to constantly supply energy to sensors deployed in aquatic environments where solar, thermal and vibration sources are inadequate. In order to show the ready-to-use MFC potential as energy scavengers, this paper presents the association of a durable benthic MFC with a few dollars of commercially-available power management units (PMU’s) dedicated to other kinds of harvesters. With 20 cm

A high-performance electrocatalytic air cathode derived from aniline and iron for use in microbial fuel cells

RSC Advances ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 4 (25) ◽  
pp. 12789-12794 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xinhua Tang ◽  
Haoran Li ◽  
Weida Wang ◽  
Zhuwei Du ◽  
How Yong Ng
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cells ◽  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Microbial Fuel Cell ◽  
Microbial Fuel Cells ◽  
High Performance ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Air Cathode

A high-performance and low-cost catalyst derived from aniline and iron was synthesized for use as microbial fuel cell (MFC) air cathodes.

Voltage Reversal of Microbial Fuel Cells Stacked in Serial

2014 ◽  
Vol 609-610 ◽  
pp. 1422-1427
Author(s):  
Rong Hai Huang ◽  
Bing Mo ◽  
Feng Zhao ◽  
Chao Dong Ling
Keyword(s):  
Wastewater Treatment ◽  
Fuel Cells ◽  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Single Cell ◽  
Microbial Fuel Cell ◽  
Power Management ◽  
Output Power ◽  
Microbial Fuel Cells ◽  
Environmental Friendly

Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) are regarded as a promising and environmental friendly method for wastewater treatment and bio-production. The output power of a single cell is inadequate to drive loads directly. Microbial fuel cells stacked in serials will promote bio-production or bioremediation and the voltage of the MFCs can be scaled up by connecting the cells in serials, whereas voltage reversal may emerge in this case. The causes for reversing polarity of MFCs have received great attention in recent years. This paper designs a power management circuit for microbial fuel cell, studies the mechanisms of voltage reversal and the approaches to solve the problem.

scholarly journals Lack of Electricity Production by Pelobacter carbinolicus Indicates that the Capacity for Fe(III) Oxide Reduction Does Not Necessarily Confer Electron Transfer Ability to Fuel Cell Anodes

2007 ◽  
Vol 73 (16) ◽  
pp. 5347-5353 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hanno Richter ◽  
Martin Lanthier ◽  
Kelly P. Nevin ◽  
Derek R. Lovley
Keyword(s):  
Electron Transfer ◽  
Fuel Cells ◽  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Microbial Fuel Cell ◽  
Microbial Fuel Cells ◽  
Electron Donors ◽  
Rrna Genes ◽  
Anode Surface ◽  
Oxide Reduction ◽  
Fuel Cell Anodes

ABSTRACT The ability of Pelobacter carbinolicus to oxidize electron donors with electron transfer to the anodes of microbial fuel cells was evaluated because microorganisms closely related to Pelobacter species are generally abundant on the anodes of microbial fuel cells harvesting electricity from aquatic sediments. P. carbinolicus could not produce current in a microbial fuel cell with electron donors which support Fe(III) oxide reduction by this organism. Current was produced using a coculture of P. carbinolicus and Geobacter sulfurreducens with ethanol as the fuel. Ethanol consumption was associated with the transitory accumulation of acetate and hydrogen. G. sulfurreducens alone could not metabolize ethanol, suggesting that P. carbinolicus grew in the fuel cell by converting ethanol to hydrogen and acetate, which G. sulfurreducens oxidized with electron transfer to the anode. Up to 83% of the electrons available in ethanol were recovered as electricity and in the metabolic intermediate acetate. Hydrogen consumption by G. sulfurreducens was important for ethanol metabolism by P. carbinolicus. Confocal microscopy and analysis of 16S rRNA genes revealed that half of the cells growing on the anode surface were P. carbinolicus, but there was a nearly equal number of planktonic cells of P. carbinolicus. In contrast, G. sulfurreducens was primarily attached to the anode. P. carbinolicus represents the first Fe(III) oxide-reducing microorganism found to be unable to produce current in a microbial fuel cell, providing the first suggestion that the mechanisms for extracellular electron transfer to Fe(III) oxides and fuel cell anodes may be different.

scholarly journals Comparative Study on the Effects of Three Membrane Modification Methods on the Performance of Microbial Fuel Cell

Energies ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (6) ◽  
pp. 1383 ◽  
Author(s):  
Liping Fan ◽  
Junyi Shi ◽  
Tian Gao
Keyword(s):  
Power Generation ◽  
Fuel Cells ◽  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Microbial Fuel Cell ◽  
Water Purification ◽  
Microbial Fuel Cells ◽  
Proton Exchange Membrane ◽  
Proton Exchange ◽  
Generation Capacity ◽  
Exchange Membrane

Proton exchange membrane is an important factor affecting the power generation capacity and water purification effect of microbial fuel cells. The performance of microbial fuel cells can be improved by modifying the proton exchange membrane by some suitable method. Microbial fuel cells with membranes modified by SiO2/PVDF (polyvinylidene difluoride), sulfonated PVDF and polymerized MMA (methyl methacrylate) electrolyte were tested and their power generation capacity and water purification effect were compared. The experimental results show that the three membrane modification methods can improve the power generation capacity and water purification effect of microbial fuel cells to some extent. Among them, the microbial fuel cell with the polymerized MMA modified membrane showed the best performance, in which the output voltage was 39.52 mV, and the electricity production current density was 18.82 mA/m2, which was 2224% higher than that of microbial fuel cell with the conventional Nafion membrane; and the COD (chemical oxygen demand) removal rate was 54.8%, which was 72.9% higher than that of microbial fuel cell with the conventional Nafion membrane. Modifying the membrane with the polymerized MMA is a very effective way to improve the performance of microbial fuel cells.

scholarly journals Microbial Fuel Cells, Related Technologies, and Their Applications

2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (12) ◽  
pp. 2384 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gene Drendel ◽  
Elizabeth R. Mathews ◽  
Lucie Semenec ◽  
Ashley E. Franks
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cells ◽  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Engineering Design ◽  
Microbial Fuel Cell ◽  
Microbial Fuel Cells ◽  
Energy Production ◽  
Emerging Technology ◽  
Engineering Material ◽  
Cell Systems ◽  
Material Sciences

Microbial fuel cells present an emerging technology for utilizing the metabolism of microbes to fuel processes including biofuel, energy production, and the bioremediation of environments. The application and design of microbial fuel cells are of interest to a range of disciplines including engineering, material sciences, and microbiology. In addition, these devices present numerous opportunities to improve sustainable practices in different settings, ranging from industrial to domestic. Current research is continuing to further our understanding of how the engineering, design, and microbial aspects of microbial fuel cell systems impact upon their function. As a result, researchers are continuing to expand the range of processes microbial fuel cells can be used for, as well as the efficiency of those applications.

High Power Density from Pt Thin Film Electrodes Based Microbial Fuel Cell

2008 ◽  
Vol 8 (8) ◽  
pp. 4132-4134 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tushar Sharma ◽  
A. Leela Mohana Reddy ◽  
T. S. Chandra ◽  
S. Ramaprabhu
Keyword(s):  
Thin Film ◽  
Fuel Cells ◽  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Microbial Fuel Cell ◽  
Microbial Fuel Cells ◽  
Neutral Red ◽  
Carbon Paper ◽  
Platinum Electrodes ◽  
Electron Mediator ◽  
Coated Carbon

Microbial Fuel Cells (MFC) are robust devices capable of taping biological energy, converting sugars into potential sources of energy. Persistent efforts are directed towards increasing power output. However, they have not been researched to the extent of making them competitive with chemical fuel cells. The power generated in a dual-chamber MFC using neutral red (NR) as the electron mediator has been previously shown to be 152.4 mW/m2 at 412.5 mA/m2 of current density. In the present work we show that Pt thin film coated carbon paper as electrodes increase the performance of a microbial fuel cell compared to conventionally employed electrodes. The results obtained using E. coli based microbial fuel cell with methylene blue and neutral red as the electron mediator, potassium ferricyanide in the cathode compartment were systematically studied and the results obtained with Pt thin film coated over carbon paper as electrodes were compared with that of graphite electrodes. Platinum coated carbon electrodes were found to be better over the previously used for microbial fuel cells and at the same time are cheaper than the preferred pure platinum electrodes.

Engineering a membrane based air cathode for microbial fuel cells via hot pressing and using multi-catalyst layer stacking

2016 ◽  
Vol 2 (5) ◽  
pp. 858-863 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wulin Yang ◽  
Bruce E. Logan
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cells ◽  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Microbial Fuel Cell ◽  
Hot Pressing ◽  
Microbial Fuel Cells ◽  
High Performance ◽  
Catalyst Layer ◽  
Air Cathode ◽  
Water Leakage ◽  
Layer Stacking

Microbial fuel cell (MFC) cathodes must have high performance and be resistant to water leakage.

scholarly journals Using Shewanella Oneidensis MR1 as a Biocatalyst in a Microscale Microbial Fuel Cell

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jie Yang ◽  
Sasan Ghobadian ◽  
Reza Montazami ◽  
Nastaran Hashemi
Keyword(s):  
Power Generation ◽  
Fuel Cells ◽  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Microbial Fuel Cell ◽  
Power Density ◽  
Microbial Fuel Cells ◽  
Shewanella Oneidensis ◽  
Proton Exchange ◽  
Carbon Cloth ◽  
Anode Chamber

Microbial fuel cell (MFC) technology is a promising area in the field of renewable energy because of their capability to use the energy contained in wastewater, which has been previously an untapped source of power. Microscale MFCs are desirable for their small footprints, relatively high power density, fast start-up, and environmentally-friendly process. Microbial fuel cells employ microorganisms as the biocatalysts instead of metal catalysts, which are widely applied in conventional fuel cells. MFCs are capable of generating electricity as long as nutrition is provided. Miniature MFCs have faster power generation recovery than macroscale MFCs. Additionally, since power generation density is affected by the surface-to-volume ratio, miniature MFCs can facilitate higher power density. We have designed and fabricated a microscale microbial fuel cell with a volume of 4 μL in a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) chamber. The anode and cathode chambers were separated by a proton exchange membrane. Carbon cloth was used for both the anode and the cathode. Shewanella Oneidensis MR-1 was chosen to be the electrogenic bacteria and was inoculated into the anode chamber. We employed Ferricyanide as the catholyte and introduced it into the cathode chamber with a constant flow rate of approximately 50 μL/hr. We used trypticase soy broth as the bacterial nutrition and added it into the anode chamber approximately every 15 hours once current dropped to base current. Using our miniature MFC, we were able to generate a maximum current of 4.62 μA.

Factors affecting the performance of a single-chamber microbial fuel cell-type biological oxygen demand sensor

2013 ◽  
Vol 68 (9) ◽  
pp. 1914-1919 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gai-Xiu Yang ◽  
Yong-Ming Sun ◽  
Xiao-Ying Kong ◽  
Feng Zhen ◽  
Ying Li ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Microbial Fuel Cell ◽  
Microbial Fuel Cells ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Oxygen Demand ◽  
Response Signal ◽  
Cell Type ◽  
Single Chamber ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Stable Voltage

Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) are devices that exploit microorganisms as biocatalysts to degrade organic matter or sludge present in wastewater (WW), and thereby generate electricity. We developed a simple, low-cost single-chamber microbial fuel cell (SCMFC)-type biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) sensor using carbon felt (anode) and activated sludge, and demonstrated its feasibility in the construction of a real-time BOD measurement system. Further, the effects of anodic pH and organic concentration on SCMFC performance were examined, and the correlation between BOD concentration and its response time was analyzed. Our results demonstrated that the SCMFC exhibited a stable voltage after 132 min following the addition of synthetic WW (BOD concentration: 200 mg/L). Notably, the response signal increased with an increase in BOD concentration (range: 5–200 mg/L) and was found to be directly proportional to the substrate concentration. However, at higher BOD concentrations (>120 mg/L) the response signal remained unaltered. Furthermore, we optimized the SCMFC using synthetic WW, and tested it with real WW. Upon feeding real WW, the BOD values exhibited a standard deviation from 2.08 to 8.3% when compared to the standard BOD5 method, thus demonstrating the practical applicability of the developed system to real treatment effluents.

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