scholarly journals Electricity Production Using Plant–Microbial Fuel Cell (P-MFC)

Author(s):  
B. S. Shilpa ◽  
H. S. Dayananda ◽  
P. Girish ◽  
K. Arun Kumar ◽  
T. C. Bhoomika

The current climate change threat by green house gas emissions from the combustion of fossil fuels has necessitated a search for alternative non-polluting, reliable, renewable and sustainable sources of energy such as solar energy and it’s derivatives. The present work focuses on power generation by Plant-Microbial Fuel Cell using Phragmitesaustralis (Reed plant). The plants were grown in fuel-cell, graphite as anode and carbon felt as cathode, separated by proton-exchange-membrane. During anaerobic microbial metabolism of carbohydrates in the roots, protons and electrons are released, the electrons are donated to the anode by the microbes. These electrons can be channeled through a circuit bearing a load to the cathode. In this work, carbon granules as substratum (control), red soil and carbon granules mixture (30:70) as substratum in varied condition was considered. For control substratum, the max.voltage measured was 0.327 V and power density of 2.06x10-3 mW m-2 was obtained. When red soil mixed with carbon granules in the ratio 30:70, the voltage measured was 0.6 V and the power density was found to be 3.78x10-3 mW m-2. When graded red soil (0.0018 m) mixed with carbon granules in the ratio 30:70, the voltage measured was 0.623 V and the power density was found to be 3.98x10-3 mW m-2. The result proves that the plant microbial fuel cell can be used for generating electricity and is a promising renewable energy technology.

2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dani Permana ◽  
Herlian Eriska Putra ◽  
Djaenudin Djaenudin

Sulfonated polyether ether ketone (SPEEK) was utilized as a proton exchange membrane (PEM) in Microbial Fuel Cell (MFC). The SPEEK performance in producing electricity had been observed in MFC using wastewater and glucose as substrates. The MFC with catering and tofu wastewater produced maximum power density about 0.31 mW/m2 and 0.03 mW/m2, respectively, lower that of MFC with tapioca average power density of 39.4 W/m2 over 48 h. The power density boosted because of the presence of Saccharomyces cerevisiae as inoculum. The study using of S. cerevisiae and Acetobacter acetii, separately, were also conducted in with glucose as substrate. The MFC produced an average power densities were 7.3 and 6.4 mW/m2 for S. cerevisiae and A. acetii, respectively. The results of this study indicated that SPEEK membrane has the potential usage in MFCs and can substitute the commercial membrane, Nafion.Article History: Received: Juni 14th 2017; Received: Sept 25th 2017; Accepted: December 16th 2017; Available onlineHow to Cite This Article: Putra, H.E., Permana, D and Djaenudin, D. (2018) Preliminary Study of the Use of Sulfonated Polyether Ether Ketone (SPEEK) as Proton Exchange Membrane for Microbial Fuel Cell (MFC). International Journal of Renewable Energy Development, 7(1), 7-12.https://doi.org/10.14710/ijred.7.1.7-12


2022 ◽  
pp. 1-33
Author(s):  
Xiuqin Zhang ◽  
Wentao Cheng ◽  
Qiubao Lin ◽  
Longquan Wu ◽  
Junyi Wang ◽  
...  

Abstract Proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) based on syngas are a promising technology for electric vehicle applications. To increase the fuel conversion efficiency, the low-temperature waste heat from the PEMFC is absorbed by a refrigerator. The absorption refrigerator provides cool air for the interior space of the vehicle. Between finishing the steam reforming reaction and flowing into the fuel cell, the gases release heat continuously. A Brayton engine is introduced to absorb heat and provide a useful power output. A novel thermodynamic model of the integrated system of the PEMFC, refrigerator, and Brayton engine is established. Expressions for the power output and efficiency of the integrated system are derived. The effects of some key parameters are discussed in detail to attain optimum performance of the integrated system. The simulation results show that when the syngas consumption rate is 4.0 × 10−5 mol s−1cm−2, the integrated system operates in an optimum state, and the product of the efficiency and power density reaches a maximum. In this case, the efficiency and power density of the integrated system are 0.28 and 0.96 J s−1 cm−2, respectively, which are 46% higher than those of a PEMFC.


Author(s):  
Utku Gulan ◽  
Hasmet Turkoglu ◽  
Irfan Ar

In this study, the fluid flow and cell performance in cathode side of a proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell were numerically analyzed. The problem domain consists of cathode gas channel, cathode gas diffusion layer, and cathode catalyst layer. The equations governing the motion of air, concentration of oxygen, and electrochemical reactions were numerically solved. A computer program was developed based on control volume method and SIMPLE algorithm. The mathematical model and program developed were tested by comparing the results of numerical simulations with the results from literature. Simulations were performed for different values of inlet Reynolds number and inlet oxygen mole fraction at different operation temperatures. Using the results of these simulations, the effects of these parameters on the flow, oxygen concentration distribution, current density and power density were analyzed. The simulations showed that the oxygen concentration in the catalyst layer increases with increasing Reynolds number and hence the current density and power density of the PEM fuel cell also increases. Analysis of the data obtained from simulations also shows that current density and power density of the PEM fuel cell increases with increasing operation temperature. It is also observed that increasing the inlet oxygen mole fraction increases the current density and power density.


Energies ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (6) ◽  
pp. 1383 ◽  
Author(s):  
Liping Fan ◽  
Junyi Shi ◽  
Tian Gao

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.


2014 ◽  
Vol 25 (12) ◽  
pp. 1426-1432 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mostafa Rahimnejad ◽  
Gholamreza Bakeri ◽  
Mostafa Ghasemi ◽  
Alireza Zirepour

Author(s):  
Saher Al Shakhshir ◽  
Xin Gao ◽  
Torsten Berning

Abstract In a previous numerical study on heat and mass transfer in air-cooled proton exchange membrane fuel cells, it was found that the performance is limited by heat transfer to the cathode side air stream that serves as a coolant, and it was proposed to place a turbulence grid before the cathode inlet in order to induce a mixing effect to the air and thereby improve the heat transfer and ultimately increase the limiting current and maximum power density. The current work summarizes experiments with different turbulence grids which varied in terms of their pore size, grid thickness, rib width, angle of the pores, and the distance between the grid and the cathode inlet. For all grids tested in this study, the limiting current density of a Ballard Mark 1020 ACS stack was increased by 20%. The single most important parameter was the distance between the turbulence grid and the cathode inlet, and it should be within 5 mm. For the best grid tested, the fuel cell stack voltage and thus the efficiency were increased by up to 20%. The power density was increased by more than 30% and further improvements are believed to be possible.


2021 ◽  
Vol 278 ◽  
pp. 123449
Author(s):  
Abdul Azeez Olayiwola Sirajudeen ◽  
Mohamad Suffian Mohamad Annuar ◽  
Khairul Anwar Ishak ◽  
Hindatu Yusuf ◽  
Ramesh Subramaniam

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