Development of Gold Electrodes for Microbial Fuel Cells

2016 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 037-042 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Verea ◽  
M. Jaramillo-Torres ◽  
M. P. Mejia-Lopez ◽  
J. Campos ◽  
P. J. Sebastian
Keyword(s):  
Wastewater Treatment ◽  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Microbial Fuel Cells ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Simple Technique ◽  
Reduction Reaction ◽  
Thin Layers ◽  
Different Temperatures ◽  
Electrode Fabrication ◽  
Technological Significance

The microbial fuel cell (MFC) has been an important subject of study in the last decades because of its technological significance that one can produce hydrogen or electricity by wastewater treatment (bio-remediation). One of the main issues for the application of these devices on large scale is the processes and materials for the electrode fabrication. The cathode for MFC requires a catalyst to perform the reduction reaction and this work presents a simple technique to obtain thin layers of gold (TLG) supported on glass. This technique was employed to obtain TLG with different thicknesses from 848 nm to the thinnest of 137 nm. Since the gold of the TLGs presented adherence issues, a successful thermal treatment with different temperatures from 150-300 ºC was developed to avoid the gold detachment. The TLGs were tested as cathodes in a MFC and a maximum Voc of 431 mV and an Isc of 10 × 10−2 mA were obtained. The process to obtain TLGs presented here has probed to be a good option for this application since the thickness obtained and the accessible material (glass) employed as support offers a solution to the costs and the scaling issues.

scholarly journals Microbial Fuel Cell and its Efficiency in Treating Wastewater - a Novel Technique for Wastewater Treatment

2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (3.12) ◽  
pp. 69
Author(s):  
B Antony Fantin ◽  
S Ramesh ◽  
J S.Sudarsan ◽  
P Vanamoorthy Kumaran
Keyword(s):  
Wastewater Treatment ◽  
Fuel Cells ◽  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Microbial Fuel Cell ◽  
Microbial Fuel Cells ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Electric Energy ◽  
Electrical Energy ◽  
Organic Content ◽  
Good Energy

Due to depletion of coal and other natural fuel there is an urgent need to find eco-friendly and workable technology for alternate energy. Microbial fuel cells is considered as assuringmethod to extract energy from various sources of wastewater and to generate electricity. But, due to practical limits, MFCs are still unsuitable to meet high power demands. Since wastewater contains several contaminants including organic substances, therefore, generation of electric energy from wastewater using MFC can offer an alternate solution for electricity issue as well as to reduce environmental pollution. Microbial fuel cells harvest electrical energy from wastewater with the help of microorganisms present within the wastewater. The energy confined in organic matter converted in to useful electric current. In Microbial Fuel Cell electrons from the microorganisms transfer from a reduced electron donor to an electron acceptor at a higher electrochemical potential. The study highlights that wastewater with high organic content found to be more effective and it also gives good energy production. If the same concept implemented in large scale it can help in achieving sustainable development and it helps in achieving 3R formula in the process of wastewater treatment. 

Review of Microbial Fuel Cells for Wastewater Treatment: Large-Scale Applications, Future Needs and Current Research Gaps

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael G. Waller ◽  
Thomas A. Trabold
Keyword(s):  
Wastewater Treatment ◽  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Microbial Fuel Cells ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Organic Waste ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Waste Water Treatment ◽  
Oxygen Demand ◽  
Industrial Applications ◽  
Research Gaps

There is growing interest in innovative waste water treatment technologies that can utilize the inherent energy-producing potential of organic waste. A microbial fuel cell (MFC) is a type of bioreactor that produces electricity by converting energy in the chemical bonds of organic material, through a catalytic reaction of microorganisms under anaerobic conditions. MFCs provide a promising low cost, highly efficient, and renewable energy-producing alternative to conventional wastewater treatments. MFC technology at the laboratory scale has advanced to the point where chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal efficiencies (RE) over 90% are commonly achieved; however, low coulombic efficiencies (CE) and power densities often result when treating actual industrial and domestic wastewaters. In spite of their low energy recovery and power production, MFCs have been shown to be economically viable when factoring in costs savings from the sale of produced chemical byproducts and reduction of solid waste removal costs. However, further research of large-scale MFC wastewater treatment applications must be performed to determine the extent of their feasibility. This paper reviews several pilot-test MFC systems, addresses promising future industrial applications, and discusses current research gaps in MFC technology for wastewater treatment. Of particular interest in our research program is the use of MFCs to treat liquid-phase organic waste generated at food processing plants. Because of the general scalability of fuel cell systems, there is reason to believe that an MFC treatment system would be better suited to relatively small waste flow rates, unlike other treatment methods (e.g., anaerobic digestion) which typically require large volume to achieve economic viability.

scholarly journals Modelling and pH Control in Raceway and Thin-Layer Photobioreactors for Wastewater Treatment

Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
pp. 1099
Author(s):  
María José Rodríguez-Torres ◽  
Ainoa Morillas-España ◽  
José Luis Guzmán ◽  
Francisco Gabriel Acién
Keyword(s):  
Wastewater Treatment ◽  
Thin Layer ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Control Period ◽  
Ph Control ◽  
Thin Layers ◽  
Control Algorithms ◽  
Treatment Processes ◽  
Overall Performance ◽  
Reduction Of Co2

One of the most critical variables in microalgae-related processes is the pH; it directly determines the overall performance of the production system especially when coupling with wastewater treatment. In microalgae-related wastewater treatment processes, the adequacy of pH has a large impact on the microalgae/bacteria consortium already developing on these systems. For cost-saving reasons, the pH is usually controlled by classical On/Off control algorithms during the daytime period, typically with the dynamics of the system and disturbances not being considered in the design of the control system. This paper presents the modelling and pH control in open photobioreactors, both raceway and thin-layer, using advanced controllers. In both types of photobioreactors, a classic control was implemented and compared with a Proportional–Integral (PI) control, also the operation during only the daylight period and complete daily time was evaluated. Thus, three major variables already studied include (i) the type of reactors (thin-layers and raceways), (ii) the type of control algorithm (On/Off and PI), and (iii) the control period (during the daytime and throughout the daytime and nighttime). Results show that the pH was adequately controlled in both photobioreactors, although each type requires different control algorithms, the pH control being largely improved when using PI controllers, with the controllers allowing us to reduce the total costs of the process with the reduction of CO2 injections. Moreover, the control during the complete daily cycle (including night) not only not increases the amount of CO2 to be injected, otherwise reducing it, but also improves the overall performance of the production process. Optimal pH control systems here developed are highly useful to develop robust large-scale microalgae-related wastewater treatment processes.

Numerical Model of a Single Phase, Regenerative Fuel Cell

2004 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Garrard ◽  
S. Beck ◽  
P. Styring
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Single Phase ◽  
Reaction System ◽  
Reduction Reaction ◽  
Dynamic Calculation ◽  
Species Concentration ◽  
Physical Interactions ◽  
Regenerative Fuel Cell ◽  
Future Work

A code for numerical simulating the fluid flow and electrochemistry of a single phase regenerative fuel cell is presented. Due to the potentially tiny geometries and complex multi-physical interactions, modeling presents a chance to obtain detailed quantitative data and much needed understanding about physics within the reactor. The Regenesys XL200 fuel cell has the industrial application of large scale energy storage and is the focus of this work. A two dimensional, binary reduction reaction system has been created to represent the XL200 and test the code. Commercially available CFD software Fluent was used to calculate the flow field and subroutines were used to create the dynamic calculation of electrochemistry at the reaction surface. The effect of changing the total applied potential across the domain on the potential and species concentration distribution within the domain was investigated. Results show that the code is producing qualitatively feasible results that represent the tight multi-physical coupling. The code is currently not validated against physical experimental results and this will be the focus of future work.

Microwave Assisted Synthesis of Ru3Pd6Pt Cathode Catalyst in a PEM Fuel Cell

2013 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. 147-150 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. Leyva-Noyola ◽  
O. Solorza-Feria
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
High Pressures ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Pem Fuel Cell ◽  
Reduction Reaction ◽  
Microwave Assisted Synthesis ◽  
Microwave Assisted ◽  
Long Time ◽  
Set Up

Nanoparticles of Ru3Pd6Pt have been previously produced by different synthesis routes that involve high temperatures and relative high pressures and long time. The usage of a conventional microwave assisted synthesis reduces environmental risk impact as well as the cost effective production in large scale with minimum set up modifications. These features are the motivations for the use of microwaves in the synthesis of the Ru3Pd6Pt catalyst for PEM fuel cell applications to reduce the Pt loading. In this communication a tri-metallic electrocatalyst was produced by the reduction of the corresponding metallic salts, RuCl3, PdCl2, and H2PtCl6 in ethylene glycol using a modified conventional microwave device. Oxygen reduction reaction kinetic analysis results conducted to a Tafel slope, (-b = 41.2 ± 1.7 mV dec-1) at low overpotential, and exchange current density (i0 = 3.01 ± 0.39 × 10-5 mA cm-2) in 0.5M H2SO4. This electrocatalyst exhibited good performance and stability in a single H2/O2PEM fuel cell.

scholarly journals Wastewater Treatment and Electricity Production in a Microbial Fuel Cell with Cu–B Alloy as the Cathode Catalyst

Catalysts ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (7) ◽  
pp. 572 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paweł P. Włodarczyk ◽  
Barbara Włodarczyk
Keyword(s):  
Wastewater Treatment ◽  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Microbial Fuel Cell ◽  
Microbial Fuel Cells ◽  
Oxygen Demand ◽  
Electricity Production ◽  
Cathode Catalyst ◽  
Similar Reduction ◽  
Fuel Cell Operation

The possibility of wastewater treatment and electricity production using a microbial fuel cell with Cu–B alloy as the cathode catalyst is presented in this paper. Our research covered the catalyst preparation; measurements of the electroless potential of electrodes with the Cu–B catalyst, measurements of the influence of anodic charge on the catalytic activity of the Cu–B alloy, electricity production in a microbial fuel cell (with a Cu–B cathode), and a comparison of changes in the concentration of chemical oxygen demand (COD), NH4+, and NO3– in three reactors: one excluding aeration, one with aeration, and during microbial fuel cell operation (with a Cu–B cathode). During the experiments, electricity production equal to 0.21–0.35 mA·cm−2 was obtained. The use of a microbial fuel cell (MFC) with Cu–B offers a similar reduction time for COD to that resulting from the application of aeration. The measured reduction of NH4+ was unchanged when compared with cases employing MFCs, and it was found that effectiveness of about 90% can be achieved for NO3– reduction. From the results of this study, we conclude that Cu–B can be employed to play the role of a cathode catalyst in applications of microbial fuel cells employed for wastewater treatment and the production of electricity.

scholarly journals Progress in Domestic Wastewater Treatment, Resource Recovery and Energy Generation Using Microbial Fuel Cell

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Girum Ayalneh Tiruye
Keyword(s):  
Wastewater Treatment ◽  
Microbial Fuel Cells ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Coulombic Efficiency ◽  
Domestic Wastewater ◽  
Energy Generation ◽  
Resource Recovery ◽  
Organic Substrate ◽  
Domestic Wastewater Treatment ◽  
Low Efficiency

Microbial fuel cells (MFC) are emerging as a versatile eco-friendly bioelectrochemical system (BES) that utilizes microorganisms as biocatalysts to simultaneously convert chemical energy in the chemical bond of organic and inorganic substrates into bioelectricity and treat wastewater. The performance of MFC depends on the electroactive microorganisms, popularly known as exoelectrogens, the loading rate of organic substrate, pH, MFC configurations, hydraulic retention time, and temperature. In most cases, the performance of MFC can be evaluated by measuring chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal efficiency, Coulombic efficiency and MFC power density output. To date, the most common MFC’s reactor designs are single-chamber MFC, double-chambers MFC, and stacked-MFC configurations. Generally, considerable developments in MFC systems for waste treatment, renewable energy generation and resource recovery have been made in the last two decades, despite critical challenges of capital cost investment, and low efficiency for large scale applications are impeding MFC from commercialization. This mini-review chapter provides a comprehensive assessment of principles and configurations of MFC, treatment of domestic wastewater, energy generation, and resource recovery by MFC and challenges of MFC. I believe the information provided in this chapter will enlighten the current and future prospects of versatile applications of MFC during domestic wastewater treatment.

Electrochemically synthesized sulfur-doped graphene as a superior metal-free cathodic catalyst for oxygen reduction reaction in microbial fuel cells

RSC Advances ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (105) ◽  
pp. 103446-103454 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thi Hiep Han ◽  
Nazish Parveen ◽  
Sajid Ali Ansari ◽  
Jun Ho Shim ◽  
Anh Thi Nguyet Nguyen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Oxygen Reduction Reaction ◽  
Microbial Fuel Cell ◽  
Microbial Fuel Cells ◽  
Reduction Reaction ◽  
Cathode Catalyst ◽  
Metal Free ◽  
Doped Graphene ◽  
Efficient Alternative ◽  
Cathodic Catalyst

Electrochemically synthesized S-GN was proved to be an efficient alternative cathode catalyst to Pt/C in microbial fuel cell.

scholarly journals Overview of Recent Advancements in the Microbial Fuel Cell from Fundamentals to Applications: Design, Major Elements, and Scalability

Energies ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (17) ◽  
pp. 3390 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sami G. A. Flimban ◽  
Iqbal M. I. Ismail ◽  
Taeyoung Kim ◽  
Sang-Eun Oh
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Microbial Fuel Cell ◽  
Microbial Fuel Cells ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Scaling Up ◽  
Major Elements ◽  
Waste Products ◽  
Electrode Shape ◽  
Alternative Means ◽  
Energy From Waste

Microbial fuel cell (MFC) technology offers an alternative means for producing energy from waste products. In this review, several characteristics of MFC technology that make it revolutionary will be highlighted. First, a brief history presents how bioelectrochemical systems have advanced, ultimately describing the development of microbial fuel cells. Second, the focus is shifted to the attributes that enable MFCs to work efficiently. Next, follows the design of various MFC systems in use including their components and how they are assembled, along with an explanation of how they work. Finally, microbial fuel cell designs and types of main configurations used are presented along with the scalability of the technology for proper application. The present review shows importance of design and elements to reduce energy loss for scaling up the MFC system including the type of electrode, shape of the single reactor, electrical connection method, stack direction, and modulation. These aspects precede making economically applicable large-scale MFCs (over 1 m3 scale) a reality.

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