scholarly journals A Review on Microbial Fuel Cells

2021 ◽  
Vol 39 (1A) ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
Baidaa A. Kitafa ◽  
Afaf J. Obaid Al-saned

The Microbial Fuel Cell (MFC) is a bioreactor with which the chemical energy in chemical bonds of organic compounds are converted to electricity under anaerobic conditions through catalytic reactions of micro-organisms. It has been familiar for a long time that electricity can be generated directly through using bacteria to break organic matter. A microbial fuel cell can also serve in different wastewater treatment to destroy organic matter. The development of MFC technology requires a greater understanding of the microbial processes  for MFCs, and their components, limitations, factors and design this system, to be simpler and large scale system developed; so that it would increase electricity production while being cost-effective. This review discusses, what is the MFCs and the basic principle of how MFC operate, the most essential MFC components and their relevance, multiple MFC designs that have been presented as efficient configurations, Applications of MFCs, and several types of wastewater as substrates in MFC also highlighted.

2017 ◽  
Vol 79 (5-2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Zul Hasrizal Bohari ◽  
Nur Asyhikin Azhari ◽  
Nuraina Nasuha Ab Rahman ◽  
Mohamad Faizal Baharom ◽  
Mohd Hafiz Jali ◽  
...  

Energy trending lately shown the need of new possible renewable energy. This paper studies about the capability and capacity generating of electricity by using Bio-electricity-Microbial Fuel Cell (Bio-MFC). Bio-MFC is the device that converts chemical energy to electrical energy by using microbes that exist in the sewage water. The energy contained in organic matter can be converted into useful electrical power. MFC can be operated by microbes that transfer electrons from anode to cathode for generating electricity. There are two major goals in this study. The first goal is to determine the performance characteristics of MFCs in this application. Specifically we investigate the relationship between the percentages of organic matter in a sample results in higher electricity production of MFCs power by that sample. As a result, the sewage (wastewater) chosen in the second series experiment because the sewage (wastewater) also produced the highest percentage of organic matter which is around 10%. Due to these, the higher percentage of organic matter corresponds to higher electricity production. The second goal is to determine the condition under which MFC work most efficiently to generating electricity. After get the best result of the combination for the electrode, which is combination of zinc and copper (900mV),the third series of experiments was coducted, that show the independent variable was in the ambient temperature. The reasons of these observations will be explained throughout the paper. The study proved that the electricity production of MFC can be increased by selecting the right condition of sample type, temperature and type of electrode. 


2013 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. 147-150 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. Leyva-Noyola ◽  
O. Solorza-Feria

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.


Catalysts ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (7) ◽  
pp. 572 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paweł P. Włodarczyk ◽  
Barbara Włodarczyk

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.


Energies ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (17) ◽  
pp. 3390 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sami G. A. Flimban ◽  
Iqbal M. I. Ismail ◽  
Taeyoung Kim ◽  
Sang-Eun Oh

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.


2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (3.12) ◽  
pp. 69
Author(s):  
B Antony Fantin ◽  
S Ramesh ◽  
J S.Sudarsan ◽  
P Vanamoorthy Kumaran

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. 


2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (9) ◽  
Author(s):  
HADI WISA NUGRAHA ◽  
GUNAWAN DJAJAKIRANA ◽  
SYAIFUL ANWAR ◽  
DWI ANDREAS SANTOSA

Abstract. Nugraha HW, Djajakirana G, Anwar S, Santosa DA. 2020. Producing renewable electric energy through a microbial fuel cell in the rice field. Biodiversitas 21: 4139-4146. Microbial Fuel Cell (MFC) is an alternative technology that converts chemical energy into electrical energy using microbes. This study aimed to apply MFC technology in the rice field to produce renewable electricity by utilizing microbes that have been previously isolated. The study was conducted in two experiments. The first experiment was carried out to select MFC prototypes with different in the oxygen circulation system (anode and cathode holes) that capable of producing the highest Voltage. The second experiment was performed to test the selected MFC prototype for electricity production in 12 combination treatments of microbes, organic matter, and fertilization (mixed NPK fertilizer) with three replications on rice cultivation in a greenhouse. The results showed that the best MFC prototype was a prototype that has two holes, each at anode and cathode (MFC 2). The highest electrical Voltage was generated by the treatment with microbes and organic matter, without fertilizer. The treatments produced the highest electrical current was the addition of microbes, organic matter, without and with 50% fertilizer. The highest power density was generated by the treatment with microbes and organic matter, without fertilization. The addition of ex-situ isolated microbes significantly increased the production of electricity.


Author(s):  
Luke T. Wagner ◽  
Niloofar Hashemi ◽  
Nastaran Hashemi

Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) have been a potential green energy source for a long time but one of the problems is that either the technology must be used on a large scale or special equipment have been necessary to keep the fuel cells running such as syringe pumps. Paper-based microbial fuel cells do not need to have a syringe pump to run and can run entirely by themselves when placed in contact with the fluids that are necessary for it to run. Paper-based microbial fuel cells are also more compact than traditional MFCs since the device doesn’t need any external equipment to run. The goal of this paper is to develop a microbial fuel cell that does not require a syringe pump to function. This is done by layering chromatography paper with wax design printed onto it. This restricts the fluids to a specific flow path allowing it to act like the tubes in a typical microbial fuel cell device by delivering the fluids to the chamber. The fluids are picked up by tabs that sit in the fluid and use capillary attraction to flow up the tab and into the device. The fluids are directed to the chambers where the chemical and biological processes take place. These flows are then directed out of the device so that they are taken to a waste container and out of the system. Our microliter scale paper-based microbial fuel cell creates a significant current that is sustained for a period of time and can be repeated. A paper-based microbial fuel cell also has a fast response time. These results mean that it could be possible for a set of paper-based microbial fuel cells to create a power density capable of powering small, low power circuits when used in series or parallel. In this paper, we discuss the fabrication and experimental results of our paper-based microbial fuel cell. Also there will be a discussion of how paper-based microbial fuels cells compare to the traditional microbial fuel cells and how they could be used in the future.


2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samrat MVV Naga ◽  
Rao K Kesava ◽  
Bernardo Ruggeri ◽  
Tonia Tommasi

AbstractThe sea contains various microbes which have an ability to reduce and oxidize substances like iron, sulphur, and nitrate. Most of these processes happen in the seawater, but can also be applied for purification of wastewater. In the present work, a consortium of seawater bacteria has been used for the first time in a microbial fuel cell to reduce nitrate in synthetic water samples and produce electricity by oxidizing organic matter. The concentrations ofandwere reduced to well below their permissible limits. Moreover, the growth of the bacterial consortium at cathode causes an increased electricity production in the cell because of the increased bacterial activity. The performance of the cell with a bicarbonate buffered solution (BBS) at the cathode was superior to that obtained with the commonly used phosphate buffered solution (PBS). As BBS is the natural buffering agent found in the sea, the use of BBS is eco-friendly. The same seawater bacterial consortium could be used at both the anode and the cathode, confirming their adaptability to different environments. Unfortunately, denitrification was accompanied by the generation of high concentrations ofat the anode and the cathode, probably because of the use of N2gas for sparging the anolyte. This aspect merits further investigation.


2008 ◽  
Vol 74 (8) ◽  
pp. 2540-2543 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jung Rae Kim ◽  
Jerzy Dec ◽  
Mary Ann Bruns ◽  
Bruce E. Logan

ABSTRACT A single-chamber microbial fuel cell (MFC) was used to reduce 10 chemicals associated with odors by 99.76% (from 422 ± 23 μg/ml) and three volatile organic acids (acetate, butyrate, and propionate) by >99%. The MFC produced a maximum of 228 mW/m2 and removed 84% of the organic matter in 260 h. MFCs were therefore effective at both treatment and electricity generation.


2015 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 9-18
Author(s):  
Ali J. Jaeel

Chicken manure wastewaters are increasingly being considered a valuable resource of organic compounds. Screened chicken manure was evaluated as a representative solid organic waste. In this study, electricity generation from livestock wastewater (chicken manure) was investigated in a continuous mediator-less horizontal flow microbial fuel cell with graphite electrodes and a selective type of membrane separating the anodic and cathodic compartments of MFC from each other. The performance of MFC was evaluated to livestock wastewater using aged anaerobic sludge. Results revealed that COD and BOD removal efficiencies were up to 88% and 82%, respectively. At an external resistance value of 150 Ω, a maximum power and current densities of 278 m.W/m2 and 683 mA/m2, respectively were obtained, hence MFC utilizing livestock wastewater would be a sustainable and reliable source of bio-energy generation .


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