scholarly journals Parametric modeling of microbial fuel cells

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 311-323 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amandeep Singh ◽  
Balaji Krishnamurthy

Microbial fuel cells use bacteria to generate electrical energy and are used for lower power density applications. This paper studies the effect of operational parameters on the performance of a microbial fuel cell. The effect of length of the anode compartment, inlet acetate concentration, acetate flow rate, temperature, thickness of the membrane and bio-film conductivity on the performance of the fuel cell is modeled. The thickness of the membrane is found to play a very limiting role in affecting the performance of the fuel cell. However, the length of the anode compartment, acetate flow rate and bio-film conductivity are found to play a significant role in the performance of the fuel cell. Model results are compared with experimental data and found to compare well.

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Vidia Wahyu Meidy Safitri ◽  
Tuhu Agung Rachmanto

ABSTRAK Limbah cair tahu mengandung kandungan organik tinggi dengan konsentrasi COD 1408 mg/l, TSS 191 mg/l dan pH 4,46.  Salah satu penelitian dengan pemanfaatan limbah dan energi yaitu Microbial Fuel cell (MFC). Energi Kimia senyawa organik dari mikroorganisme akan dirubah menjadi energi listrik dengan reaksi katalik dari mikroorganisme dalam keadaan anaerob merupakan proses microbial fuel cells. Salah satu tantangan untuk mengembangkan sistem MFC adalah dengan memilih elektroda yang tepat. Elektroda yang digunakan harus memiliki daya konduktifitas listrik tinggi, pemukaan yang luas, non korosif, biokompatibel, stabil. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk memgetahui jenis elektroda optimum dalam menghasilkan power density dengan variasi elektroda karbon grafit, seng dan tembaga, variasi waktu 0, 48, 96, 144, dan 192 jam. Dilakukan pre-treatment koagulasi flokulasi. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa MFC dengan elektroda karbon grafit dan karbon grafit menghaslikan power density sebesar 2292,994 mW/m2. MFC juga menurunkan konsentrasi COD hingga 88%. Waktu pengolahan dapat mempengaruhi efisiensi penyisihan COD.   Kata kunci: limbah tahu, microbial fuel cell, power density   ABSTRACT   Tofu liquid waste contains high organic content with a COD concentration of 1408 mg / l, TSS 191 mg / l and pH 4.46. One of the researches related to waste and energy utilization is Microbial Fuel cell (MFC). Chemical energy organic compounds from microorganism will be converted into electrical energy by the catalytic reaction of microorganism in anaerobic conditions is a process of microbial fuel cells. One of the challenges to developing an MFC system is to choose the right electrodes. The electrodes used must have high electrical conductivity, a wide surface, non-corrosive, biocompatible, stable. This study aims to find out the most optimum type of electrode in producing power density with variations of carbon graphite, zinc and copper, variations of 0, 48, 96, 144, and 192 hours. The pre-treatment are Coagulation-flocculation. The results showed that MFC with carbon graphite and carbon graphite electrodes produced a power density of 2292,994 mW/m2. MFC also reduces COD concentrations up to 88%. Processing time can affect the efficiency of COD removal.   Keywords: Tofu Liquid Waste, Microbial Fuel Cells, power density


Author(s):  
Paul Ridenour ◽  
Zhigi Ma ◽  
Naresh Kumar Selvarasu ◽  
Eugene S. Smotkin ◽  
Chenn Q. Zhou

Fuel cells are a growing new technology that can be applied in order to harness electrical energy out of hydrogen and hydrated air. When testing these devices however, pressure drops along the apparatus are strongly discouraged due to the fluctuation in gas volumetric flow rate that they incur. The design of the flow channels is critical to the fuel cell performance and water management. In this research, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) is used to analyze the gas manifold and a column channel inside of a fuel cell. The effect of the flow channel parameters on the flow rate and pressure drops are investigated to provide useful information to optimize the design of flow channels.


2016 ◽  
Vol 3 ◽  
pp. 100-112 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mitchell Healey ◽  
Julian Lee

Abstract: Powering implantable devices in human body with a glucose based fuel cell (GFC) offers an alternative to non-rechargeable batteries that typically require routine invasive surgery. There are three main approaches for GFCs to oxidise glucose. Enzymatic Fuel Cells are selective and have a high reaction rate but are unstable as the proteins can denature giving the cell a short lifespan. Microbial Fuel Cells use microbes to break down glucose to produce electrons. However they possess the danger of cell leakages that can introduce the microbes to the patient and risk possible infection. Abiotic Fuel Cells employ inorganic catalysts, typically a noble metal alloy or metallic carbon to oxidise and reduce glucose and oxygen respectively. Abiotic is the safest and most stable of the three but possesses the lowest output due to the electrodes inability to target glucose specifically. This meta-study investigates for Abiotic Glucose Fuel Cell being the most viable candidate of the three for possible use in autonomous medical devices. We will assess current abiotic fuel cells on the thermodynamic parameters of output voltage, current/current density, power density and efficiency. The kinetic parameters of internal resistance and rate at which membranes transport electrons will also be assessed. Operational parameters of lifespan and overall architecture will also be assessed to further understand the conditions and materials these cells were produced.Keywords: Glucose; Fuel Cell; Meta-study; Enzymatic; Microbial; Abiotic; Implantable Devices


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. 


Author(s):  
Sujith Mohan ◽  
S. O. Bade Shrestha

Alkaline fuel cells are one of the low cost types of fuel cells. In this contribution, the performance of an alkaline fuel cell was investigated by varying different operational parameters. The cell was tested under four different electrolyte concentrations and three different levels of anode flow rates. The results of the test revealed that the efficiency of the cell increases with the increase in electrolyte concentration. Anode flow rate was not found to have a considerable impact on the cell performance. Impedance spectroscopy has been conducted to validate the mathematical model and further investigate ohmic resistance, anode and cathode activation losses and mass transport losses. The optimal level of electrolyte concentration and anode flow rate for an alkaline fuel cell has been deduced through modeling & statistical analysis.


Author(s):  
Sujith Mohan ◽  
S. O. Bade Shrestha

Alkaline fuel cells are one of the low cost types of fuel cells. In this contribution, the performance of an alkaline fuel cell was investigated by varying different operational parameters. The cell was tested under four different electrolyte concentrations and three different levels of anode flow rates. The results of the test revealed that the efficiency of the cell increases with the increase in electrolyte concentration. Anode flow rate was not found to have a considerable impact on the cell performance. Impedance spectroscopy has been conducted to validate the mathematical model and further investigate ohmic resistance, anode and cathode activation losses, and mass transport losses. The optimal level of electrolyte concentration and anode flow rate for an alkaline fuel cell has been deduced through modeling and statistical analysis.


2007 ◽  
Vol 73 (16) ◽  
pp. 5347-5353 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hanno Richter ◽  
Martin Lanthier ◽  
Kelly P. Nevin ◽  
Derek R. Lovley

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.


2021 ◽  
Vol 0 (0) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hsuanyi Huang ◽  
Rong Li ◽  
Cuixia Li ◽  
Feng Zheng ◽  
Giovanni A. Ramirez ◽  
...  

Abstract To drive the next ‘technical revolution’ towards commercialization, we must develop sustainable energy materials, procedures, and technologies. The demand for electrical energy is unlikely to diminish over the next 50 years, and how different countries engage in these challenges will shape future discourse. This perspective summarizes the technical aspects of nanomaterials’ design, evaluation, and uses. The applications include solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs), solid oxide electrolysis cells (SOEC), microbial fuel cells (MFC), supercapacitors, and hydrogen evolution catalysts. This paper also described energy carriers such as ammonia which can be produced electrochemically using SOEC under ambient pressure and high temperature. The rise of electric vehicles has necessitated some form of onboard storage of fuel or charge. The fuels can be generated using an electrolyzer to convert water to hydrogen or nitrogen and steam to ammonia. The charge can be stored using a symmetrical supercapacitor composed of tertiary metal oxides with self-regulating properties to provide high energy and power density. A novel metal boride system was constructed to absorb microwave radiation under harsh conditions to enhance communication systems. These resources can lower the demand for petroleum carbon in portable power devices or replace higher fossil carbon in stationary power units. To improve the energy conversion and storage efficiency, we systematically optimized synthesis variables of nanomaterials using artificial neural network approaches. The structural characterization and electrochemical performance of the energy materials and devices provide guidelines to control new structures and related properties. Systemic study on energy materials and technology provides a feasible transition from traditional to sustainable energy platforms. This perspective mainly covers the area of green chemistry, evaluation, and applications of nanomaterials generated in our laboratory with brief literature comparison where appropriate. The conceptual and experimental innovations outlined in this perspective are neither complete nor authoritative but a snapshot of selecting technologies that can generate green power using nanomaterials.


MRS Bulletin ◽  
2005 ◽  
Vol 30 (8) ◽  
pp. 581-586 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert W. Lashway

AbstractThe articles in this issue of MRS Bulletin highlight the enormous potential of fuel cells for generating electricity using multiple fuels and crossing a wide range of applications. Fuel cells convert chemical energy directly into electrical energy, and as a powergeneration module, they can be viewed as a continuously operating battery.They take in air (or pure oxygen, for aerospace or undersea applications) and hydrocarbon or hydrogen fuel to produce direct current at various outputs. The electrical output can be converted and then connected to motors to generate much cleaner and more fuelefficient power than is possible from internal combustion engines, even when combined with electrical generators in today's hybrid engines. The commercialization of these fuel cell technologies is contingent upon additional advances in materials science that will suit the aggressive electrochemical environment of fuel cells (i.e., both reducing an oxidizing) and provide ionic and electrical conductance for thousands of hours of operation.


Author(s):  
Diogo Ortiz Machado ◽  
Diana Francisca Adamatti ◽  
Eder Mateus Nunes Gonçalves

Microbial Fuel Cells (MFC) could generate electrical energy combined with the wastewater treatment and they can be a promising technological opportunity. This chapter presents an agent-based model and simulation of MFC comparing it with analytical models, to show that this approach could model and simulate these problems with more abstraction and with excellent results.


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