Microbial Fuel Cells Principles, Development and Applications · PDF fileMicrobial Fuel Cells Principles, Development and Applications ... Soluble compounds diffusing inside the cell

INDUSTRIAL BIOTECHNOLOGY

Microbial Fuel CellsPrinciples, Development and

ApplicationsChalmers Energy Conference

January 27th 2011, Göteborg, Sweden

Industrial Biotechnology Department of Chemical and Biological EngineeringChalmers University of Technology Göteborg, Sweden

Valeria Mapelli, [email protected]

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« The disintegration of organic compounds by microorganisms is accompanied by the liberation of electrical energy »M.C. Potter, Proceeding of the Royal Society, 1911

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OXIDATION of ORGANIC COMPOUNDS: SOURCE OF ENERGY for LIVING ORGANISMS

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DEGRADATION of ORGANIC COMPOUNDS = OXIDATION LIBERATION of

ELECTRONSAEROBIC ENVIRONMENT

OXYGEN = ELECTRON ACCEPTOR

C6H12O6 + 6O2 + 24 e− + 24 H+ → 6CO2 + 6 H2O

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ANAEROBIC ENVIRONMENT

OXIDATION of ORGANIC COMPOUNDS: SOURCE OF ENERGY for LIVING ORGANISMS

Soluble compounds diffusing inside the cell = electron acceptors

NO3− → NO2

− → NO + N2O → N2 (g)

Denitrification = REDOX reaction

5C6H12O6 + 24KNO3 + 24 e- + 24 H+ + →24KHCO3 + 6CO2 + 12N2 + 18H2O

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From www.pnl.gov

TRANSFER OF ELECTRONS TO NON SOLUBLE COMPOUNDS: EXOELECTROGEN BACTERIA

ELECTRONS are DIRECTLY TRANSFERRED

OUTSIDE the CELL to NON SOLUBLE COMPOUNDS

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EXOELECTROGEN BACTERIA in MICROBIAL FUEL CELLS

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MICROBIAL FUEL CELLS @ CHALMERS

Biofilm Density (mg VS/cm3)

j (A

/m2 )

Substrate (mg/L) = constant

Current Density ∝

Biofilm density

* proprietary process developed at POLIMI(Castrodeza E. and Mapelli C., 2008)

FOAM METAL ALLOYS to INCRASE ANODE

SURFACE*

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0

0.002

0.004

0.006

0.008

0.01

0.012

0.014

0.016

0.018

0.02

0.00E+00 2.00E-05 4.00E-05 6.00E-05 8.00E-05 1.00E-04 1.20E-04 1.40E-04 1.60E-04 1.80E-04

Volt

s

Current (A)

Graphite Voltage vs. Current

-0.006

-0.005

-0.004

-0.003

-0.002

-0.001

0

-1.40E-05 -1.20E-05 -1.00E-05 -8.00E-06 -6.00E-06 -4.00E-06 -2.00E-06 0.00E+00

Volt

age

(V)

Current (A)

Foam Cast Iron Voltage vs. Current

0

0.0002

0.0004

0.0006

0.0008

0.001

0.0012

0.0014

0.0016

-5.00E-07 0.00E+00 5.00E-07 1.00E-06 1.50E-06 2.00E-06 2.50E-06 3.00E-06 3.50E-06

Volt

age

(V)

Current (A)

Foam 304 Voltage vs. Current

MICROBIAL FUEL CELLS @ CHALMERS: PRELIMINARY RESULTS

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WASTE WATER INFLUENT

AERATION BASIN

EFFLUENT

SECONDARY CLARIFIER

PRIMARY CLARIFIER

ANAEROBIC DIGESTER

BIOGAS

TREATED BIOSOLIDS

MICROBIAL FUEL CELLS & WASTE WATER TREATMENT

50% of the costs

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WASTE WATER INFLUENT

MICROBIAL FUEL CELL

EFFLUENT

SECONDARY CLARIFIER

PRIMARY CLARIFIER

ANAEROBIC DIGESTER

BIOGAS

TREATED BIOSOLIDS

ELECTRICITY

ADVANTAGES Cost saving in aeration Reduced biosolid production Production of Electricity

MICROBIAL FUEL CELLS & WASTE WATER TREATMENT

If we are able to recover ALL ENERGY in the waste SELF-SUSTAINING PLANT

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PILOT PLANT exploiting STREAMS from BREWERY

Current: maximal 2A / cell at 400mV COD removal as current ≈ 0.2 kgCOD m-3 d-1

Power density: 0.5 W/m2 membrane area8.5 W/m3 reactor volume

MICROBIAL FUEL CELLS: CURRENT APPLICATIONS

BENTHIC UNATTENDED GENERATOR

Lovely D.R. Nature Rev (4), 2006

From www.nrl.navy.mil

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POLITECNICO DI MILANO (POLIMI)Materials for Mechanical Applications, Dept. of MechanicsProf. Carlo Mapelli

Forskningsstiftelse, Forskningproject 09-13

FUNDING

COLLABORATIONS

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Thank You for Your Attention

Industrial Biotechnology Department of Chemical and Biological EngineeringChalmers University of Technology Göteborg, Sweden

Valeria Mapelli, [email protected]