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A Promising Future Technology For Energy Storage

Microbial Fuel Cell

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Yoojin Choi (20111044) Joho Yun (20121079) Do Manh Cuong (20102069)

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CONTENTS
Introduction Types of MFCs Performances/efficiencies of MFCs Applications Disadvantages/Challenges MFCs in the future
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INTRODUCTION
Why Microbial Fuel Cell (MFC) ?

Rising Oil Price

Renewable Energy

Wastewater treatment

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MFC

INTRODUCTION

Fig. 1. (A) The number of articles on MFCs. The data is based on the number of articles mentioning MFC in the citation database Scopus in September 2009. 6/13/12 Deepak et al., 2010, Biosource Technology

Fig. 1.(B) The country wise distribution in MFC research. The data is based on the number of articles mentioning MFC in the

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INTRODUCTION
A typical Microbial Fuel Cell

A bioreactor that converts chemical energy to electrical energy by catalytic activity microorganisms Principle:

Bacteria can convert a huge variety of organic compounds into CO2, water and energy and use produced energy to growth and to maintain their metabolism By using a MFC we can harvest a part of this microbial energy in the form of electricity Anodic and cathodic chambers Proton exchange membrane (PEM)

Organic substrates

Components:

Biofil m

Anodic chamber consists of microbes and the substrates 6/13/12 (organic matters or wastes)

Logan et al., / Envi. Sci. Tech. 40(17) (2006)

TYPES OF MFCs
Mediated Fuel Cell

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Mediator-less Fuel Cell

Mediator MFCs use mediators to facilitate the electron transfer

Mediators are mostly phenolic compounds, which are 6/13/12 expensive & sometimes toxic Ken Nealson, Microbial Fuel Cells (MFCs) Biofuels for Energy Production and Waste Disposal (2006)

A mediator-less microbial fuel cell is possible if the microbes can give electrons directly to the electrode

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INTRODUCTION
Microbes and substrates used in MFCs
Du et al., / Biotechnology Advances 25 (2007)

6/13/12 Acetate is the commonly used when resulting high coulombic efficiencies of up to 98% and high power output of up to 115W.m3

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INTRODUCTION
Single substrates vs. complex substrate

Recently, second generation MFCs used bio-fuels or organic waste streams is highly promising because it combines the actual waste treatment with energy generation. Waste streams are used in 2nd generation MFCs:
o o

Domestic wastewater Industrial wastewater s: brewery wastewater, paper recycling wastewater, etc.

However,
o

power outputs using wastewater are 10 times lower compared to pure substrates the composition of the wastewater is strongly affecting the power output. But, spiking the wastewater with acetate resulted in an increase of the power output (Rabaey et al., 2005)

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INTRODUCTION
Basic materials of MFCs

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Du et al. in Biotechnology Advances 25

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PERFORMANCE / EFFICIENCY

FIGURE 1. Maximum voltage generation as a function of substrate concentration

FIGURE 2. Power density generated as a function of current.

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Liu and Logan, Environ. Sci. Technol. 2004, 38, 40

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PERFORMANCE / EFFICIENCY

FIGURE 4. Voltage generation from glucose (600 mg/L) the MFC with carbon electrode coated with PEM (CE/PEM) and the MFC with only the carbon electrode (CE) and no PEM. FIGURE 3. Electricity generation by MFCs during startup using domestic wastewater: (A) system with carbon electrode coated with PEM (CE/PEM) and (B) system with only the carbon electrode (CE) and no PEM. (Arrows show the replacement of wastewater.)

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Liu and Logan, Environ. Sci. Technol. 2004, 38, 40

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PERFORMANCE / EFFICIENCY

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Korneel Rabaey et al., 2005, Trends in biote

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APPLICATIONS
Electricity generation Water treatment

Scale up
Waste treatment

Same scale Biosensor

MFC
Remote power supplies

Biohydrogen

Medical devices

Scale down 6/13/12

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APPLICATIONS
1st generation MFC http://www.microbialfuelcell.org/www/index.php/Researchreactors
reactors/Miniature-reactors.html

laboratory scale to investigate specific microbial processes or new materials not 6/13/12 appropriate for long term operation

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APPLICATIONS
An online guidance on How to make a MFCs http://www.instructables.com/id/Make-a-Microbial-Fuel-CellMFC-Part-II/

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APPLICATIONS
Miniature MFC reactors

http://www.microbialfuelcell.org/www/index.php/Research6/13/12 reactors/Miniature-reactors.html

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APPLICATIONS
Green Furniture Designs by James Auger and Jimmy Loizeau

The fly stealing robot The flypaper robotic clock 8 flies can supply energy for clock operation for 12 days

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The coffee table cockroaches/insects

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APPLICATIONS
Scale up 2nd generation MFC reactors

http://www.microbialfuelcell.org/www/index.php/Research6/13/12 reactors/Miniature-reactors.html

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DISADVANTAGES / CHALLENGES

Power density is low

Difficult to run and maintain

Sensitive to breakdown and decay These limitations are still barriers to apply in the most electronic devices used in our daily life

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MFCs IN THE FUTURE

Major foci of current and future research for improving MFCs:

Exploration of various device configurations Optimization of MFC reactors (including electrode materials, bacterial strains, substrates, etc.) for achieving high power densities at low cost

Use a carbon nano tube

More adhesion

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