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]
INDUSTRIAL BIOTECHNOLOGY
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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
INDUSTRIAL BIOTECHNOLOGY
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
INDUSTRIAL BIOTECHNOLOGY
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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
INDUSTRIAL BIOTECHNOLOGY
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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
INDUSTRIAL BIOTECHNOLOGY
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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*
INDUSTRIAL BIOTECHNOLOGY
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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
INDUSTRIAL BIOTECHNOLOGY
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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
INDUSTRIAL BIOTECHNOLOGY
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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
INDUSTRIAL BIOTECHNOLOGY
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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
INDUSTRIAL BIOTECHNOLOGY
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POLITECNICO DI MILANO (POLIMI)Materials for Mechanical Applications, Dept. of MechanicsProf. Carlo Mapelli
Forskningsstiftelse, Forskningproject 09-13
FUNDING
COLLABORATIONS
INDUSTRIAL BIOTECHNOLOGY
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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]