Integrated MFC-MBR system using low-cost, multifunctional ceramic

membrane for efficient wastewater treatment and electricity recovery

IIPIM (INNO INDIGO Project on Integrated MFC-MBR)

Dr. Michaela Wilhelm (European Project Coordinator)

Dr. M. M. Ghangrekar(Indian Project Coordinator) Dr. Kaido Tammeveski

(European Project Partner)

Indian Institute of Technology,

Kharagpur, IndiaUniversity of Bremen , Germany University of Tartu, Estonia

2

Indian Institute of Technology,

Kharagpur, India

Participants of Project

University of Bremen ,

Germany

University of Tartu,

Estonia

3

Dr. Wilhelm Dr. Ghangrekar

Dr. Tammeveski

How we met

Identifying partner with expertise relevant to the components involved

in the project is important for proposal preparation, which is achieved.

(Bio-electrochemical processes)(Ceramic membranes)

(Synthesis of novel catalyst)

To develop

Microbial Fuel Cell based

wastewater treatment

technology

in a joint project

4

What is a Microbial Fuel Cell?

Promising technology, but electricity harvesting efficiency still not high enough

• An inexpensive and novel

technology

• Conversion of biochemical energy to

electrical energy

• Use of bacteria as biocatalyst for

harnessing bio-electricity

• Ability to use wastewater as fuel

• Wastewater treatment

Biolfilm

5

Major limitations of MFC – Efficiency and costs

Recovery of low-cost anode catalyst Goethite

• This catalyst accelerates the electron transfer between anode and microbes

• MFC with treated goethite coated anode gave fivefold increased power.

(Jadhav, Ghadge & Ghangrekar, 2015 - Bioresour. Technol)Low

Coulombic

efficiency

High cost of

membrane

separator

Developed membrane 242 nm

Commercial Nafion117-12.42 nm

Control 2.14 µm • Developed ceramic

separators with cation

exchanger, Montmorillonite.

• Upto 30% coulombic

efficiency is achieved

(Ghadge & Ghangrekar, 2015 - Electrochim. Acta)

Higher voltage

loss on

electrodes

Enhancing electrogenesis by

inoculum pretreatment

Physical and chemical pretreatment

Acid (Sulfuric and Lauric acid)

Heat

Ultra-sonication

Algal pretreatment

(Tiwari & Ghangrekar, 2015 - Energy Fuels

Rajesh, Noori and Ghangrekar, 2014 - Water Sci.

Technol.)

(Rajesh, Jadhav & Ghangrekar, 2015 - Bioresour.

Technol)

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Challenging

scale-up of the

process

Lab-scale Bioelectric Septic Tank (100 l)Concept of Bioelectric Toilet

Major limitations of MFC – Scale-up

Treated Water

quality still not

acceptable

Combining an additional water cleaning step (by employing

membrane filtration) with a MFC can achieve higher effluent quality

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Aims of our INNO INDIGO Project

Higher water quality Combination of MFC technology and filtration processes

Lower costs Developing multifunctional ceramic membranes

Preparation of new catalysts using non-precious metals

Increase the efficiency Cathode Catalyst with a high activity

Separator membranes with adjusted porosity

Scale-up New design using air flooded cathode

Integrated MFC-MBR system using low-cost, multifunctional ceramic membrane

for efficient wastewater treatment and electricity recovery

8

Process design and combination of MFC-MBR technology

Work Package: Design of an air-cathode MFC assembly with

separate membrane filtration arrangement

(Investigator: Prof. Ghangrekar, CM-1 and CM-3 making by Dr. Wilhelm,

Binder and catalyst by Prof. Tammeveski)

Work Package: Design of a flooded air-cathode MFC assembly

with simultaneous ultra-filtration (UF) treatment through

modified cathode

(Investigator: Proton conductive ceramic membrane by Prof.

Ghangrekar, Anode made by Dr. Wilhelm, cathode catalyst by Prof.

Tammeveski)

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Process design and combination of MFC-MBR technology

Work Package : Design of a multiple

air-cathodes MFC configuration

assembled with submerged

membrane filtration unit

(Investigator: Dr. Ghangrekar to fabricate

MFC chamber, Ultra-filtration ceramic flat

sheet membrane made by Dr. Wilhelm,

catalyst suggested by Dr. Tammeveski)

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Ongoing Research of Prof. Makarand Ghangrekar

Full Professor, Bio-

electrochemical Research

Lab, Indian Institute of

Technology, Kharagpur,

India

Preliminary study on MFC-MBR

Two-stage wastewater treatment

process combining microbial

fuel cell and aerobic

membrane bioreactor

Microbial desalination cell for organic matter and

dissolved salts removal from wastewater

(Pradhan & Ghangrekar, 2014 - Desalin Water Treat)

Treatment of real wastewater -

Alcohol Distillery wastewater

(Ghosh Ray & Ghangrekar, 2015 -

Bioresour. Technol)

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Work package: Fabrication of ceramic membrane and anode material

(Investigator: Dr. Wilhelm, Dr. Ghangrekar)

CM1: Flat shaped proton conducting membrane

Protone conductor Carbon nanotube

coating

Diffusion layer

Electron conducting SiOC membrane

(pores 0.1 – 1µm)

Protone conductor Carbon nanotube

coating

Electrocn conducting SiOC membrane

(pores 2 – 100 nm)

CM2: Flat shaped proton conducting membrane for

Ultrafiltration

New anode materials with adjusted

surface characteristic

CM3: Ultra filtration membrane

(hydrophilic/hydrophobic)

Ceramic membrane

(pores 50 – 80 nm)

New anode materials and filtration membranes

SiOC ceramic

700-

1200°C

Polysiloxane

• Porosity

• Surface characteristic

• Electron conducting

• Protone conducting

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Chemist, Senior Scientist,

University of Bremen

500°C 1000°C

Membranes for CO2 separation3

Membranes with graded porosity and

surface characteristics 1

Metal containing hybrid materials 4

20 mm

Micro-Macro porous catalytic

foams with metallic nanoparticles

Electron conducting membranes

with hydrophobic/hydrophilic

surface characteristic 2

Gas diffusion layers for batteries

Ongoing research of Dr. Michaela Wilhelm

Dr. Wilhelm

1. T. Prenzel, M. Wilhelm, K. Rezwan (2013),,

Microporous and Mesoporous Materials 169, 160-

167.

2. J.-F. Drillet, M. Adam, S. Barg, A. Herter, D.

Koch, V. M. Schmidt, M. Wilhelm (2010),, ECS

Trans., 28 (34), 13-24.

3. T. Prenzel, M. Wilhelm, K. Rezwan (2013)

Chemical Engineering Journal , 235, 198-206.

4. M. Adam, M. Wilhelm, G. Grathwohl (2012),

Microporous Mesoporous Mater. 151, 195-200.

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Work package: Synthesis and testing of anode and cathode catalyst materials

(Investigator: Dr. Tammeveski)

Novel, electrocatalytically active and cost effective non-Pt cathode catalyst will be developed by modification

of nanocarbon materials and their composites with different metal salts, alloys and metallo-macrocycles.

New Cathode Catalysts

SEM image of metallophthalocyanine-modified

graphene/carbon nanotube composite material

(a) TEM overview of Co-N co-doped MWCNT catalyst, (b) overview

HAADF-STEM image, (c) higher magnification HAADF-STEM used for

elemental EDX mapping.

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Ongoing Research of Dr. Kaido Tammeveski

Dr. Tammeveski

Associate Professor,

University of Tartu,

Estonia

Catalyst development and Fuel cell testing at the University of Tartu

• Non-Pt cathode catalysts for alkaline membrane fuel cell (AMFC)

• Direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) with anion-exchange membrane

• Metal-free cathodes for alkaline membrane fuel cell applications

• Oxygen reduction on nitrogen-doped carbon materials and non-precious metal catalysts

1. I. Kruusenberg, L. Matisen, Q. Shah, A.M. Kannan, K. Tammeveski, Int. J. Hydrogen Energy 37 (2012) 4406.

2. I. Kruusenberg, S. Ratso, M. Vikkisk, P. Kanninen, T. Kallio, A.M. Kannan, K. Tammeveski, J. Power Sources 281 (2015) 94.

3. M. Vikkisk, I. Kruusenberg, U. Joost, E. Shulga, I. Kink, K. Tammeveski, Appl. Catal. B: Environ. 147 (2014) 369.

4. S. Ratso, I. Kruusenberg, M. Vikkisk, U. Joost, E. Shulga, I. Kink, T. Kallio, K. Tammeveski, Carbon 73 (2014) 361.

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Our first project steps

Sreemoyee Ghosh Ray

PhD Research Scholar

Food Engineering

Gourav Dhar Bhowmick

M. Tech Scholar

Agriculture Engineering

Project start: 01.01.2016

Team of PhDs and students ready: Ceramic

membranes

(Germany)

Cathode catalysts

(Estonia)MFC-MBR system (India)

Vignesh Ahilan

PhD Research Scholar

Energy Systems Engineering

Thamires Canuto

Associated PhD

Chemical Engineering

Sebastian Bragulla

B. Sci. Scholar

Production Engineering

Karl Kalev Türk

PhD Research Scholar

Chemistry

Exchange of research scholars:

July - August 2016

1. Progress Review:

May 2016 in Germany

Regular meetings via

internet conference:

every three month

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Economic scale-up by

• using free air for oxygen supply on cathode

• avoiding separate membrane modules

Expected outcomes

Novel low-cost ceramic membranes

New inexpensive non-precious catalyst

Generation of high quality effluent and simultaneously recover energy

Impact on additional fields:

New technology is believed to achieve simultaneous nitrification, de-nitrification and organic carbon removal

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Societal Benefits

Scientific and intercultural skill

development of project members, students and human resources

Wastewater treatment system developed will offer

new solutions for water pollution control and energy harvesting in the form of direct electricity.

India: Affordable system for small scale

application in rural areas

India/ EU: New ideas for decentralized energy

and wastewater treatment technology

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Interdisciplinary & intercultural team

Added value of EU – India cooperation

Strong motivation by scientific, societal and economic benefits For all participants and countries

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Dr. Ghangrekar / Dr. Tammeveski: Yet to come across so far!!!

Dr. Wilhelm:

1) Difficulties to understand the Indian headshakes

2) Amazed about the holi festival of colours

3) Deeply impressed about how traffic works in India

The most memorable intercultural situation or misunderstanding

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Last, but not least - We about us

Amazing hospitality, always deeply and soundly relaxed

(although heavily busy)

Amazed with her caring approach while meeting her first time.

Never felt it is our first meeting.

Thank you - Suur tänu - Vielen Dank!!!!

New experience for all of us!!!!