Controlling for peak power extraction from microbial fuel cells can increase stack voltage and avoid cell reversal

Boghani, Hitesh C.; Papaharalabos, George; Michie, Iain; Fradler, Katrin R.; Dinsdale, Richard M.; Guwy, Alan J.; Ieropoulos, Ioannis; Greenman, John; Premier, Giuliano C.

doi:10.1016/j.jpowsour.2014.06.059

Cited by 58 publications

(21 citation statements)

References 17 publications

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“…When more rows of the MFCs connected to the circuit (S3 and S4), the OCV was increased from 1.6 to 2.4 V but the power was only improved by 10%; the performance of the S3 was even better than the S4. The voltage reversal was not observed as reported from other studies on single MFCs [20,24,25]. It seems that the power output of serial connection of multiple MFC rows was affected by the limitation of the weakest current production in each row.…”

Section: Performance Of the Mfc Systemsupporting

confidence: 41%

“…The purpose of MPPT is to reduce the power loss by matching the load impedance dynamically [7], and it has been adapted with different algorithms such as perturb and observe (P&O) [15,16], partial open circuit voltage (OCV) tracking [7,17], and multiunit optimization [16,18,19] for MFCs applications. The system without MPPT could have 50% loss of output power while the voltage reversal might also be avoided by applying MPPT devices for each cell in one system [18,20].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Energy extraction from a large-scale microbial fuel cell system treating municipal wastewater

Zhang³

et al. 2015

Journal of Power Sources

113

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Section: Performance Of the Mfc Systemsupporting

confidence: 41%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Energy extraction from a large-scale microbial fuel cell system treating municipal wastewater

Zhang³

et al. 2015

Journal of Power Sources

113

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“…The sustainable energy generation provided by these bio‐reactors has drawn the attention of the scientific community in recent decades because the further development and improvement of this technology could be a partial solution to the increasing levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere . However, the output energy obtainable by MFC technology is still very low for practical applications, considering that only a maximum theoretical value of 1.1 V could be obtained by a single MFC system . Because of this, the development of stacked‐MFCs is needed to improve the output energy produced by this biotechnology …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Algal biomass as fuel for stacked‐MFCs for profitable, sustainable and carbon neutral bioenergy generation

Asensio

Fernández-Marchante

Villaseñor

et al. 2017

J of Chemical Tech & Biotech

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“…16,19 Research groups have attempted to develop power management systems (PMS) for tackling the issue. [20][21][22] In 2011, Pinto et al 22 suggested that a maximum power point (MPP) matching algorithm could possibly prevent MFCs operating at values below the R int hence avoiding reversal. It was not until 2014 that Boghani et al 20 developed a USB powered MPP matching PMS capable of preventing cell reversal in serially stacked MFCs whilst maximising energy harvesting.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…[20][21][22] In 2011, Pinto et al 22 suggested that a maximum power point (MPP) matching algorithm could possibly prevent MFCs operating at values below the R int hence avoiding reversal. It was not until 2014 that Boghani et al 20 developed a USB powered MPP matching PMS capable of preventing cell reversal in serially stacked MFCs whilst maximising energy harvesting. That was achieved by monitoring the voltage continuously whilst applying a dynamic resistance MPP matching to each cell in the stack.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Autonomous Energy Harvesting and Prevention of Cell Reversal in MFC Stacks

Papaharalabos

Stinchcombe

Horsfield

et al. 2016

J. Electrochem. Soc.

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This study presents a novel method for avoiding cell reversal whilst optimising energy harvesting from stacked Microbial Fuel Cells (MFCs) by dynamically reconfiguring the electrical connections between them. The sequential changing of in-parallel and in-series electrical connections in an 8-MFC stack resulted in energy being transferred twice as fast into a super-capacitor avoiding cell reversal in MFCs as opposed to a fixed in-series configuration. This approach, allows for a lower internal resistance state within the stack compared to a fixed electrical configuration. This is critical in the initial stages of energy extraction from MFCs connected electrically in-series where the impedance of the capacitor is drawing high levels of current and cell reversals are likely to occur and hinder performance. Automation of electrical connections doubled the extracted power from the stack whilst halving the charging times without any cell reversal occurrence. The electrical reconfiguring of MFCs was performed by a USB-powered switch-box that modulated the stack's connections. This lead to the development of an energy autonomous switch-box circuitry powered solely by the MFC stack with negligible impact on the overall energy harvesting efficiency (i.e. above 90% Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) are bio-electrochemical systems comprising bacteria in the anode that convert organic matter into electricity. Stacking MFC units can increase the voltage and current output so as to meet the demands of most commercial electronic devices and allow further energising of complex and energy intensive circuitries.1-6 Nevertheless, a MFC responds to sudden chemical and biochemical changes such as substrate diffusion and concentration, pH, temperature, presence of oxygen, biofilm community structure, biofilm thickness and density.7-11 These factors can affect microbial communities and the overall redox potential in the anode which can further result in polarity reversals, a frequently observed phenomenon known to impede stacked MFCs. Reverse of polarity usually happens in an MFC when its internal resistance (R int ) increases rapidly 6,12,13 and many studies have focused on explaining and predicting this phenomenon.6,14-16 As a result, the least performing -reversed-MFC in a stack can cause large variations on the overall performance and efficiency.1 To date, reports suggest that this sudden change in R int is triggered either by a) substrate depletion in the anode, 14,15 b) a "heavy" external load -low R ext -connected to the stack that draws current at levels higher than the anodophillic biofilm can deliver, 1,17,18 or c) it is a case of slow kinetics in the anode or the cathode. 16,19 Research groups have attempted to develop power management systems (PMS) for tackling the issue. [20][21][22] In 2011, Pinto et al. 22 suggested that a maximum power point (MPP) matching algorithm could possibly prevent MFCs operating at values below the R int hence avoiding reversal. It was not until 2014 that Boghani et al. 20 developed a USB powered MPP ...

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Controlling for peak power extraction from microbial fuel cells can increase stack voltage and avoid cell reversal

Cited by 58 publications

References 17 publications

Energy extraction from a large-scale microbial fuel cell system treating municipal wastewater

Energy extraction from a large-scale microbial fuel cell system treating municipal wastewater

Algal biomass as fuel for stacked‐MFCs for profitable, sustainable and carbon neutral bioenergy generation

Autonomous Energy Harvesting and Prevention of Cell Reversal in MFC Stacks

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