Microbial Fuel Cells for Direct Electrical Energy Recovery from Urban Wastewaters

Capodaglio, Andrea G.; Molognoni, Daniele; Dallago, E.; Liberale, Alessandro; Cella, Rino; Longoni, Paolo; Pantaleoni, Laura

doi:10.1155/2013/634738

Cited by 84 publications

(39 citation statements)

References 29 publications

(39 reference statements)

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“…Other novel methods have been proposed, among them wastewater processing with bioelectrochemical methods, i.e., microbial fuel cells (MFCs), which could accomplish the direct conversion of the embedded chemical (organics) energy into electricity [83]. The theoretical electrochemical potential (voltage) can be estimated at about 1.1 V for wastewater organics [84].…”

Section: Technological Energy Recovery Opportunitiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Energy Issues in Sustainable Urban Wastewater Management: Use, Demand Reduction and Recovery in the Urban Water Cycle

2019

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Urban water systems and, in particular, wastewater treatment facilities are among the major energy consumers at municipal level worldwide. Estimates indicate that on average these facilities alone may require about 1% to 3% of the total electric energy output of a country, representing a significant fraction of municipal energy bills. Specific power consumption of state-of-the-art facilities should range between 20 and 45 kWh per population-equivalent served, per year, even though older plants may have even higher demands. This figure does not include wastewater conveyance (pumping) and residues post-processing. On the other hand, wastewater and its byproducts contain energy in different forms: chemical, thermal and potential. Until very recently, the only form of energy recovery from most facilities consisted of anaerobic post-digestion of process residuals (waste sludge), by which chemical energy methane is obtained as biogas, in amounts generally sufficient to cover about half of plant requirements. Implementation of new technologies may allow more efficient strategies of energy savings and recovery from sewage treatment. Besides wastewater valorization by exploitation of its chemical and thermal energy contents, closure of the wastewater cycle by recovery of the energy content of process residuals could allow significant additional energy recovery and increased greenhouse emissions abatement.

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Section: Technological Energy Recovery Opportunitiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Energy Issues in Sustainable Urban Wastewater Management: Use, Demand Reduction and Recovery in the Urban Water Cycle

2019

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“…The latter show, nevertheless, great prospects on the P recovery issue [95]. MFC systems that directly convert the chemical energy of the wastewater into electricity by means of microorganisms through the conventional oxidation/reduction process have been tested, with no or limited large scale applications [96,97]. MEC systems, on the contrary, could generate methane or hydrogen by applying an electric current to the organic materials.…”

Section: Considerations On the Energy-nutrient Nexus In Wwtpsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Potential Phosphorus Crisis: Resource Conservation and Possible Escape Technologies: A Review

et al. 2018

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Abstract:Phosphorus is an essential nutrient for every organism on the Earth, yet it is also a potential environmental pollutant, which may cause eutrophication of water bodies. Wastewater treatment plants worldwide are struggling to eliminate phosphorus from effluents, at great cost, yet current research suggests that the world may deplete the more available phosphorus reserves by around 2300. This, in addition to environmental concerns, evokes the need for new phosphorus recovery techniques to be developed, to meet future generations needs for renewable phosphorus supply. Many studies have been, and are, carried out on phosphorus recovery from wastewater and its sludge, due to their high phosphorus content. Chemical precipitation is the main process for achieving a phosphorus-containing mineral suitable for reuse as a fertilizer, such as struvite. This paper reviews the current status and future trends of phosphorus production and consumption, and summarizes current recovery technologies, discussing their possible integration into wastewater treatment processes, according to a more sustainable water-energy-nutrient nexus.

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“…This technology is capable of simultaneously removing organic matter from wastewater and soil, with direct generation of electricity [67,68], that can be used for other environmental purposes, such as groundwater nitrates decontamination [69,70]. MFC electrode materials are normally granules of graphite or activated carbon, which cost, on the average, from $500 to $2500 per ton, making their construction cost prohibitive at the large scale.…”

Section: (Bio)char In Fuel Cell Systemsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Properties and Beneficial Uses of (Bio)Chars, with Special Attention to Products from Sewage Sludge Pyrolysis

Callegari

Capodaglio

2018

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Abstract:Residual sludge disposal costs may constitute up to, and sometimes above, 50% of the total cost of operation of a Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) and contribute approximately 40% of the total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with its operation. Traditionally, wastewater sludges are processed for: (a) reduction of total weight and volume to facilitate their transfer and subsequent treatments; (b) stabilization of contained organic material and destruction of pathogenic microorganisms, elimination of noxious odors, and reduction of putrefaction potential and, at an increasing degree; (c) value addition by developing economically viable recovery of energy and residual constituents. Among several other processes, pyrolysis of sludge biomass is being experimented with by some researchers. From the process, oil with composition not dissimilar to that of biodiesels, syngas, and a solid residue can be obtained. While the advantage of obtaining sludge-derived liquid and gaseous fuels is obvious to most, the solid residue from the process, or char (also indicated as biochar by many), may also have several useful, initially unexpected applications. Recently, the char fraction is getting attention from the scientific community due to its potential to improve agricultural soils' productivity, remediate contaminated soils, and supposed, possible mitigation effects on climate change. This paper first discusses sludge-pyrolysis-derived char production fundamentals (including relationships between char, bio-oil, and syngas fractions in different process operating conditions, general char properties, and possible beneficial uses). Then, based on current authors' experiments with microwave-assisted sludge pyrolysis aimed at maximization of liquid fuel extraction, evaluate specific produced char characteristics and production to define its properties and most appropriate beneficial use applications in this type of setting.

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Microbial Fuel Cells for Direct Electrical Energy Recovery from Urban Wastewaters

Cited by 84 publications

References 29 publications

Energy Issues in Sustainable Urban Wastewater Management: Use, Demand Reduction and Recovery in the Urban Water Cycle

Energy Issues in Sustainable Urban Wastewater Management: Use, Demand Reduction and Recovery in the Urban Water Cycle

The Potential Phosphorus Crisis: Resource Conservation and Possible Escape Technologies: A Review

Properties and Beneficial Uses of (Bio)Chars, with Special Attention to Products from Sewage Sludge Pyrolysis

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