Self-sustainable electricity production from algae grown in a microbial fuel cell system

Abstract

a b s t r a c tThis paper describes the potential for algal biomass production in conjunction with wastewater treatment and power generation within a fully biotic Microbial Fuel Cell (MFC). The anaerobic biofilm in the anodic half-cell is generating current, whereas the phototrophic biofilm on the cathode is providing the oxygen for the Oxygen Reduction Reaction (ORR) and forming biomass. The MFC is producing electricity with simultaneous biomass regeneration in the cathodic half-cell, which is dependent on the nutrient value of the anodic feedstock. Growth of algal biomass in the cathode was monitored, assessed and compared against the MFC power production (charge transfer), during this process. MFC generation of electricity activated the cation crossover for the formation of biomass, which has been harvested and reused as energy source in a closed loop system. It can be concluded that the nutrient reclamation and assimilation into new biomass increases the energy efficiency. This work is presenting a simple and selfsustainable MFC operation with minimal dependency on chemicals and an energy generation system utilising waste products and maximising energy turnover through an additional biomass recovery.

Perspective View on Materialistic, Mechanistic and Operating Challenges of Microbial Fuel Cell on Commercialisation and Their Way Ahead

“…Alternatively self‐sustainable MFC was developed by integrating most common anaerobic and phototrophic biofilm on the anode and cathode. The anodic half cell generates the current while the cathodic half‐cell produces oxygen for the ORR with the support of algal biomass . Structured inorganic composite materials are also considered (CuInS 2 ) for photocathode.…”

Bioelectricity Production from Various Feedstocks Using Pure Strain of Bacillus firmus

“…It is composed of proteins, carbohydrates and lipids, serves as nutrient source for the microbes. Hence use of algae biomass in MFC is a promising approach to generate electricity (Strik et al 2008;Velasquez-Orta, Curtis and Logan, 2009;Yuan et al 2011;Lakaniemi, Tuovinen and Puhakka, 2012;Rashid et al 2013;Kondaveeti et al 2014;Gajda et al 2015). Experimental data illustrated the feasibility and sustainability of using cynobacterial biomass as anodic substrate with microbial strain of B. firmus NMBL-03 in MFCal for bioelectricity generation.…”

The Effect of Different Wavelength of Light for Microbial Fuel Cell with an Anode of Rhodopseudomonas faecalis (PSB-B)

“…Both electrodes were connected by an external resistance of 1000 Ω. In anode, the carbon G. Rong, Q. P. Hu 3/7 OALib Journal cloth was an excellent conductor [9]. Carbon cloth coated with Platinum with a surface area of 28 cm 2 was used as cathode.…”