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University of Notre Dame Civil Engineering and Geological Sciences Department

University of Notre Dame Civil Engineering and Geological Sciences Department. Microbial Fuel Cells for Renewable Energy - Characterization Study. Presented by:. Jesus M Garcia Figueroa University of Puerto Rico at Mayaguez

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University of Notre Dame Civil Engineering and Geological Sciences Department

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  1. University of Notre Dame Civil Engineering and Geological Sciences Department Microbial Fuel Cells for Renewable Energy - Characterization Study Presented by: Jesus M Garcia Figueroa University of Puerto Rico at Mayaguez Mentor: Susan Dahlheimer Advisor: Dr. Robert Nerenberg P.E.

  2. Introduction • 90% of world’s energy is supplied by fossil fuels • Non-sustainable • Negative environmental impacts • Need sustainable, environmentally-friendly energy sources • Fuel cells are a promising technology

  3. Hydrogen Fuel Cell 2e-→ 2e-↓ M H2 H2O H2 O2 2H++ 2e- 2H+ ½O2 + 2H++ 2e- • Chemical Reaction: • H2 2H+ + 2e- • ½ O2 + 2H+ + 2e- H2O • 2H2 + O2→ 2H2O

  4. Alternative Fuel Cells • H2 is not readily available • Organic wastes also contain energy: • Common catalysts not effective • Bacteria can catalyze electron transfer to anode • Chemical Reaction: • Wastewater + H2O  nH+ + yCO2 + ne- • ½ O2 + 2H+ + 2e- H2O • Wastewater + O2→ 2H2O + CO2

  5. Our Experimental Setup Voltmeter Cathode Anode O2 Pumping R Load Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM)

  6. Objectives MFC Qualitative Characterization Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) Characterization Cathode Chamber Characterization Anode Chamber Characterization

  7. Cathode Characterization Experiments Cathode Electrode Characterization Cathode Oxidant Electrode Thickness Cathode Material Surface Area Size Surface Area Form • Original (Planar Electrode) • Rod Electrode • Original (Carbon) • Platinum • Original (6x10)cm2 • Double • Half • Original (Thin) • Thick Electrode • Original (Oxygen) • Ferricyanide solution

  8. Cathode Characterization Details • Experiments included loads of 10 Ω, 100 Ω, 1 kΩ, 10 kΩ, 100 kΩ and 1 MΩ • A data logger recorded V • With V and R, current and power were calculated using Ohm’s (V = IR) and Watt’s (P = VI) Laws.

  9. Proton Exchange Membrane Characterization Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) Characterization Nafion PEM Ultrex PEM

  10. PEM Characterization Details • Both chambers of the MFC contained a buffer solution, one chamber had no O2, other was saturated with O2. • Monitored O2 diffusion across two membranes with a dissolved O2 probe. • Compared how O2 concentration changed as a function of time for two membranes.

  11. Anode Chamber Characterization Anode and Anode Electrode Characterization Attached Bacteria Suspended Bacteria

  12. Anode Characterization Details • Anode with biofilm was removed from operating MFC and placed in new MFC. • Fresh electrode placed in operating MFC with suspended growth • Compared the two systems.

  13. Results and Discussion

  14. Instability Region

  15. General Results and Discussion • Open circuit voltage was not stable in all experiments. • Higher resistances resulted in unstable voltages, therefore the mid-range resistance of 10K Ohms is used for comparisons as it resulted in large power production in all experiments. • Voltage and current characterization show consistence with power characterization for all experimental comparison.

  16. Cathode Results • Size: Double surface area better than half better than original. • Thickness: Thin is ~1.25x better than thick electrode. • Surface Area Form: Rod increased power ~1.1x greater the planar electrode surface. • Material: Pt electrode increased power ~5.5x. • Oxidant: Performance with ferricyanide ~12.6x better than with oxygen.

  17. Conclusion • Cathode parameters affect power production • Ultrex has lower O2 diffusion than Nafion • Both attached and suspended growth contribute to electron transfer • MFC technology a promising alternative energy source

  18. Lab Pictures

  19. Future Work • Make Anode MFC Experiments (such like Glucose and wastewater instead as a acetate feed) and more. • See other things such as bacteria growth and PEM Oxygen and Hydrogen diffusion coefficients. • Try to discover and explain how MFC Single Chamber works.

  20. Acknowledgements • Thanks for: • Susan Dahlheimer, Dr. Roberto Nerenberg P.E. and his Graduate students • Dr. Valli Sarveswaran, Jennifer Forsythe and EMSI-REU Program • University of Puerto Rico at Mayaguez -Dr. Jose A. Colucci Rios P.E. -Monica Ospinal Jimenez -Juan Carlos Flores • Bryan Anderson

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