Power Generation from Concentration Gradient by Reverse Electrodialysis in Dense Silica Membranes for Microfluidic and Nanofluidic Systems

Sang Woo Lee, Hyun Jung Kim and Dong-Kwon Kim
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Sang Woo Lee: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Ajou University, Suwon 443-749, Korea
Hyun Jung Kim: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Ajou University, Suwon 443-749, Korea
Dong-Kwon Kim: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Ajou University, Suwon 443-749, Korea

Energies, 2016, vol. 9, issue 1, 1-11

Abstract: In this study, we investigate power generation by reverse electrodialysis in a dense silica membrane that is between two NaCl solutions with various combinations of concentrations. Each silica membrane is fabricated by depositing a silica layer on a porous alumina substrate via chemical vapor deposition. The measured potential-current ( V - I ) characteristics of the silica membrane are used to obtain the transference number, diffusion potential, and electrical resistance. We develop empirical correlations for the transference number and the area-specific resistance, and present the results of power generation by reverse electrodialysis using the fabricated silica membranes. The highest measured power density is 0.98 mW/m 2 . In addition, we develop a contour map of the power density as a function of NaCl concentrations on the basis of the empirical correlations. The contour map shows that a power output density of 1.2 mW/m 2 is achievable with the use of silica membranes and is sufficient to drive nanofluidic and microfluidic systems. The dense silica membrane has the potential for use in micro power generators in nanofluidic and microfluidic systems.

Keywords: power generation; reverse electrodialysis; silica membrane; concentration gradient (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2016
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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