Evaluation of long-term performance of sediment microbial fuel cells and the role of natural resources

Timothy Ewing, Phuc Thi Ha and Haluk Beyenal

Applied Energy, 2017, vol. 192, issue C, 490-497

Abstract: Sediment microbial fuel cells (SMFCs) are expected to be used as a renewable power source for remote environmental monitoring; therefore, evaluation of their long-term power performance is critical for their usability. In this paper, we present novel data needed to understand the long-term performance of SMFCs. We used 3-D Microemulsion (3DMe)™ doped anodes, which slowly release lactate and its fermented products. During our tests, anode-limited SMFCs with and without 3DMe-doped anodes were operated for more than 18months with a load simulating a sensor operation. We found that doping an anode with an electron donor reduced startup time and increased maximum power (55±2μW compared to 46±2μW) in the control systems. We found that the long-term steady power performance is approximately 33% of the maximum power (∼18μW). Finally, our small-sized SMFCs generated higher power densities than those in the literature (28mW/m2 versus 4mW/m2). Using electron donor doped anodes can be practical when a short startup time and initial high power are needed. However, if long-term power is critical, the addition of an electron donor does not provide a practical advantage. In addition, in long-term operation enrichment of the anode surface with electrochemically active bacteria does not provide any advantage.

Keywords: Sediment microbial fuel cell; Electron donor; Anode doping; Power; Microbial community; Remote power (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2017
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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DOI: 10.1016/j.apenergy.2016.08.177

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