It was discovered almost 100 years ago and we still see only a few applications. One of the main problems is the low power output. Can we really address this bottleneck? Do you have any ideas?
Hi everyone,
MFC will never be high power systems, but I think they don’t have to. Doesn’t make too much difference if MFC (power production) or MEC (e.g., hydrogen production). Other systems like wind or solar may always be better. I think it is the added value that makes the difference: Momentarily, in most countries wastewater treatment causes 10% of municipal electricity consumption (in Germany it is about 4.4 TWh per year) and above. Lowering this value up to a level that no energy is needed to treat wastewater would already make a huge difference! Producing energy from wastewater would certainly be an added value. Further benefits could be that nitrogen (in the form ammonia) can be separated and recovered; Possibly, micropollutants like antibiotic compounds can be removed; metals can be recovered … this kind of package may make MFC technology at some point competitive and successful…
Until gas and oil can be extracted the fuel cells can not find their real importance.
But when these sources are finished, we can produce energy from FCs in larger scale, for example: big Sediment Microbial Fuel Cells in oceans in order to produce electricity In an acceptable current and power density.
One of possibility is to generate electricity or Hydrogen gas from wastewater water by using MCF. That , on one hand, can save environment and also save the energy cost for wastewater treatment by generating the power to drive the process.
Daniel, I believe if the current trend of research on MFC architecture, cloning of bacteria with improved power generation capability and material of production ( especially electrodes) can be sustained, upscaling of MFC technology will soon become a reality .
The most promising advances are not on MFC for electricity production but on MEC (microbial electrolysis cells) for hydrogen production. The group of Tom Curtis in UK developed a pilot MEC on a wastewater treatment plant combining wastewater treatment with hydrogen production.
Several ways can be done on MCF to improve the power output: To make devices of low external resistance (eg, using new material), to screen bacterial consortia efficient in electricity generation and to optimize biofilm formation on anodes.
Hi everyone,
MFC will never be high power systems, but I think they don’t have to. Doesn’t make too much difference if MFC (power production) or MEC (e.g., hydrogen production). Other systems like wind or solar may always be better. I think it is the added value that makes the difference: Momentarily, in most countries wastewater treatment causes 10% of municipal electricity consumption (in Germany it is about 4.4 TWh per year) and above. Lowering this value up to a level that no energy is needed to treat wastewater would already make a huge difference! Producing energy from wastewater would certainly be an added value. Further benefits could be that nitrogen (in the form ammonia) can be separated and recovered; Possibly, micropollutants like antibiotic compounds can be removed; metals can be recovered … this kind of package may make MFC technology at some point competitive and successful…
I agree with Uwe,
Already companies are coming out with products based on bioelectrochemistry and MFC, not as stand alone systems but as a part of an integrated treatment system. For example Cambrian launched EcoVolt earlier this year. You can find more information about it here- http://cambrianinnovation.com/solutions/ecovolt/ and also in the interview in the attachment.
I agree with Dr. Pant and Prof. Schroder and also with Dr. Nicolas Bernet.
Very interesting conversation here. I agree with Uwe on this one. My view on MFCs brings me to conclude that it may not necessarily be a future power generation medium but a possible alternative in wastewater treatment. I guess it has a potential especially in nations in Africa and the developing world as a whole. I guess it will be quite cumbersome to manage if used for large scale power generation. #mytake
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