Microbial fuel cell

Since the industrial revolution, has been plagued sewage treatment in developed and developing countries a major problem-laptop battery, because it expensive, is only of inputs, not outputs of the industry. And new microbial fuel cell can not only purify the water, but also for power generation, the emergence of its sewage treatment is expected to become a profitable industry. Although still in the continuous improvement of the product has not yet put into commercial production, but we have every reason to believe it has broad prospects for development.

Recently, by the United States Pennsylvania State University scientists, led by Logan, a research and development team announced that they have developed a new type of microbial fuel cell can be of untreated sewage into clean water and power.

Microbial fuel cell (MicrobiologicalFuelCells) there is not just a technology. As early as 1910, the British botanist discovered for the first time Mark bits of bacteria in culture medium to produce current, therefore, he made use of platinum electrodes, put it into E. coli and general yeast culture medium-dell battery, the successful production of a the world’s first microbial fuel cell; in 1984, the United States to create a space for use in microbial fuel cell, which fuel for the astronauts of the urine and live bacteria, but it’s a very low discharge rate; In recent years, the use of Microbial generation of technology breakthroughs have emerged more, Pennsylvania State University environmental engineering professor Bruce Logan is a new microbial fuel cell development team, he said, “the traditional is the use of hydrogen fuel cell power generation, but no one try to use organic-rich water to generate electricity. ”

A major innovation: a single slot design

Logan designed the battery and hydrogen fuel cell device to be somewhat similar, is a sealed cylindrical glass tank of resin, looks like a soda bottle. And hydrogen fuel cells, however different, the microbial fuel cell is a single reaction tank, containing eight graphite anode rod, and they stick around a cathode, confined to the middle slot between proton exchange membrane. Confined to the external tank of the closed circuit composed of copper, used for electronic flow path. When water was injected into reaction tank, the bacterial enzyme to break down organic matter in sewage, in the process of releasing electrons and protons. Among them, the electronic flow of the anode, and protons through the proton exchange membrane inside the flow of anode, where oxygen and air as well as the electronic generation of clean water combined. Thus completion of the sewage disposal. At the same time, the reaction bed is the electronic exchange between the cathode produced a voltage, so that the equipment can supply to the external circuit.

Reaction is a single slot design of microbial fuel cell innovation. Logan pointed out that most of the design of fuel cell response to the two slot-oriented — were anode and cathode slot slot, slot in the anode in order to maintain anaerobic microbial growth; cathode tank should be maintained at aerobic environment to enable electronic and oxygen combine with protons to form water molecules. And a single reaction tank in order to proton exchange membrane to link the two slot, and its function not only in aqueous solution can be divided into two slots, but also to avoid spread to another tank of oxygen. Electrobath trough of the two, other than the force required to provide dissolved oxygen to the cathode, and a single tank of fuel cell micro-organisms can be the way to continuous injection of air into the cathode, thereby reducing the cost of oxygen equipment.

Samples will be completed six months after

In generating capacity, according to Logan said, in the laboratory, the device can generate 72 kilowatts of current, you can drive a small fan. Although the current generated by small, but the equipment is much room for improvement. Invention from the report submitted to the present, Logan’s R & D team has the fuel cell power generation capacity to 350 watts, but Logan would like this value to achieve the ultimate 500-1000 watts. Such as maturity of the technology can be mass-produced microbial fuel cell power generation capacity will be greatly improved, and Logan believes that it can generate 500 kilowatts of the stability of current, about 300 family’s electricity consumption. Logan plans to build a large-scale microbial fuel cell sample, is expected to be completed six months later.

Application prospects

Although the device’s energy output is relatively low, but Logan said they are continually improving the technology, I believe that it can be used in small-scale sewage treatment factory. It is said that the device can also be used to deal with livestock waste water and waste plants, but also can be used in food-processing plants and even manned space inside.

Logan pointed out that as long as it is a place rich in organic matter can be the use of such dell inspiron 600m battery, dell latitude d500 battery. However, the microbial fuel cell is the best use of sewage treatment, sewage treatment plant if the use of such equipment, so they can waste water treatment side of the side of power generation, and thus greatly reduce the cost of sewage treatment. Wastewater treatment plant to maintain the normal operation is a very high cost of things. Both developing countries and industrialized countries, wastewater treatment at the same time, the new generation fuel cell technology is very attractive. According to statistics of the U.S. National Development Committee, the United States need to address each of the 33 billion gallons of domestic sewage, the treatment cost about 25 billion U.S. dollars. Most of the cost of almost all spent on the maintenance of treatment plant operation of the energy required, so that if the microbial fuel cell can reduce costs and improve efficiency of electricity generation will be a huge savings for the wastewater treatment expenses.

For the majority of serious pollution of the developing countries, this technology is particularly useful because it can not only purify the water quality, disposal of refuse, while the power generated. Separate from the power this context, the Government has sufficient reason to retain the building and a sewage treatment plant. If the technology can promote the commercialization, waste or sewage treatment will be the country’s money-spinner rather than a heavy burden.

University of Toronto is a scientist, he estimated the energy potential in wastewater is 10 times the cost of processing. Logan believes that as long as they can use the potential power of 1 / 20, a sewage treatment plant can be resolved on the cost of sewage treatment.

Microbial fuel cell can also be used to deal with food-processing plants and farms, especially pig farms in the wastewater, in the past, to deal with these unpleasant stench of sewage expensive. NASA also is developing a similar technology, manned space flight in astronauts living in the garbage into energy.

Tasted the sweetness of the use of rare earth resources, to build Ni-MH battery industrial base

Held yesterday in Zhengzhou, the National Conference on Rare Earth office came news of the application of rare earth resources in our province to promote the rapid development of nickel-hydrogen batteries, our province is making efforts to build Ni-MH battery industrial base.

It is understood that the use of rare earth resources in recent years in our province, in the manufacture of permanent magnet materials, energy efficient fluorescent materials has been significant progress. Several enterprises in our province the effective use of resources, the characteristics of rare-earth, reasonable, moderate doping can improve the battery performance of anode materials are being promoted Ni-MH battery industry in our province’s rapid development.

Henan Development and Reform Commission, according to the relevant person in charge, the province will give full play to xinxiang battery industrial base better than species-wide, supporting the full advantages of nickel-hydrogen dell latitude d505 battery, dell latitude d510 battery to accelerate the construction of industrial projects, and strive to Henan Province to develop into the base Ni-MH battery industry .

It is understood that rare earth fertilizer agricultural enterprises of our province and upgrading play an important role in crop income. Since 2002, our province has more than 10 small rare earth fertilizer to achieve the production of agricultural products and fertilizer transformation.

Secretary for National Development and Reform Commission, according to industry relevant person in charge, the rare-earth resources for economic development have become increasingly obvious that the current countries as the main raw materials of rare earth permanent magnet motor development projects, energy-saving effect is very remarkable, and some energy-saving rate of 30% It can promote the electric industry restructuring and energy conservation for the country.