Microbial Fuel Cells
An Organic Way of Energy
Water Treatment
HOW DOES MICROBIAL FUEL CELLS HELP WITH WATER TREATMENT?
MFCs enable the recovery of energy out of the wastewater, while limiting both the energy input and the excess sludge production. Microbial Fuel Cells can be used in the water treatment process by harvesting energy while utilizing anaerobic digestion, a method used in the microbial fuel cell to collect bioenergy from wastewater. The process can handle a high volume of wastewater and reduce pathogens, however, this process requires high temperatures in order to convert biogas into electricity. Spiral spacers could also be used to increase electricity generation by creating a helical flow in the microbial fuel cells.(1)
Wastewater Treatment
At Washington State University scientists have developed a way to treat dairy wastes while generating electricity by using microbes found in dairy waste ponds. The assistant professor at the Voiland College of Engineering and Architecture at Washington State, Haluk Beyenal, and graduate student Timothy Ewing say this microbe-powered, self-sustaining wastewater treatment system is an affordable way to dispose of wastes from farming operations in rural areas while reducing pollution. On a typical dairy farm, a single dairy cow produces about 120 pounds of wet manure a day which is equivalent to the output of between
20 and 40 humans, according to the United States Environmental Protection Agency. The dairy industry generates between 0.4 and 60 cubic meters of wastewater for each ton of raw milk processed. This wastewater is placed into succession of holding ponds, where it is consumed by bacteria. The process results in the production of gases (carbon dioxide and methane) that contributes to the pollution in the world. Electrically powered aeration equipment mixes fluids in the ponds, allowing the waste to be cleaned more rapidly and creating fewer emissions, but because most rural communities and farmers say they are unable to afford the cleaner, electrically powered aeration equipment, using the microbial fuel cells is a more efficient way of cleaning wastewater.(2)
Electrifying Wastewater
In the video to the right, Professor Bruce E Logan from Pennsylvania State University explains how a microbial fuel cell can extract the energy from wastewater and turn it into electricity.
Making microbial fuel cells practical for generating electricity and desalinating seawater, helping areas in droughts.(3)