PEE POWER® urinal II - Urinal scale-up with microbial fuel cell scale-down for improved lighting

Walter, Xavier Alexis; Merino-Jim�nez, Irene; Greenman, John; Ieropoulos, Ioannis

Abstract

© 2018 The Authors A novel design of microbial fuel cells (MFC) fuelled with undiluted urine was demonstrated to be an efficient power source for decentralised areas, but had only been tested under controlled laboratory conditions. Hence, a field-trial was carried out to assess its feasibility for practical implementation: a bespoke stack of 12 MFC modules was implemented as a self-sufficient lit urinal system at UK's largest music festival. Laboratory investigation showed that with a hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 44 h, a cascade of 4 modules (19.2 L displacement volume) was continuously producing ≈150 mW. At the same HRT, the chemical oxygen demand (COD) was reduced from 5586 mg COD·L−1 to 625 mg COD·L−1. Field results of the system under uncontrolled usage indicate an optimal retention time for power production between 2h30 and ≈9 h. When measured (HRT of ≈11h40), the COD decreased by 48% and the total nitrogen content by 13%. Compared to the previous PEE POWER® field-trial (2015), the present system achieved a 37% higher COD removal with half the HRT. The 2016 set-up produced ≈30% more energy in a third of the total volumetric footprint (max 600 mW). This performance corresponds to ≈7-fold technological improvement.

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Feb 18, 2018
• Online Publication Date: May 5, 2018
• Publication Date: Jul 15, 2018
• Deposit Date: May 25, 2018
• Publicly Available Date: May 25, 2018
• Journal: Journal of Power Sources
• Print ISSN: 0378-7753
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 392
• Pages: 150-158
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpowsour.2018.02.047
• Keywords: off-grid sanitation, scale-up, urine, sustainable energy, microbial fuel cells, PEE POWER®
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/864494
• Publisher URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jpowsour.2018.02.047
• Contract Date: May 25, 2018