Miniature microbial fuel cells and stacks for urine utilisation

Ieropoulos, Ioannis A.; Ieropoulos, Ioannis; Greenman, John; Melhuish, Chris

Abstract

MFCs are becoming a stronger contender in the area of alternative energy sources and show great promise in utilising a wide variety of organic sources. This paper describes the utilisation of neat undiluted urine as the main feedstock for different types of individual MFCs and stacks of small-scale MFCs, for direct electricity production, with conversion efficiencies of >50%. The smallest MFC (1.4 mL total volume) produced equal amounts of power to that produced by larger MFCs (6.25 mL), resulting in increased power densities. Power densities of 4.93 mW/m2 (absolute power of 1.5 mW) were recorded when 48 small-scale MFCs were connected as a stack and fed with urine. This study demonstrates the feasibility of using urine as an untreated fuel and that improved power outputs can be achieved through MFC miniaturisation and multiplication into stacks. © 2012, Hydrogen Energy Publications, LLC. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Citation

Ieropoulos, I. A., Ieropoulos, I., Greenman, J., & Melhuish, C. (2013). Miniature microbial fuel cells and stacks for urine utilisation. International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, 38(1), 492-496. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhydene.2012.09.062

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Publication Date: Jan 11, 2013
• Journal: International Journal of Hydrogen Energy
• Print ISSN: 0360-3199
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 38
• Issue: 1
• Pages: 492-496
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhydene.2012.09.062
• Keywords: microbial fuel cells, urine, stacks, miniaturisation, scale-up, cell reversal
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/935618
• Publisher URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhydene.2012.09.062