Novel bufferless photosynthetic microbial fuel cell (PMFCs) for enhanced electrochemical performance

Chin-Tsan Wang; Yan-Sian Huang; Thangavel Sangeetha; Yen-Ming Chen; Wen-Tong Chong; Hwai-Chyuan Ong; Feng Zhao; Wei-Mon Yan

doi:10.1016/j.biortech.2018.01.086

Novel bufferless photosynthetic microbial fuel cell (PMFCs) for enhanced electrochemical performance

Bioresour Technol. 2018 May:255:83-87. doi: 10.1016/j.biortech.2018.01.086. Epub 2018 Feb 4.

Authors

Chin-Tsan Wang¹, Yan-Sian Huang¹, Thangavel Sangeetha², Yen-Ming Chen³, Wen-Tong Chong⁴, Hwai-Chyuan Ong⁴, Feng Zhao⁵, Wei-Mon Yan⁶

Affiliations

¹ Department of Mechanical and Electro-Mechanical Engineering, National Ilan University, I Lan, Taiwan.
² Department of Energy and Refrigerating Air-Conditioning Engineering, National Taipei University of Technology, Taipei, Taiwan.
³ Department of Materials and Mineral Resources Engineering & Institute of Materials Science and Engineering, National Taipei University of Technology, Taipei, Taiwan.
⁴ Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
⁵ CAS Key Laboratory of Urban Pollutant Conversion, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen, China.
⁶ Department of Energy and Refrigerating Air-Conditioning Engineering, National Taipei University of Technology, Taipei, Taiwan. Electronic address: wmyan@ntut.edu.tw.

PMID: 29414177
DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2018.01.086

Abstract

Photosynthetic microbial fuel cells (PMFCs) are novel bioelectrochemical transducers that employ microalgae to generate oxygen, organic metabolites and electrons. Conventional PMFCs employ non-eco-friendly membranes, catalysts and phosphate buffer solution. Eliminating the membrane, buffer and catalyst can make the MFC a practical possibility. Therefore, single chambered (SPMFC) were constructed and operated at different recirculation flow rates (0, 40 and 240 ml/min) under bufferless conditions. Furthermore, maximum power density of 4.06 mW/m², current density of 46.34 mA/m² and open circuit potential of 0.43 V and low internal resistance of 611.8 Ω were obtained at 40 ml/min. Based on the results it was decided that SPMFC was better for operation at 40 ml/min. Therefore, these findings provided progressive insights for future pilot and industrial scale studies of PMFCs.

Keywords: Bufferless; Flow straighteners; Microalgae; Photosynthetic microbial fuel cell (PMFC); Recirculation flow.

MeSH terms

Bioelectric Energy Sources*
Electrodes
Electrons
Microalgae
Oxygen
Photosynthesis*

Substances

Oxygen