Microbial Fuel Cell For Wastewater Treatment

1
SCMS COLLEGE OF POLYTECHNICS ,

VAIKKARA , PERUMBAVOOR
SEMINAR PRESENTATION
ON
MICROBIAL FUEL CELL FOR WASTEWATER
TREATMENT
PRESENTED BY,
ANTONY JOSEPH • GUIDED BY,
S5 CIVIL • ROSHNI ELDHOSE
ROLL NO-12 • LECTURER, CE
CIVIL DEPARTMENT
CONTENTS 2

INTRODUCTION

MICROBIAL FUEL CELL

PRINCIPLE

COMPONENTS OF MICROBIAL FUEL CELL

WORKING OF MICROBIAL FUEL CELL

DESIGN OF MICROBIAL FUEL CELL

PROCESS OF WASTEWATER TREATMENT

ADVANTAGES OF MICROBIAL FUEL CELL ON WASTEWATER TREATMENT

CONCLUSION

REFERENCES
08-12-2021 MICROBIAL FUEL CELL FOR WASTEWATER TREATMENT

3
INTRODUCTION
Wastewater treatment is a high-cost and energy-intensive process not only due to large amounts of
pollutants but also for the large volumes of water to be treated, which are mainly generated by
human activities and different industries. Microbial Fuel Cells (MFCs) as one of the promising
biological treatments have arisen as a viable solution for Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD)
removal and electricity generation simultaneously.

4
MICROBIAL FUEL CELL

Microbial fuel cells are bioelectrical devices that harness
the natural metabolisms of microbes to produce electrical
power directly from organic material.

Microbial fuel cell consists of anode and cathode,
connected by an external circuit and separated by Proton
Exchange Membrane.

Anodic material must be conductive, bio compatible, and
chemically stable with substrate.
Fig(i) - Schematic
representation a microbial
fuel cell

5

Microbial Fuel Cells utilise microbial communities to degrade organics found within
wastewater and theoretically in any organic waste product; converting stored chemical
energy to electrical energy in a single step.

Oxygen is most suitable electron acceptor for an microbial fuel cell due to its high
oxidation potential, availability, sustainability and lack of chemical waste product, as the
only end product is water.

The most versatile electrode material is carbon, available as compact graphite plates, rods,
or granules, as fibrous material (felt, cloth, paper, fibers, foam), and as glassy carbon.

6
PRINCIPLE

Based on redox reactions.

Harness the natural metabolism of microbes to produce electricity.

Bacteria converts subtrate into electrons.

Electrons runs through the circuit to generate power.

7
COMPONENTS OF MICROBIAL FUEL CELL


Anode

Cathode

Proton exchange membrane

Substrate

Electrical circuit

Microbes

8
ANODE

Material must be conductive, bio compatible and chemically stable
with subtrate.

The simplest materials for anode electrodes are graphite plates or
rods as they are relatively inexpensive, easy to handle, and have a
defined surface area.

Bacteria live in the anode compartment and convert substrate to
carbondioxide, water and energy.

Bacteria are kept in an oxygen less environment.

The most versatile electrode material is carbon, available as compact
graphite plates, rods, or granules, as fibrous material(felt, cloth, Fig(ii) - anode of
paper, fibers, foam), and as glassy carbon. a microbial fuel
cell

9
CATHODE

Electrons and protons recombine at cathode.

Oxygen reduced to water.

Platinum catalyst is used.
Fig(iii) - cathode of a
microbial fuel cell

10
PROTON EXCHANGE MEMBRANE

Nafion

Protons flows through the proton exchange membrane.

Protons and electrons recombine on other side.

Can be a proton and cation exchange membrane.

Generates electricity.

11
SUBSTRATE

Subtrates provide energy for the bacterial cell.

Influences the economic viability and overall performance such as power density and
columbic efficiency of microbial fuel cell.

Organic subtrates – carbohydrates, protein, volatile acids, cellulose, and wastewater.

Acetate is commonly used as substrate.

12
ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT

After leaving anode, electrons travel through the circuit.

These electrons power the load.

13
MICROBES

Metal reducing bacteria

Clostridium beijerinckii

Rhodoferax ferrireducens

Geobacter sulfurreducens

Proteobacteria

Desulfuromonas

Nitrogen fixing bacteria

14
WORKING OF MICROBIAL FUEL CELL

Anode and cathode separated by cathode specific membrane.

Microbes at anode oxidize organic fuel generates electrons and protons.

Protons move to the cathode compartment through the membrane.

Electrons transfererd to the cathode compartment through external circuit to generate
current.

Electrons and protons are consumed in cathode chamber, combining oxygen to form water.

15
ANODIC REACTION

CH3COO- + H2O 2CO2 + 2H+ +8e

(Acetate)

16
CATHODIC REACTION

O2 + 4e- + 4H+ 2H2O
Anode and cathode separated by cathode specific membrane. Microbes at anode oxidize
organic fuel generates electrons and protons. Protons move to the cathode compartment
through the membrane. Electrons transferred to the cathode compartment through external
circuit to generate current. Electrons and protons are consumed in cathode chamber,
combining with oxygen to form water.

17
DESIGN OF MICROBIAL FUEL CELL

SINGLE CHAMBERED MICROBIAL FUEL CELL

DOUBLE CHAMBERED MICROBIAL FUEL CELL

STACKED MICROBIAL FUEL CELL

18
SINGLE CHAMBERED MICROBIAL FUEL CELL

This type of MFC is made up of one chamber only that contains both the
anode and the cathode, which was introduced by Doo Hyun Park and J.
Gregory Zeikus.

The anode is either positioned far or near to the cathode separated by
PEM. It has been stated that by decreasing inter electrode spacing,
internal ohmic resistance can also be diminished.

This can be achieved by evading the use ofcatholyte as a result of joining Fig(iv) – Single chambered MFC
two chambers and thus raises the power density. Such MFC is simple and
economical and also produces much power in rival to double-chamber
MFC.
Fig(v) – Schematic representation of Single Chambered MFC

19
DOUBLE CHAMBERED MICROBIAL FUEL CELL

Double-chamber microbial fuel cell is the simplest design among all
microbial fuel cells.

In a typical design, one bottle is used as anode while the other one as
cathode, separated by Proton Exchange Membrane.

Usually in two-chamber microbial fuel cell, defined medium(or substrate)
in the anode and defined catholyte solution are used to generate energy.

In other words, the double-chamber microbial fuel cell is often operated Fig(vi) – Double Chambered MFC in
in batchmode. waste water treatment plant

The double-chamber microbial fuel cell may be in the shape of bottles or
cube. The choice of catholyte in the microbial fuel cell can define the
nomenclature of the design.
Fig(vii) - Double Chambered MFC

20
STACKED MICROBIAL FUEL CELL

A stacked microbial fuel cell is generally a combination of some microbial
fuel cells that are either coupled in series or in parallel to enhance the power
output.

The output of microbial fuel cell is increased by connecting some microbial
fuel cells by multiplying individual power output or current output.

Generally a single unit of MFC can generate a maximum open-circuit voltage
(OCV) of 0.8V.
Fig(viii) – Stacked microbial

fuel cell

21

Therefore, a number of MFC unit cells can be stacked in a series or parallel connection,
and their individual power output can be multiplied to get the resultant power output.

After connecting the individual MFC in a stacked MFC, the final voltage may not be
exactly the total of the individual cell voltages because there will be a loss of voltage when
every cell is connected either in series or parallel.

22
PROCESS OF WASTEWATER TREATMENT

SCREENING

PRIMARY TREATMENT

SECONDARY TREATMENT

TERITIARY TREATMENT

23
SCREENING

The influent is strained to remove all large objects carried in the sewage stream.

This is most commonly performed with an automated mechanically-raked bar screen in
modern plants serving large populations, whilst in smaller or less modern plants a
manually-cleaned screen may be used.

The raking action of a mechanical bar screen is typically paced according to the
accumulation on the bar screens or flow rate. The solids are collected and later disposed of
in landfill or incinerated.

PRIMARY TREATMENT 24

In the primary sedimentation stage, tanks commonly called “primary clarifiers” or “primary
sedimentation tanks” are used to settle sludge while grease and oils rise to the surface and are skimmed
off.

Primary settling tanks are usually equipped with mechanically driven scrapers which continually drive
the collected sludge towards a hopper in the base of the tank where it is pumped to sludge treatment
facilities.

Grease and oil from the floating material can sometimes be recovered for saponification. The
dimensions of the tank should be designed to effect removal of a high percentage of the floatables and
sludge.

25

A typical sedimentation tank may remove from 60% to 65% of suspended solids, and from
30% to 35% of biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) from the sewage.

26
SECONDARY TREATMENT

This is designed to substantially degrade the biological content of the sewage which is derived from
human waste, food waste, soaps and detergent.

The majority of municipal plants treat the settled sewage liquor using aerobic biological processes.

To be effective, the biota require both oxygen and food to live.

The bacteria and protozoa consume biodegradable soluble organic contaminants (e.g. sugars, fats,
organic short-chain carbon molecules, etc.) and bind much of the less soluble fractions into floc.

27
TERITIARY TREATMENT

Finally, the purpose of tertiary treatment is to provide a final treatment stage to raise
effluent quality before it is discharged to the receiving environment (sea, river, lake,
ground, etc.).

If disinfection is performed, it is always the final process. It is also called “effluent
polishing”.

The organic matter concentration in wastewater is usually evaluated in terms of either its
Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) in a five day test (BOD5) or its Chemical Oxygen
Demand (COD) in a rapid chemical oxidation test.

28

Total Biochemical Oxygen Demand or Chemical Oxygen Demand can be viewed as consisting of two
fractions: soluble BOD (sBOD) and particulate BOD (pBOD).

Most pBOD is removed in the primary clarifier sludge and sBOD is converted to bacterial biomass.

29
ADVANTAGES OF MICROBIAL FUEL CELL ON

WASTEWATER TREATMENT

Need no aeration.

Direct electricity generation.

Adaptable to decentralized treatment.

Low production rates.

Energy recovery.

30
COCLUSION

MFCs has been explored as a new source of electricity generation during opertaional wastewater treatment.

Phototrophic MFCs and solar powered MFC also represent an exceptional attempt in the progress of MFCs
tchnology for electricity production.

It can be used for production of secondary fuel as well as in bioremediation of toxic compounds.

However, this technology is only in research stage and more research is required before domestic MFCs
can be made available for commercialization.

Provided the biological understanding increases, the electrochemical technology advances and the overall
electrode prices decrease, this technology might qualify as a new core technology for conversion of
carbohydrates to electricity in years to come.

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REFERENCES

Xafenias, N.; Mapelli, V. Performance and bacterial enrichment of bio-electrochemical systems during

methane and acetate production. Int. J. Hydrogen Energy 2014, 39, 21864–21875.

Villano, M.; Monaco, G.; Aulenta, F.; Majone, M. Electrochemically assisted methane production in a biofilm

reactor. J. Power Sources 2011, 196, 9467–9472.
• Babanova, S.; Carpenter, K.; Phadke, S.; Suzuki, S.; Ishii, S.; Phan, T.; Grossi-Soyster, E.; Flynn, M.; Hogan, J.;
• Bretschger, O. The Effect of Membrane Type on the Performance of Microbial Electrosynthesis Cells for
• Methane Production. J. Electrochem. Soc. 2017, 164, H3015–H3023

Chouler, J.; Cruz-Izquierdo, Á.; Rengaraj, S.; Scott, J.L.; Di Lorenzo, M. A screen-printed paper microbial fuel

cell biosensor for detection of toxic compounds in water. Biosens. Bioelectron. 2018, 102, 49–56.

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1

SCMS COLLEGE OF POLYTECHNICS ,

08-12-2021 MICROBIAL FUEL CELL FOR WASTEWATER TREATMENT

08-12-2021 MICROBIAL FUEL CELL FOR WASTEWATER TREATMENT