Practical increases in power output from soil-based microbial fuel cells under dynamic temperature variations. Issue 3 (4th January 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Gong, Lingling; Abbaszadeh Amirdehi, Mehran; Miled, Amine; Greener, Jesse
• Is Part Of: Sustainable energy & fuels. Volume 5:Issue 3(2021)
• Page Start: 671
• Page End: 677
• Publication Date: 2021-01-04
• Subjects: Renewable energy sources -- Periodicals; Fuel cells -- Periodicals; Electric batteries -- Periodicals; Electrochemistry -- Periodicals; 660.297
• DOI: 10.1039/d0se01406k
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2398-4902

Abstract

Abstract : Oscillating ambient temperatures cause spikes in output voltage of soil microbial fuel cells, independent of temperature direction. The resulting output is higher than could be achieved at any constant temperature. Abstract : Soil-based microbial fuel cells (MFCs) are excellent candidates to meet the need for continuous energy sources in low-power and remote sensing applications and to perform useful functions such as soil remediation. Under constant thermal conditions, soil-based MFC performance is known to correlate positively with temperature due to increased bacterial metabolism. Rather than inhibit MFC operation, we show in this work that dynamic thermal conditions can actually strongly improve performance. By varying the temperature cycling times and temperature setpoints in experiments, the average power outputs were increased by 300 to 400%, and current densities were increased by 200%. The same methodology was applied to liquid MFCs but did not show the same intense response.