Influential fuel cell systems including effective cathodes and use with remediation efforts
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method for efficient electrochemical energy conversion comprising the steps of:
- generating electrons and protons in an anode chamber of a fuel cell, wherein said anode chamber comprises at least one anode;
transferring said electrons from said anode chamber to a cathode chamber of said fuel cell via an external circuit;
driving an electrical current through said external circuit with a lead-containing cathode catalyst and at least one cathode in said cathode chamber;
connecting said anode chamber and said cathode chamber with at least one proton exchange connector; and
generating electrical power.
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Abstract
Embodiments may include efficient fuel cell systems including an anode, a cathode, a lead-containing cathode catalyst, at least one proton exchange connector, and perhaps even an external circuit between the anode and the cathode. Other embodiments may include enhanced degradation of contaminants in environmental media such as perhaps petroleum hydrocarbon in groundwater with microbial fuel cells and the like.
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Citations
72 Claims
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1. A method for efficient electrochemical energy conversion comprising the steps of:
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generating electrons and protons in an anode chamber of a fuel cell, wherein said anode chamber comprises at least one anode; transferring said electrons from said anode chamber to a cathode chamber of said fuel cell via an external circuit; driving an electrical current through said external circuit with a lead-containing cathode catalyst and at least one cathode in said cathode chamber; connecting said anode chamber and said cathode chamber with at least one proton exchange connector; and generating electrical power. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. An efficient electrochemical energy conversion device comprising:
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at least one anode; at least one cathode; a lead-containing cathode catalyst; at least one proton exchange connector between said at least one anode and said at least one cathode; and an external circuit between said at least one anode and said at least one cathode providing electrons from said at least one anode to said at lease one cathode.
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27-47. -47. (canceled)
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48. A method for efficient electrochemical energy conversion comprising the steps of:
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generating electrons and protons in an anode chamber of a fuel cell, wherein said anode chamber comprises at least one anode; transferring said electrons from said anode chamber to a cathode chamber of said fuel cell via an external circuit; driving an electrical current through said external circuit with a manganese-containing cathode catalyst and at least one cathode in said cathode chamber; connecting said anode chamber and said cathode chamber with at least one proton exchange connector; and generating electrical power.
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49. An efficient electrochemical energy conversion device comprising:
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at least one anode; at least one cathode; a manganese-containing cathode catalyst; at least one proton exchange connector between said at least one anode and said at least one cathode; and an external circuit between said at least one anode and said at least one cathode providing electrons from said at least one anode to said at least one cathode.
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50. A double chamber dual acting in-situ microbial fuel cell device for waste remediation and energy generation comprising:
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at least one anode in a closed anaerobic anode chamber located within an environmental media; at least one anaerobic microbial population and at least one contaminant in said closed anaerobic anode chamber located within said environmental media; an open cathode chamber positioned at or near a surface of said environmental media; a proton exchange connector connecting said closed anaerobic anode chamber and said open cathode chamber to transfer protons from said at least one anode of said closed anaerobic anode chamber to at least one cathode of said open cathode chamber; and an external circuit between said closed anaerobic anode chamber and said open cathode chamber to create electrical power over a potential difference from said closed anaerobic anode chamber and said open cathode chamber.
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51-70. -70. (canceled)
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71. A method of multi-purpose in-situ microbial fuel cell functions for waste remediation and energy generation comprising the steps of:
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providing an environmental media having at least one microbial population and at least one contaminant; creating a closed anaerobic anode chamber within said environmental media; catabolizing said at least one contaminant in said environmental media with said at least one microbial population to generate electrons and protons in said closed anaerobic anode chamber; degrading at least some of said at least one contaminant; extracting electrons from said closed anaerobic anode chamber with at least one anode in said closed anaerobic anode chamber; transferring said electrons from said closed anaerobic anode chamber to an open cathode chamber through an external circuit, wherein said open cathode chamber is located at or near a surface of said environmental media; generating electrical power from said transfer of said electrons from said closed anaerobic anode chamber to said open cathode chamber; transferring protons from said closed anaerobic anode chamber to said open cathode chamber with a proton exchange connector between said at least one anode to at least one cathode of said open cathode chamber; and reacting oxygen with said protons in said open cathode chamber to create by-products.
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72-92. -92. (canceled)
Specification