SCALABLE MICROBIAL FUEL CELL WITH FLUIDIC AND STACKING CAPABILITIES

• US 20070048577A1
• Filed: 03/13/2006
• Published: 03/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: The Government Of The United States Of America, As Represented By The Secretary Of The Navy
• Original Assignee: The United States of America As Represented By The Secretary of Agriculture
• Inventors: Wu, Peter, Ringeisen, Bradley, Pietron, Jeremy, Henderson, Emily
• Application Number:
  US11/308,216
• Publication Number:
  US 20070048577A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 429/401
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2004/8684 Negative electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/8657 layered
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/0232 Metals or alloys
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/0234 Carbonaceous material
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/0247 characterised by the form characterised by a channel configuration H01M8/0258
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04097 with recycling of the reactants H01M8/04119, H01M8/04104 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/1023 having only carbon, e.g. polyarylenes, polystyrenes or polybutadiene-styrenes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/1039 halogenated, e.g. sulfonated polyvinylidene fluorides
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/16 Biochemical fuel cells, i.e. cells in which microorganisms function as catalysts
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/2404 Processes or apparatus for grouping fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/241 with solid or matrix-supported electrolytes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/249 comprising two or more groupings of fuel cells, e.g. modular assemblies
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 Fuel cells

Abstract

A fuel cell having: a proton exchange membrane; anode and cathode housings containing chambers; a three-dimensional anode and cathode. Each housing may have a feed passage, a waste passage, and two through passages. The anode feed passage and the anode waste passage are each coupled to the anode chamber and to one of the cathode through passages and vice versa. The anode chamber may have bacteria capable of donating electrons to the anode upon exposure to a fuel. Solutions may be circulated through the passages and chambers.

Claims

1. A fuel cell comprising:

a proton exchange membrane;

an anode housing comprising an anode feed passage and an anode waste passage;

a cathode housing comprising two cathode through passages;

a three-dimensional anode having a surface to volume ratio of about 50-5000 cm²/cm³; and

a three-dimensional cathode;

wherein the anode housing and the proton exchange membrane together define an anode chamber containing the anode within the anode housing;

wherein the cathode housing and the proton exchange membrane together define a cathode chamber containing the cathode within the cathode housing; and

wherein the anode feed passage and the anode waste passage are each coupled to the anode chamber and to one of the cathode through passages.

2. The fuel cell of claim 1, wherein the proton exchange membrane comprises perfluorosulfonic acid-polytetrafluoroethylene copolymer.

3. The fuel cell of claim 1, wherein the anode is regular mesh or inverse mesh.

4. The fuel cell of claim 1, wherein the anode comprises titanium foam, carbon foam, titanium foil, carbon paper, graphite felt, titanium microparticles, carbon microparticles, or a combination thereof.

5. The fuel cell of claim 1, wherein the anode comprises a conductive polymer coating.

6. The fuel cell of claim 5, wherein the conductive polymer coating comprises polyaniline, fluorinated polyaniline, poly(2,3,5,6-tetrafluoroaniline), or a combination thereof.

7. The fuel cell of claim 1, further comprising:

an anode solution reservoir coupled to the anode feed passage.

8. The fuel cell of claim 1;

wherein the anode housing further comprises two anode through passages;

wherein the cathode housing further comprises a cathode feed passage and a cathode waste passage; and

wherein the cathode feed passage and the cathode waste passage are each coupled to the cathode chamber and to one of the anode through passages.

9. The fuel cell of claim 8, further comprising:

a cathode solution reservoir coupled to the cathode feed passage.

10. The fuel cell of claim 1, wherein the cathode is an air cathode.

11. A stacked fuel cell comprising:

a plurality of the fuel cells of claim 1;

and

one or more electrical leads;

wherein at least one anode feed passage and at least one anode waste passage is coupled to at least two cathode through passages; and

wherein each lead is electrically connected to an anode of one of the plurality of fuel cells and to a cathode of another of the plurality of fuel cells, whereby the plurality of fuel cells are connected in series.

12. The stacked fuel cell of claim 11;

wherein at least one anode housing further comprises two anode through passages;

wherein at least one cathode housing further comprises a cathode feed passage and a cathode waste passage; and

wherein at least one cathode feed passage and at least one cathode waste passage are each coupled to the cathode chamber and to at least two anode through passages.

13. A method of generating power comprising:

providing a fuel cell comprising;

a proton exchange membrane;

an anode housing comprising an anode feed passage and an anode waste passage;

a cathode housing comprising two cathode through passages;

a three-dimensional anode having a surface to volume ratio of about 50-5000 cm²/cm³; and

a cathode;

wherein the anode housing and the proton exchange membrane together define an anode chamber containing the anode within the anode housing;

wherein the cathode housing and the proton exchange membrane together define a cathode chamber containing the cathode within the cathode housing; and

wherein the anode feed passage and the anode waste passage are each coupled to the anode chamber and to one of the cathode through passages;

placing in the anode chamber bacteria capable of donating electrons to the anode upon exposure to a fuel; and

circulating an anode solution through the anode feed line, the anode chamber, the anode waste line, and the cathode through passages.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the anode solution comprises the fuel.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the fuel is selected from the group consisting of glucose, lactate, and acetate.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the anode solution comprises the bacteria.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the anode solution comprises an electron mediator

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the bacteria are on the surface of the anode.

19. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

exposing the cathode to air.

20. The method of claim 13, wherein providing a fuel cell comprises providing:

a plurality of the fuel cells; and

one or more electrical leads;

wherein each anode feed passage and each anode waste passage is coupled to at least one cathode through passage; and

wherein each lead is electrically connected to an anode of one of the plurality of fuel cells and to a cathode of another of the plurality of fuel cells, whereby the plurality of fuel cells are arranged in series.

21. The method of claim 13;

wherein the anode housing further comprises two anode through passages;

wherein the cathode housing further comprises a cathode feed passage and a cathode waste passage; and

wherein the cathode feed passage and the cathode waste passage are each coupled to the cathode chamber and to one of the anode through passages;

further comprising;

circulating a cathode solution through the cathode feed line, the cathode chamber, the cathode waste line, and the anode through passages.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the cathode solution comprises potassium ferricyanide.

23. The method of claim 21;

wherein providing a fuel cell comprises providing;

a plurality of the fuel cells; and

one or more electrical leads;

wherein each anode feed passage and each anode waste passage is coupled to at least one cathode through passage; and

wherein each cathode feed passage and each cathode waste passage is coupled to at least one anode through passage; and

wherein each lead is electrically connected to an anode of one of the plurality of fuel cells and to a cathode of another of the plurality of fuel cells, whereby the plurality of fuel cells are arranged in series.

24. The method of claim 13, wherein the anode is under aerobic conditions while circulating the anode solution.