Operation of microbial fuel cells
First Claim
1. A method of controlling the operation of a microbial fuel cell by maintaining the concentration of fuel in the cell in a range for which the electrical power output of the cell is dependent on concentration, so that the efficiency of the cell is greater than it would be if the concentration of fuel in the cell was at a level for which the electrical power output of the cell was not significantly dependent on concentration.
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Accused Products
Abstract
In operation of a microbial fuel cell it has been found that improved efficiency results if the microbes are kept `hungry`, i.e. the cell is run under conditions of fuel supply and load such that electrical output is dependent on fuel concentration, rather than as is conventionally the case being run under excess fuel so that power output is concentration independent.
A method and apparatus are described to enable fuel cells to be run under energetic or coulombic efficiency control.
58 Citations
10 Claims
- 1. A method of controlling the operation of a microbial fuel cell by maintaining the concentration of fuel in the cell in a range for which the electrical power output of the cell is dependent on concentration, so that the efficiency of the cell is greater than it would be if the concentration of fuel in the cell was at a level for which the electrical power output of the cell was not significantly dependent on concentration.
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6. A microbial fuel cell controller comprising:
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sensing means, control means, and fuel delivery means, in operation the sensing means providing to the control means an indication of cell fuel concentration, the control means operating on said indication in accordance with predetermined criteria to determine whether addition of further fuel is necessary, and if so the control means supplying a signal to the delivery means to add further fuel, the control means ensuring that fuel concentration remains in a range for which the power output of the cell is dependent on concentration. - View Dependent Claims (7)
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Specification