Microbial fuel cell and method

• US 7,927,749 B2
• Filed: 09/02/2010
• Issued: 04/19/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Butler, Michael A., Wallace, Stanley J., Swift, Joseph A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ryan; Patrick
• Assistant Examiner(s): Thomas; Brent
• Application Number:
  US12/874,295
• Publication Number:
  US 20100330434A1
• Time in Patent Office: 229 Days
• Field of Search: 429/401
• US Class Current: 429/401
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/90 Selection of catalytic material
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/16 Biochemical fuel cells, i.e. cells in which microorganisms function as catalysts
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 Fuel cells

Abstract

A microbial fuel cell includes a cell housing having first and second chambers. The first chamber is adapted for containing a fluid including a biomas. The second chamber is adapted for containing an oxygenated fluid. A cathode extends into the cell housing second chamber and an anode segment of an electrode assembly extends into the cell housing first chamber. The electrode assembly has multiple, substantially aligned, fibers. The outer surfaces of the fibers of the anode segment are adapted for receiving a biofilm.

Claims

1. A microbial fuel cell comprising:

a cell housing defining first and second chambers, the first chamber being adapted for containing a fluid including a biomas, the second chamber being adapted for containing an oxygenated fluid;

a cathode extending into the cell housing second chamber; and

an electrode assembly having a plurality of substantially aligned fibers, each of the fibers extending from a first end to a second end and having an outer surface, the electrode assembly including an anode segment and a bound segment, the anode segment extending from the first end of the fibers to an intermediate location disposed between the first and second ends of the fibers the bound segment extending from the second end of the fibers to the intermediate location, the anode segment extending into the cell housing first chamber, the outer surfaces of the fibers of the anode segment being adapted for receiving a biofilm, the outer surfaces of the fibers of the bound segment being impregnated with a binder.

2. The microbial fuel cell of claim 1 wherein the electrode assembly has between 100 and 100,000,000 fibers.

3. The microbial fuel cell of claim 2 wherein the electrode assembly has between 500 and 300,000 fibers.

4. The microbial fuel cell of claim 1 wherein the fibers have a diameter that is between 0.1 and 100 microns.

5. The microbial fuel cell of claim 1 wherein the anode segment extends from 1 cm to 100 meters from the bound segment.

6. The microbial fuel cell of claim 1 further comprising a seal device disposed intermediate the bound segment and the cell housing, the bound segment, seal device and cell housing defining a fluid-tight boundary.

7. The microbial fuel cell of claim 1 further comprising a membrane disposed within the cell housing, the membrane dividing the cavity into the first and second chambers.

8. The microbial fuel cell of claim 7 further comprising

a first chamber inlet adapted for receiving a first fluid stream containing a biomass and a first chamber outlet adapted for discharging the first fluid stream;

and

a second chamber inlet adapted for receiving a second fluid stream containing oxygen and a second chamber outlet adapted for discharging the second fluid stream.

9. The microbial fuel cell of claim 1 wherein the electrode assembly has a cylindrical-shape, the bound segment forming the cell housing and the anode segment extending radially inward from the bound segment, the cathode being disposed within a cavity defined by the electrode assembly.

10. The microbial fuel cell of claim 9 further comprising a cylindrical-shaped membrane disposed within the cavity intermediate the cathode and the anode segment, the membrane dividing the cavity into the first and second chambers.

11. The microbial fuel cell of claim 10 further comprising

at least one first chamber inlet adapted for receiving a first fluid stream containing a biomass and at least one first chamber outlet adapted for discharging the first fluid stream, the first chamber inlet and outlet each defining an angle with the electrode assembly whereby the first fluid stream generates a circular flow of the fluid in the first chamber;

and

at least one second chamber inlet adapted for receiving a second fluid stream containing oxygen and at least one second chamber outlet adapted for discharging the second fluid stream.

12. The microbial fuel cell of claim 11 wherein the fuel cell comprises a plurality of first chamber inlets and a plurality of first chamber outlets located at intervals along the electrode assembly.

13. The microbial fuel cell of claim 11 wherein the first chamber inlet and outlet each have a diameter, the diameter of the first chamber inlet port being greater than the diameter of the first chamber outlet port.

14. The microbial fuel cell of claim 9 wherein the fibers of the anode segment extend in a radial direction substantially perpendicular to the bound segment.

15. A microbial fuel cell comprising:

a cell housing;

a membrane disposed within the cell housing, the membrane dividing the housing into first and second chambers, the first chamber being adapted for containing a fluid including a biomas, the second chamber being adapted for containing an oxygenated fluid;

a cathode extending into the cell housing second chamber; and

an electrode assembly having a plurality of substantially aligned fibers, each of the fibers extending from a first end to a second end and having an outer surface, the electrode assembly including an anode segment and a bound segment, the anode segment extending from the first end of the fibers to an intermediate location disposed between the first and second ends of the fibers, the bound segment extending from the second end of the fibers to the intermediate location, the outer surfaces of the fibers of the anode segment being adapted for receiving a biofilm, the outer surfaces of the fibers of the bound segment being impregnated or encased with a binder.

16. The microbial fuel cell of claim 15 wherein the electrode assembly has a cylindrical-shape defining an axis, the bound segment forming the cell housing and the anode segment extending radially inward from the bound segment, the cathode being substantially disposed on the axis of the electrode assembly and the membrane being disposed intermediate the anode segment and the cathode.

17. The microbial fuel cell of claim 16 further comprising:

a least one first chamber inlet adapted for receiving a first fluid stream containing a biomass and at least one first chamber outlet adapted for discharging the first fluid stream, the first chamber inlet and outlet each have a diameter, the diameter of the first chamber inlet port being greater than the diameter of the first chamber outlet port, the first chamber inlet and outlet each defining an angle with the electrode assembly whereby the first fluid stream generates a circular flow of the fluid in the first chamber; and

at least one second chamber inlet adapted for receiving a second fluid stream containing oxygen and at least one second chamber outlet adapted for discharging the second fluid stream.

18. The microbial fuel cell of claim 16 further comprising:

a plurality of first chamber inlets adapted for receiving a first fluid stream containing a biomass and a plurality of first chamber outlets adapted for discharging the first fluid stream, the first chamber inlets and outlets being located at intervals along the electrode assembly, the first chamber inlets and outlets each defining an angle with the electrode assembly whereby the first fluid stream generates a circular flow of the fluid in the first chamber; and

a second chamber inlet adapted for receiving a second fluid stream containing oxygen and a second chamber inlet adapted for discharging the second fluid stream.

19. The microbial fuel cell of claim 15 wherein the fibers of the anode segment extend in a radial direction substantially perpendicular to the bound segment.