Energy recovery from energy rich vegetable products with microbial fuel cells.
Two types of rapidly biodegradable vegetable products (the liquid fraction of clover and the glycerol-containing sidestream from biodiesel production) were selected for anodic oxidation in microbial fuel cells (MFC) equipped with a biocathode. As benchmark references, five abundant amino-acids in plant sap (L: -glutamine, L: -glutamic acid, L: -asparagine, L: -aspartic acid and L: -alanine) were tested separately. Their performance was in the same order of magnitude of clover sap oxidation (145-225 A m(-3) MFC; 39-95 W m(-3) MFC). Glycerol oxidation resulted in competitive current and power outputs (111 A m(-3) MFC; 23 W m(-3) MFC).
Laboratory of Microbial Ecology and Technology (LabMET), Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000, Ghent, Belgium.
Peter
P
Clauwaert
David
D
van der Ha
Willy
W
Verstraete
D001674:Bioelectric Energy Sources; D019149:Bioreactors / Q000382:microbiology*; D005990:Glycerol / Q000378:metabolism; D029902:Medicago / Q000378:metabolism*; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction
D005990:Glycerol