CN108878941B

CN108878941B - Microbial fuel cell

Info

Publication number: CN108878941B
Application number: CN201810711382.7A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 程桂石; 任俊吉; 赵莹; 董长青
Original assignee: North China Electric Power University
Current assignee: North China Electric Power University
Priority date: 2018-07-03
Filing date: 2018-07-03
Publication date: 2021-02-12
Anticipated expiration: 2038-07-03
Also published as: CN108878941A

Abstract

The invention discloses a microbial fuel cell, and relates to the field of biological cells. In the invention: the cell body comprises two cathode chambers and two anode chambers; adding nitrate solution into the cathode chamber; adding a solution containing organic matters into the anode chamber; a cathode body is arranged in the cathode chamber; an anode body is arranged in the anode chamber; anaerobic microorganisms are inoculated in both the cathode chamber and the anode chamber; anaerobic microorganisms in the anode chamber are cultured on the carbon felt to form a biological film; and the lead joints of the two cathode bodies and the two anode bodies are connected with an external circuit through the bidirectional selection switch. The invention adopts the glass cylinder as the cathode chamber and the anode chamber, thereby ensuring the proper growth environment of microorganisms in the cell and fully utilizing resources; through switching the bidirectional selection switch, the cathode and anode electrolytes are replaced, so that effective continuous power supply is ensured, and stable operation of a load can be ensured.

Description

Microbial fuel cell

Technical Field

The invention belongs to the field of biological batteries, and particularly relates to a microbial fuel cell.

Background

The microbial fuel cell is an organic combination of electrochemistry and microorganisms, and can effectively convert chemical energy contained in complex organisms or simple small molecules into hydrogen energy or electric energy. It can not only decompose and treat organic matter in waste water, but also generate electric energy for people to use. Therefore, the method is an energy utilization technology with wide development prospect.

However, the existing microbial fuel cell includes the following problems: most microbial batteries cannot stably and uninterruptedly supply power; the stability of output power is influenced by the slow generation rate of the electrons at the anode of the microbial cell; ③ the growth of the anode microorganism is susceptible to O permeated from the cathode₂The influence of (c).

Disclosure of Invention

The invention aims to provide a microbial fuel cell, which ensures a proper growth environment of microorganisms in the cell by adopting a glass cylinder as a cathode chamber and an anode chamber, is relatively sufficient in resource utilization, and ensures effective continuous power supply and stable operation of a load by switching a bidirectional selection switch and replacing cathode and anode electrolytes.

In order to solve the technical problems, the invention is realized by the following technical scheme:

the invention relates to a microbial fuel cell, which comprises a cell body and an external circuit, wherein the cell body consists of two coaxial cylinders with different diameters, and a partition board is arranged along the diameter direction of the cylinders to separate the cell body into two cathode chambers and two anode chambers;

wherein, nitrate solution is added into the cathode chamber; the bottom surface of the cathode chamber is provided with a first water inlet; a first drainage port is formed in the side surface of the cathode chamber; an air outlet is formed in the upper surface of the cathode chamber; adding a solution containing organic matters into the anode chamber; a second water inlet is formed in the bottom surface of the anode chamber; a second water outlet is formed in the upper surface of the anode chamber; the cathode chamber is provided with a cathode body; an anode body is arranged in the anode chamber; the cathode body is made of carbon felt; the anode body material is of a metal-carbon felt structure;

anaerobic microorganisms are inoculated in both the cathode chamber and the anode chamber; the anaerobic microorganisms in the anode chamber are cultured on the carbon felt to form a biological film;

the lead joints of the two cathode bodies and the two anode bodies are connected with an external circuit through a bidirectional selection switch; the cathode body and the anode body form a closed loop through the load of an external circuit.

Further, the cathode chamber and the anode chamber are kept in an anaerobic environment, and the coulomb efficiency of the cell is increased.

Further, the nitrate solution in the cathode chamber adopts waste water rich in nitrate; the organic matter solution in the anode chamber adopts waste water with COD concentration higher than 500 mg/L.

Furthermore, the combination mode of the metal-carbon felt structure of the anode body is that the carbon felt is made into a cloth shape, the surface of the carbon felt is provided with a plurality of pores, and the carbon felt is wrapped on the surface of the metal; wherein the metal material comprises any one of Zn, Fe, Al, Mg or C u; the metal can generate oxidation reaction to provide electrons, so that the electron output of the anode electrode is increased, and the starting of the battery can be accelerated.

Further, the inoculation of anaerobic microorganisms in the anode chamber comprises: any one of geobacillus, clostridium butyricum, yeast or escherichia coli.

Further, the inoculation of microorganisms within the cathodic compartment comprises: pseudomonas stutzeri, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, stenotrophomonas maltophilia and denitrifying bacteria.

Furthermore, a voltmeter is arranged on the external circuit; the voltmeter is used for measuring the load voltage; when the voltage drops, the first bidirectional selection switch and the second bidirectional selection switch are switched to replace the new electrode.

Further, the cylinder of the battery body is two cylindrical glass cylinders with different diameters; wherein, a plurality of round holes are uniformly distributed on the inner cylinder; and a layer of proton exchange membrane is attached to the outer surface of the inner cylinder.

The invention has the following beneficial effects:

1. the invention ensures the proper growth environment of microorganisms in the cell by adopting the glass cylinder as the cathode and anode chambers, has more sufficient resource utilization, and ensures effective continuous power supply and stable operation of the load by switching the bidirectional selection switch and replacing the cathode and anode electrolytes.

2. According to the invention, the metal is added on the anode electrode, so that the starting speed of the battery is improved; through the selection of a cathode electron acceptor and the utilization of biological cathode research, the interior of the battery is in an anaerobic condition, and the growth and development of microorganisms are promoted; the cathode electrolyte adopts nitrate, and the cathode and anode chambers are all in an anoxic environment, so that the coulomb efficiency of the battery is increased.

Of course, it is not necessary for any product in which the invention is practiced to achieve all of the above-described advantages at the same time.

Drawings

In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below, and it is obvious that the drawings in the following description are only some embodiments of the present invention, and it is obvious for those skilled in the art that other drawings can be obtained according to the drawings without creative efforts.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a microbial fuel cell;

fig. 2 is a top view of a microbial fuel cell.

Detailed Description

The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the drawings in the embodiments of the present invention, and it is obvious that the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present invention, and not all of the embodiments. All other embodiments, which can be derived by a person skilled in the art from the embodiments given herein without making any creative effort, shall fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

In the description of the present invention, it is to be understood that the terms "aperture", "upper", "lower", "thickness", "top", "middle", "length", "inner", and the like, indicate an orientation or positional relationship, merely to facilitate the description of the invention and to simplify the description, and do not indicate or imply that the referenced component or element must have a particular orientation, be constructed and operated in a particular orientation, and thus, should not be considered as limiting the invention.

The first embodiment is as follows:

referring to fig. 1-2, the present invention is a microbial fuel cell, which comprises a cell body 1 and an external circuit 2, wherein the cell body 1 is composed of two coaxial cylinders with different diameters, and a separator is arranged along the diameter direction of the cylinders to separate the cell body 1 into two cathode chambers 3 and two anode chambers 4; wherein the inner cylinder is a cylindrical glass cylinder with the bottom surface radius of 3cm, the height of 4cm and the thickness of 5 mm; the outer cylinder is a cylindrical glass cylinder with the bottom surface radius of 4cm and the height of 4 cm;

wherein, nitrate solution is added into the cathode chamber 3; the bottom surface of the cathode chamber 3 is provided with a first water inlet 301; a first water outlet 302 is arranged on the side surface of the cathode chamber 3; the upper surface of the cathode chamber 3 is provided with an exhaust port 303; adding solution containing organic matters into the anode chamber 4; the bottom surface of the anode chamber 4 is provided with a second water inlet 401; a second water outlet 402 is arranged on the upper surface of the anode chamber 4; the cathode chamber 3 is provided with a cathode body 5; an anode body 6 is arranged in the anode chamber 4; the cathode body 5 is made of carbon felt; the anode body 6 is made of metal-carbon felt structure; anaerobic microorganisms are inoculated in both the cathode chamber 3 and the anode chamber 4; anaerobic microorganisms in the anode chamber 4 are cultured on the carbon felt to form a biological membrane; the lead joints of the two cathode bodies 5 are connected with the external circuit 2 through a first bidirectional selection switch 7; the lead joints of the two anode bodies 6 are connected with an external circuit 2 through a second bidirectional selection switch 8; the cathode body 5 and the anode body 6 form a closed loop through the load of the external circuit 2.

Wherein, the cathode chamber 3 and the anode chamber 4 are kept in an anaerobic environment, and the coulomb efficiency of the cell is increased.

Wherein, the nitrate solution in the cathode chamber 3 adopts waste water rich in nitrate radicals; the organic matter solution in the anode chamber 4 adopts waste water with COD concentration higher than 500 mg/L.

The metal-carbon felt structure of the anode body 6 is combined in a mode that the carbon felt is made into a cloth shape, a plurality of pores are formed on the surface of the carbon felt, and the carbon felt is wrapped on the metal surface; wherein the metal material is Zn or Fe.

Wherein, the inoculation of anaerobic microorganisms in the anode chamber 4 includes: geobacillus, clostridium butyricum, yeast or escherichia coli; inoculation of microorganisms in the cathode compartment 3 includes: pseudomonas stutzeri, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, stenotrophomonas maltophilia and denitrifying bacteria. Wherein, the external circuit 2 is provided with a voltmeter; the voltmeter is used for measuring the load voltage; when the voltage drops, the first bidirectional selection switch 7 and the second bidirectional selection switch 8 are switched to replace the new electrode.

Wherein, the cylinder of the battery body 1 is two cylindrical glass cylinders with different diameters; wherein, a plurality of round holes are uniformly distributed on the inner cylinder; the radius of the round hole is 2 mm; the outer surface of the inner cylinder is attached with a layer of proton exchange membrane.

The second embodiment is as follows:

in this embodiment, a method for manufacturing a microbial fuel cell includes the steps of:

the method comprises the following steps: the inner cylinder of the battery body 1 is a cylindrical glass cylinder with the bottom surface radius of 3cm and the height of 4cm, the thickness of the glass is 5mm, wherein a circular hole with the radius of 2mm is formed in the inner cylinder, and the circular holes are uniformly distributed on the surface of the cylinder; a layer of proton exchange membrane is attached to the outer surface of the inner cylinder; and the inside of the inner cylinder is equally divided into two anode chambers 4 through a glass plate;

a concentric glass cylinder with the radius of 4cm and the height of 4cm is arranged outside the inner cylinder; and the space between the inner and outer cylinders is divided into two cathode chambers 3;

step two: preparing a polar body;

the method comprises the following steps of (1) breeding the anode anaerobic microorganisms in advance to enable the microorganisms to form a layer of biological film on carbon felt cloth with the length of 1.3cm and the width of 2cm, and then wrapping the carbon felt cloth on a metal rod with the radius of 0.4cm and the height of 2cm to serve as an anode body 6;

making carbon felt cloth with the length of 2cm and the width of 2cm into a shape of a semicircular arc surface to be used as a cathode body 5;

step three:

injecting waste water rich in organic matters into the two anode chambers 4, and injecting nitrate solution into the two cathode chambers 3;

the two negative electrodes 5 and the two positive electrodes 6 are respectively connected to different interfaces of a first bidirectional selection switch 7 and a second bidirectional selection switch 8 through connector lugs led out by leads, and the first bidirectional selection switch 7 and the second bidirectional selection switch 8 are connected with the external circuit 2 to form a closed loop.

Step four:

monitoring the voltage of the load of the external circuit 2 in real time through a voltmeter; when the voltage drops, the bidirectional selection switch 7 and the second bidirectional selection switch 8 are switched to replace new electrodes; and the electrolyte of the original electrode is replaced.

In the description herein, references to the description of "one embodiment," "an example," "a specific example" or the like are intended to mean that a particular feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of the invention. In this specification, the schematic representations of the terms used above do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the particular features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in any one or more embodiments or examples.

The preferred embodiments of the invention disclosed above are intended to be illustrative only. The preferred embodiments are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise embodiments disclosed. Obviously, many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and the practical application, to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention. The invention is limited only by the claims and their full scope and equivalents.

Claims

1. A microbial fuel cell, comprising a cell body (1) and an external circuit (2), characterized in that: the cell body (1) consists of two coaxial cylinders with different diameters, and a partition board is arranged along the diameter direction of the cylinders to divide the cell body (1) into two cathode chambers (3) and two anode chambers (4);

wherein, a nitrate solution is added into the cathode chamber (3); the bottom surface of the cathode chamber (3) is provided with a first water inlet (302); a first water outlet (301) is formed in the side surface of the cathode chamber (3); an exhaust port (303) is formed in the upper surface of the cathode chamber (3);

a solution containing organic substances is added into the anode chamber (4); a second water inlet (402) is formed in the bottom surface of the anode chamber (4); a second water outlet (401) is formed in the upper surface of the anode chamber (4);

the cathode chamber (3) is provided with a cathode body (5); an anode body (6) is arranged in the anode chamber (4); the cathode body (5) is made of carbon felt; the anode body (6) is made of a metal-carbon felt structure;

anaerobic microorganisms are inoculated in both the cathode chamber (3) and the anode chamber (4); anaerobic microorganisms in the anode chamber (4) are cultured on the carbon felt to form a biological membrane;

the lead joints of the two cathode bodies (5) are connected with an external circuit (2) through a first bidirectional selection switch (7); the lead joints of the two anode bodies (6) are connected with an external circuit (2) through a second bidirectional selection switch (8); the cathode body (5) and the anode body (6) form a closed loop through the load of the external circuit (2);

a voltmeter is arranged on the external circuit (2); the voltmeter is used for measuring the load voltage; when the voltage drops, the first bidirectional selection switch (7) and the second bidirectional selection switch (8) are switched to replace new electrodes; replacing the electrolyte of the original electrode;

the cylinder of the battery body (1) is two cylindrical glass cylinders with different diameters; wherein, a plurality of round holes are uniformly distributed on the inner cylinder; and a layer of proton exchange membrane is attached to the outer surface of the inner cylinder.

2. A microbial fuel cell according to claim 1, wherein an anaerobic environment is maintained in the cathode compartment (3) and the anode compartment (4).

3. A microbial fuel cell according to claim 1, wherein the nitrate solution in the cathode compartment (3) is nitrate-rich waste water; the organic matter solution in the anode chamber (4) adopts waste water with COD concentration higher than 500 mg/L.

4. The microbial fuel cell according to claim 1, wherein the metal-carbon felt structure of the anode body (6) is combined in a manner that a carbon felt is made into a cloth shape, the surface of the carbon felt is provided with pores, and the carbon felt is wrapped on the metal surface; wherein the metal material comprises any one of Zn, Fe, Al, Mg or Cu; the metal undergoes an oxidation reaction to provide electrons.

5. The microbial fuel cell according to claim 1, wherein the inoculated anaerobic microorganism in the anode chamber (4) is any one of geobacter, clostridium butyricum, yeast or escherichia coli.

6. A microbial fuel cell according to claim 1, wherein the anaerobic microorganisms inoculated into the cathode compartment (3) are stenotrophomonas maltophilia or denitrifying bacteria.