Energy Harvesting From River Sediment Using a Microbial Fuel Cell: Preliminary Results

Abstract

We have built a sedimentary fuel cell or Sediment Microbial Fuel Cell (SMFC). The device works on the principle of microbial fuel cells by exploiting directly the energy contained in sedimentary organic matter. It converts in electricity the sediment potential, thanks to microorganisms able to waste electrons from their metabolism directly to a solid anode instead of their natural electron acceptors, such as oxygen or nitrate. The sediment microbial fuel cell was made of a non-corrodible anode (graphite) buried in anoxic sediments layer and connected via an electrical circuit to a cathode installed in surface water. We present the first results of laboratory sedimentary fuel cell and a prototype installed in the river.

Keywords

• Sediment
• Bio-electricity
• Fuel cell.