Microbial Fuel Cells in Power Generation and Extended Applications - Biotechnology in China: Biofuels and Bioenergy - page 165

Microbial Fuel Cells in Power Generation
and Extended Applications

Wen-Wei Li and Guo-Ping Sheng

Abstract Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) have been progressing at an amazing speed in
the past few years, with higher power density but lower cost being continuously
achieved. However, most of the studies to date have been conducted at laboratory
scale, and many technological and economic barriers remain to be overcome prior to
large-scale application of the MFC technique. In recent years, China has been
playing an increasingly important role in this field, and has contributed considerably
to moving MFCs forward toward large-scale implementations for both power gen-
eration and extended applications. Nevertheless, the development of MFCs is still in
its infancy, the power density needs to be further improved, the cost reduced and a
better understanding gained on the underlying mechanisms of electron generation
and flow. All these warrant further investigations at both laboratory and pilot
levels, and more cooperation of scientists and engineers from different disciplines
and countries. In this review, we highlight the progress achieved to date in MFC
technology, especially in China, and discuss the challenges and future opportunities.

Keywords Configuration Electrode MFC Power generation Power density
Wastewater treatment

Contents

1 Introduction........................................................................................................................ 166

2 Recent Progress for Improved Power Generation............................................................ 167

2.1 MFC configuration ................................................................................................... 167

2.2 Electrodes.................................................................................................................. 171

2.3 Separators .................................................................................................................. 176

2.4 Microbiology............................................................................................................. 177

2.5 Process Enhancement Techniques............................................................................ 179

3 Extended Applications ...................................................................................................... 180

3.1 Enhanced Wastewater Treatment............................................................................. 180

3.2 Other Potential Applications .................................................................................... 184

W.-W. Li G.-P. Sheng ( )

Department of Chemistry, University of Science and Technology of China,
230026 Hefei, China
e-mail: [e-mail]

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