Новые и модифицированные конструкции биотопливных элементов

Abstract

A description of new and modified layouts of biofuel cells (BFC) is given: two-chamber cells with a proton-exchange membrane and single-chamber membraneless structures. BFCs have been proposed that allow repeatedly, without violating sterility and anaerobic conditions in the anode chamber, to take samples for chemical and biological analysis. They are also suitable for adding the necessary components without interrupting the BFC operation. For continuous monitoring of chemical and microbiological processes occurring in the anode space, a modification of the BFC has been proposed, which has an increased volume of the anode chamber and additional holes for placing Red-Ox and pH electrodes. The resulting constructs made it possible to study the dynamics of pH, redox potentials, COD of model wastewater, substrate concentrations, and an increase in the number of cells of electrogenic microorganisms. Another variant of the BFC layout makes it possible to collect H2 generated at the cathode electrode. For this, it is proposed to use a water-oil seal. It is located in the immediate vicinity of the chamber in which gassing is taking place – on the lid that clogs the BFC chamber. To simplify, reduce the cost and increase the availability of BFC technology for the manufacture of cells, a quickly collapsible two-chamber design is proposed. It is assembled from standard elements readily available and widely used in plumbing and sewerage systems. The proton exchange membrane is the most expensive component of classical BFCs. Therefore, the design of a single-chamber BFC from inexpensive parts for sanitary purposes without a proton-exchange membrane has been proposed and tested. This significantly reduces the cost of technology. It has been shown that generally available commercial microbiological preparations for composting, cesspools and septic tanks, biofertilizers and individual strains of micro-organisms work well as bioagents in the described BFCs.