Sourcing power with microbial fuel cells: A timeline

P.M.D.Serra^a, Espírito-SantoA^a

Department of Electromechanical Engineering and Instituto de Telecomunicações, University of Beira Interior, Covilhã 6201-001, Portugal.

Abstract

Environmental concerns gather considerable academic research and private investment, namely when addressing water and energy. Wastewater treatment and reuse have become a standard practice across the globe. In Europe, this topic has been addressed through the European Commission policy for the environment. Microbial Fuel Cells are a useful technology for wastewater treatment. They can be used for resource scavenging and energy production. Their power output still can't counterbalance, per se, the energy expenditure on wastewater treatment stations, but it can help provide autonomy for physical, chemical, and biochemical measurements in wastewater. The true energetic potential, however, has not been fully exploited, since significant energy losses are still associated with these systems, decreasing the efficiency of this technology. As works with microbial fuel cells grow in number and diversity, an adequate review of the strategies used to apply these devices as power sources is needed. This work explores the most relevant research, to date, about maximum power extraction from Microbial Fuel Cells, addressing, in detail, the power conditioning devices and strategies for power improvement: from single cells with passive components to cell groups and active strategies, using maximum power point tracking techniques and power converters in different operating modes.

Keywords: Benthic fuel cells, Microbial fuel cells, Energy harvesting, Maximum power point tracking, Biofilm capacitance.