Direct Energy Production From Hydrogen Sulfide in Black Sea Water - Electrochemical Study

Article history Received: 29 October 2019 Accepted: 20 November 2019 Published Online: 29 December 2019 A sulfide driven fuel cell is proposed to clean the Black Sea with the simultaneous A sulfide driven fuel cell is proposed to clean the Black Sea with the simultaneous production of energy. The process is hopeful even at low sulfide concentrations, i.e.10 to 25 mg/l being close to the ones in the Black Sea water. The main problem for the practical application of this type of fuel cell are the low current and power densities. The measurement of the generated electric current compared to the sulfide depletion show that the most probable anode reaction is oxidation of sulfide to sulfate. It is evident that parasite competitive reactions oxidation of sulfide occurs in the anode compartment of the fuel cell. The pH measurements shows that the transfer of hydroxylic anions from the cathodic compartment to the anodic one across the separating membrane is not fast enough to compensate its drop in the anode compartment.