Open AccessMicrobial Fuel Cells in Relation to Conventional Anaerobic Digestion Technology
Author(s) -
Pham T. H.,
Rabaey K.,
Aelterman P.,
Clauwaert P.,
De Schamphelaire L.,
Boon N.,
Verstraete W.
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
engineering in life sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.547
H-Index - 57
eISSN - 1618-2863
pISSN - 1618-0240
DOI - 10.1002/elsc.200620121
Subject(s) - microbial fuel cell , anaerobic digestion , bioconversion , biochemical engineering , biogas , microbial electrolysis cell , renewable energy , electricity generation , environmental science , process engineering , waste management , chemistry , engineering , methane , biology , power (physics) , ecology , food science , physics , quantum mechanics , fermentation
Conventional anaerobic digestion based bioconversion processes produce biogas and have as such been widely applied for the production of renewable energy so far. An innovative technology, based on the use of microbial fuel cells, is considered as a new pathway for bioconversion processes towards electricity. In comparison with conventional anaerobic digestion, the microbial fuel cell technology holds some specific advantages, such as its applicability for the treatment of low concentration substrates at temperatures below 20 °C, where anaerobic digestion generally fails to function. This provides some specific application niches of the microbial fuel cell technology where it does not compete with but complements the anaerobic digestion technology. However, microbial fuel cells still face important limitations in terms of large‐scale application. The limitations involve the investment costs, upscale technical issues and the factors limiting the performance, both in terms of anodic and cathodic electron transfer. Research to render the microbial fuel cell technology more economically feasible and applicable should focus on reactor configuration, power density and the material costs.