Single-chamber microbial fuel cell without metal catalyst

Abstract

The invention relates to a fuel cell and aims at providing a single-chamber microbial fuel cell without a metal catalyst. The cell comprises a cell shell, cathodes and an anode. Electrolyte is water which is filled in the cell shell and contains organic matters. The anode is a titanium core carbon fiber brush made by winding titanium wires and active carbon fibers; the cathodes are carbon cloths or stainless steel meshes with both sides respectively coated by diffusion layers and catalyst layers; and the diffusion layers are contacted with the air and the catalyst layers are contacted with the electrolyte. The cathodes of the invention are composed of multiple diffusion layers and catalyst layers, reduce loss of water due to evaporation and improve stability of the electrodes. One side of each cathode directly faces the air and oxygen is directly diffused to the catalytic surface of the cathode without additional air supply devices and driving force, thus greatly lowering the operation cost and improving the stability. The catalytic materials of the cathodes are active carbons featuring wide sources and low prices, without any metal catalyst, thus greatly reducing the constructive cost. The cell has the characteristics of simple structure, low cost and easy expansion.

Description

technical field [0001] The invention relates to a fuel cell, in particular to a metal catalyst-free single-chamber microbial fuel cell. Background technique [0002] Microbial fuel cell is a new type of power generation device that uses microorganisms to catalyze the oxidation of biomass. It can use almost all organic matter, including various waste water such as domestic sewage, industrial waste water and animal waste, as fuel, and the treatment of waste water can realize energy recovery and purify sewage at the same time. It is considered to be an innovative technology with great application prospects. [0003] Microbial fuel cells can be designed as dual-chamber and single-chamber. The dual-chamber microbial fuel cell uses an ion-exchange membrane to separate the battery into a cathode chamber and an anode chamber, such as the Chinese patent "a biofuel cell using wastewater and activated sludge for wastewater treatment (publication number CN1164509C), "a microbial Fuel...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

However, most single-chamber microbial fuel cells use metal platinum as the cathode catalyst with high electrocatalytic activity and good chemical stability. However, the high price and scarcity of metal platinum limit its wide application.

Transitional metal macrocyclic complexes, such as iron phthalocyanine (FePC) and tetraphenylphenyl (COTMPP), have oxygen reduction activity comparable to that of platinum, but their stability is not high, and the preparation process is complicated, and the cost price is still high

Other relatively cheap cathode catalytic materials such as manganese dioxide, iron ions and manganese ions have also been studied, but these materials are unstable and will dissolve into the solution after long-term operation, requiring regeneration or replacement, which not only complicates the operating process, but also Secondary pollution caused by the dissolution of metal ions

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