- NET Web Desk
The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT)-Guwahati researchers have developed a bio-electrochemical device – ‘Microbial Fuel Cell (MFC)’ for generating sustainable green energy by purifying waste water.
Officials claimed that utilization of organic materials in MFC, offers a dual benefit of bioelectricity generation and trash management.
According to the Director of IIT-Guwahati – T G Sitharam, “rapid population growth has resulted in increased energy demands as well as environmental concerns, prompting the development of renewable and sustainable energy generation systems. Sustainable energy sources include the ‘Blue Energy’ sources of energy harvesting, in addition to other renewable energy sources (solar energy, wind energy, tidal energy, and geothermal energy), among others”.
Sitharam asserted that concerned discovery by the IIT team has resulted in generating sustainable energy source as well as the treatment of a variety of waste waters.
“Once the process has been scaled up, it can be used as a source of clean energy using municipal waste water and other similar locations,” – he added.
Mihir Kumar Purkait, Professor at IIT Guwahati’s Department of Chemical Engineering, elaborated on the research’s long-term implications, saying that future application of this technique could provide an excellent alternative to various more expensive renewable energy extraction processes.
“This research shows that prepared Cation Exchange Membranes (CEMs) are less expensive and work better than other membranes,” he remarked.
The ‘MFC’ is a bio-electrochemical reactor system that uses electrons liberated during anaerobic microbe-catalyzed biochemical oxidation of organic substrates. An anaerobic biotic anode chamber, an aerobic biotic or abiotic cathode chamber, and a separator such as a Proton Exchange Membrane are all part of a conventional MFC reactor (PEM).
The anodic chamber’s active biocatalyst anaerobically oxidizes organic materials in waste water to create electrons and protons. The PEM transports protons to the cathodic chamber; and electrons are carried to the cathode by the external circuit, which completes the electrical circuit.
“The current study is focused on the creation of low-cost, high-performance CEMs for usage in MFCs. CEMs, as the heart of the MFC-based energy extraction process, must be both cost-effective and capable of outstanding performance in order for the process to be feasible and scalable.” – stated Purkait.
“Waste sugarcane bagasse was also used in the research to increase membrane function, resulting in the creation of a profitable product from agricultural waste. The investigation confirms that prepared CEMs are an acceptable PEM for utilization in MFC.” – Purkait further added.
