SEMINAR REPORT i
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I take this opportunity to express our deep sense of gratitude and sincere thanks to all
who helped me to complete this seminar successfully. My first and foremost thanks go to
THEGOD ALMIGHTY who showered his immense blessings on my effort.
I Express my sincere thanks to Principal Dr. JOSEPHKUNJU PAUL. C for his kind
cooperation in all aspects of my seminar.
I am very grateful to Dr. B. ARUNA, Head of the department, Electrical and Electronics
Engineering, for helping us to take up this venture and for fostering the excellent academic
climate in the department.
It is with pleasure and deep sense of gratitude that we acknowledge here the invaluable
guidance given by guides Ms. NEENA ALEX and Mr. JOMU M GEORGE, Assistant
professor, Electrical and Electronics Engineering.
I am also thankful to all staffs of Electrical and Electronics Engineering Department for
their help and support. I am indebted to all others, who were constantly suggesting better way
to process my seminar. My work would not have been success without the prayers and
blessings of my PARENTS.
AMAL MATHEW
PAULSON JOSEPH
RONEY PAUL ROY
TREESA POULOSE
DEPT OF EEE VJCET, VAZHAKULAM
SEMINAR REPORT ii
ABSTRACT
In the present study bioelectricity generation from waste water was evaluated in a double chambered
microbial fuel cell (MFC). Waste water and potassium permanganate solution(0.3%) was loaded in the
anodic and the cathodic chamber respectively. The performance of MFC was studied with twodifferent
electrodes (aluminum and carbon as anodes and copperas cathode). Current and voltage measurements
were carried out using Keithley source meter (2420) and multimeter respectively .The Voltammetric
analysis was done to study the anodicoxidation rate. The resistance of the system was found to be low
(0.466 for the aluminum anode and 0.673 carbon anode)which were deduced from the power density
curves. The systemshowed a COD removal of 77% over a period of a week of k operation.
Keywords— Microbial Fuel Cell (MFC), Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM), cyclic voltametry,
exoelectricigen, COD.
DEPT OF EEE VJCET, VAZHAKULAM
SEMINAR REPORT iii
CONTENTS
CHAPTER NO TITLE PAGE NUMBER
LIST OF FIGURES
LIST OF TABLES
LIST OF ABBREVIATION
1 INTRODUCTION 1
2 LITERATURE SURVEY 3
2.1 MICROBES 3
3 MATERIALS AND METHODS 5
3.1 PRINCIPLE OF FUEL CELL 5
3.2 COMPONENTS 6
3.3 ELECTRODES 7
3.4 PROTON EXCHANGE MEMBRANE 10
4 MFC DESIGN 11
4.1 DOUBLE CHAMBER MFCs 11
5 POTENTIAL APPLICATIONS OF MFC : 14
WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT
6 CONCLUSION 17
REFERENCE 18
DEPT OF EEE VJCET, VAZHAKULAM
SEMINAR REPORT iv
LIST OF FIGURES
FIGURE NO TITLE PAGE NO
3.1 MICROBIAL FUEL CELL 6
3.2 PHOTOGRAPHS OF ELECTRODE MATERIALS USED FOR MFC 8
3.3 BRUSH ANODES 9
PEM STRUCTURES WHICH ALLOWS HYDROGEN IONS TO
3.4 PASS THROUGH 10
4.1 A H-TYPE MFC IN BATCH MODE OPERATION 11
5.1 BASIC SCHEMATICS OF DIFFERENT MFC PMS 15
5.2 A CONTINUOUS FLOW MFC SET UP USING DOMESTIC
WASTEWATER 16
DEPT OF EEE VJCET, VAZHAKULAM
SEMINAR REPORT v
LIST OF TABLES
TABLE NO TITLE PAGE NO
2.1 LIST OF TESTED MEDIATOR LESS BACTERIA AND 4
THEIR ASSOCIATED SUBSTRATES
3.1 BASIC COMPONENTS OF MICROBIAL FUEL CELLS 7
DEPT OF EEE VJCET, VAZHAKULAM
SEMINAR REPORT vi
LIST OF ABBREVIATION
TERM DESCRIPTION
FC FUEL CELL
MFC MICROBIAL FUEL CELL
PEM PROTON EXCHANGE MEMBRANE
OCV OPEN CIRCUIT VOLTAGE
ISC SHORT CIRCUIT CURRENT
COD CHEMICAL OXYGEN DEMAND
RVC RETICULATED VITREOUS CARBON
PMS POWER MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
DEPT OF EEE VJCET, VAZHAKULAM
