Enhanced treatment of industrial wastewaters
With continued European growth in demand for water, finite reservoirs of readily treatable water, global climatic changes, rising energy costs and increased environmental legislation, European industry is experiencing significant competitive threats with regards to cost efficient supply and treatment of water.
Microbial Fuel Cells (MFC’s) utilise the catalytic reactions of electrochemically active microorganisms to convert the inherent energy of organic chemical bonds to electrical energy. Complementary to existing aerobic and anaerobic wastewater treatment technologies, MFCs encompass unique features that offer key advantages for the treatment of industrial wastewater effluent, including: efficient and direct electricity generation; minimal sludge formation; operation at low temperature and substrate concentration; and modular fuel cell design enabling operation at small scale and customisation to specific end-user requirements.
The AquaCell project will advance the state-of-the-art for MFC wastewater treatment. Key innovations will include integration of photocatalytic advanced oxidation with MFC technology; cost efficient high performance fuel cell design; and innovative scale up configuration and process control strategies for specific target wastewater effluents. System features and benefits will include:
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