Harvesting Energy from Redox Potential Gradients in Sediments and Soils

Abstract

Pairs of platinum mesh or graphite fiber electrodes, one embedded in marine sediment (anode), the other in proximal seawater (cathode), have been used to harvest low levels of power from natural, microbe established, voltage gradients at marine sediment-seawater interfaces. The sustained power harvested has been on the order of 0.01 W/m(2) of electrode geometric area but is dependent on electrode design, sediment composition, and temperature. It is proposed that the sediment/anode - seawater/ cathode configuration constitutes a microbial fuel cell in which power results from the net oxidation of sediment organic matter by dissolved seawater oxygen.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Dec 01, 1999
Accession Number
ADA393630

Entities

People

  • Clare Reimers

Organizations

  • Rutgers University–New Brunswick

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Energy and Power Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Cells
  • Chemical Analysis
  • Chemical Detectors
  • Detectors
  • Electrical Equipment
  • Electrodes
  • Electron Transfer
  • Elements
  • Energy
  • Fuel Cells
  • Graphitic Materials
  • Microbial Fuel Cells
  • New Jersey
  • Oxidation
  • Platinum
  • Power Supplies
  • Sediments

Readers

  • Aquatic Ecology
  • Environmental Engineering
  • Plasma Physics.

Technology Areas

  • Biotechnology
  • Biotechnology - Bioremediation