Navy-Relevant Energy-Harvesting Sensor Network
Abstract
A microbial fuel cell (MFC) is an engineered bioelectrochemical system, designed to convert biochemical to electrical energy, using bacteria to oxidize organic matter with the anode of a galvanic cell serving as an intermediate electron acceptor. For this collaborative project [with ONR-funded partners from Naval Research Laboratory, NRL (PI L. Tender) and Naval Surface Weapons Center (NSWC) Panama City (PI J. Kogot)], benthic MFCs will be incorporated into a network of three underwater nodes to provide power for magnetic sensors and acoustic modems used to detect local boat, and unmanned underwater vehicle traffic in St. Andrew Bay, Panama City, FL. The effort will leverage logistic support and programs at the NSWC Panama City for establishing and maintaining the proposed network. In FY16, the 6.1 basic research component of the effort will include characterization of the deployment site~s sediment redox state, organic matter richness, physical properties and microbial diversity, and how these properties influence MFC power densities. It will also address how to minimize losses when harvesting electrical energy at less than 0.5V and converting it to higher voltages using a custom power management platform (PMP). In FY17, 6.2 applied research efforts will be focused on production of a 4th generation power management system for benthic MFC nodes operating as a network. This work will contribute to a field demo at NSWC Panama City, and will be performed by electrical engineer, Michael Wolf (Teledyne Benthos), under subcontract to OSU. In FY18 additional 6.2 research will integrate and assemble the project~s 3-node network and make it available for deployment during the third year of the project. OSU~s role will be to deliver two small (0.6-m diameter) MFC nodes and 3 power management platforms (PMPs) each with an acoustic modem for integration with a magnetic sensor (supplied by NSWC PCD).
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Sep 30, 2016
- Source ID
- N000141612881
Entities
People
- Clare Reimers
Organizations
- Office of Naval Research
- Oregon State University
- United States Navy