Electrochemical device for electricity generation using waste water as a fuel

得益于一种创新的电化学装置，该项目将通过在低成本、高功率的燃料电池（15 mW/cm2）中对溶解在废水流中的有机材料进行电化学氧化发电，从而增加其价值。由于食品制造、饮料生产、酿酒厂、葡萄酒厂或生物燃料生产商等行业的工业活动，目前产生了大量被糖和其他高能有机分子污染的废水。这些水流对这些工业来说是一个日益严重的问题，因为在市政处理之前必须进行昂贵而缓慢的水清洗程序。这里提出的系统能够显著减少二氧化碳，并显著降低水修复和相关成本的能源需求。替代技术是资本密集型的，发电效率低（厌氧消化）或不经济（功率密度低于2兆瓦/平方厘米的微生物燃料电池）。与许多可再生能源不同，这种燃料电池提供连续和清洁的发电，以支持电网并提供调峰。

Thanks to an innovative electrochemical device, this project will add value to organic materials dissolved in waste-water streams by generating electricity upon their electrochemical oxidation in a low cost but high power fuel cell (15 mW/cm2). Large amounts of waste water contaminated with sugars and other high energy organic molecules are currently generated as a result of the industrial activity in sectors including food manufacturers, beverage production, breweries, wineries or biofuel generators. These water streams represent an increasing problem for those industries as expensive and slow water cleaning procedures are mandatory prior to municipal disposal. The system here proposed enables significant carbon dioxide savings and a dramatic drop the energy requirements for water remediation and related costs. Alternative technologies are capital intensive with low electrical generation efficiency (anerobic digestion) or uneconomic (microbiological fuel cells with a power density of less than 2 mW/cm2). Unlike many renewable energy sources, this fuel cell provides continuous and clean electricity generation to support the grid and provide peak shaving.