• 한국환경농학회지
• /
• 제26권2호
• /
• pp.179-185
• /
• 2007

미생물연료전지는 유기성 폐기물을 처리하면서 동시에 전기에너지를 얻을 수 있다는 측면에서 커다란 장점을 가지고 있다. 대부분의 유기성폐기물들이 발효과정을 거치면서 고농도의 VFAs가 생성되므로 미생물연료전지가 이들 VFAs로부터 전기를 얻을 수 있는지 알아보는 것은 아주 중요하다. 따라서 본 연구에서는 acetate, propionate, butyrate 및 실제 폐수인 식품가공폐수로부터 미생물 연료전지를 이용하여 전기발생 여부를 알아보았으며 다음과 같은 결론을 얻었다. 미생물연료전지를 이용하여 VFAs(acetate, propionate, butyrate)와 식품가공폐수로부터 전기를 얻을 수 있었고 투여한 acetate 농도에 비례하여 cathode로 전달되는 전자(Coulomb)는 비례하였다. 낮은 농도의 acetate에서 발생파워와 acetate 농도 사이에는 비례관계를 보였다. 이는 미생물연료전지가 낮은 농도의 유기물을 측정하는 센서로서의 가능성을 보여준다. acetate에 순화된 산화전극에 butyrate를 넣었을 때 순화의 시간이 필요하였으며 일정 순화시간 후 voltage가 증가하였다. 그러나 propionate를 넣었을 때는 순화시간 없이 급격하게 voltage가 상승하였다. 따라서 미생물연료전지의 생성파워가 향상된다면 유기성 폐기물을 처리하면서 실생활에 이용할 수 있는 전기로 변환하는 장치로서 이용될 수 있을 것으로 판단된다.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
• /
• 제62권3호
• /
• pp.238-245
• /
• 2024

젖산 전극은 환자의 건강상태와 스트레스 수준, 및 운동선수의 피로도를 실시간으로 모니터링하는 젖산 센서 또는 젖산 연료전지 전극으로 활용될 수 있다. 본 연구에서는 젖산 산화효소, 카탈라아제, 미토콘드리아로 구성된 고성능 전극을 제작하고 전극의 표면분석 및 전기화학적 특성을 조사하였다. 단일벽 탄소나노튜브로 개질된 탄소종이(CPSWCNT)는 개질 전보다 전기 전도성이 크게 향상되었다. 젖산 산화효소, 카탈라아제, 그리고 미토콘드리아가 부착된 전극(CP-SWCNT-LOx-Cat-Mito)은 젖산 산화효소와 카탈라아제가 부착된 전극에 비하여 많은 전류를 생산하였다. 빌리루빈 산화효소(BOD)가 부착된 전극(CP-SWCNT-BOD)이 생산하는 환원전류량은 전해질의 산소 존재 유무에 따라 크게 영향을 받았다. CP-SWCNT-LOx-Cat-Mito (anode)와 CP-SWCNT-BOD (cathode)로 구성된 연료전지는 133 ㎂/cm²로 방전 시 0.2 V의 셀 전위를 유지하며 29 ㎼/cm²의 전력을 생산하였다. 본 연구결과는 미토콘드리아가 젖산 센서 및 연료전지 성능 향상에 필수적인 생체물질임을 시사한다.

• KEPCO Journal on Electric Power and Energy
• /
• 제2권4호
• /
• pp.589-593
• /
• 2016

미생물연료전지(Microbial Fuel Cell; MFC)는 전기화학활성미생물로 불리는 미생물을 촉매로 이용하여, 유/무기물의 산화환원 반응을 통해서 전기에너지를 생산할 수 있는 장치이다. 단일 MFC에서 발생하는 낮은 전기생산량을 극복하기 위해, 다수의 형태의 MFC를 직렬 또는 병렬로 연결하는 방법이 연구되고 있다. 본 연구에서는 6개의 단위 막전극접합체(Separator Electrode Assembly; SEA)로 구성된 침지평판형과 직립평판형 MFC 스택을 운전하였다. 단위 MFC와 MFC 스택의 전기발생량을 비교하였으며, 이를 통해서 MFC의 최적 스택기술을 확보하기 위한 기초자료로 활용하고자 하였다. 모든 SEA가 산화전극부를 공유하고 있는 침지평판형 MFC의 경우, 직렬과 병렬을 함께 사용할 경우, 단일 연결 방식을 사용하는 것보다 전압의 손실이 더 크게 나타났으며, 단일 연결방법 중 병렬연결 하는 것이 손실을 최소화 할 수 있는 것으로 나타났다. 직립평판형 MFC의 경우, 산화전극부를 공유하고 있는 SEA만 직렬 연결할 경우에는 전압의 손실이 크게 나타났으며, 산화전극부를 공유하고 있는 SEA간에 병렬 연결 후, 병렬 연결된 SEA를 직렬연결하는 방식이 전압의 손실을 최소화 할 수 있을 것으로 나타났다.

• 한국세라믹학회지
• /
• 제45권12호
• /
• pp.772-776
• /
• 2008

The Korea Electric Power Research Institute (KEPRI) has been developing planar solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) and power systems for combined heat and power (CHP) units. The R&D work includes solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) materials investigation, design and fabrication of single cells and stacks, and kW class SOFC CHP system development. Anode supported cells composed of Ni-YSZ/FL/YSZ/LSCF were enlarged up to $15{\times}15\;cm^2$ and stacks were manufactured using $10{\times}10\;cm^2$ cells and metallic interconnects such as ferritic stainless steel. The first-generation system had a 37-cell stack and an autothermal reformer for use with city gas. The system showed maximum stack power of about $1.3\;kW_{e,DC}$ and was able to recover heat of $0.57{\sim}1.2\;kW_{th}$ depending on loaded current by making hot water. The second-generation system was composed of an improved 48-cell stack and a prereformer (or steam reformer). The thermal management subsystem design including heat exchangers and insulators was also improved. The second-generation system was successfully operated without any external heat source. Under self-sustainable operation conditions, the stack power was about $1.3\;kW_{e,DC}$ with hydrogen and $1.2\;kW_{e,DC}$ with city. The system also recuperated heat of about $1.1\;kW_{th}$ by making hot water. Recently KEPRI manufactured a 2kW class SOFC stack and a system by scaling up the second-generation 1kW system and will develop a 5kW class CHP system by 2010.

• 전기화학회지
• /
• 제11권1호
• /
• pp.51-58
• /
• 2008

고분자 전해질 연료전지의 성능향상을 위한 방법으로 유동채널의 형상을 변경한 많은 연구가 진행되어 왔으나 동일한 유동채널 형상에서 유동방향 변경에 따른 연구는 많이 진행되지 못하였다. 본 연구에서는 동일한 반응면적과 동일한 유동채널의 고분자 전해질 연료전지의 수소와 산소의 유동방향을 Co-flow에서 Counter-flow로 변경될 경우의 연료전지의 성능변화를 분석하기 위하여 연료극과 공기극이 포함된 3차원 수치해석모델을 개발하였다. 개발된 수치해석모델을 활용하여 Co-flow와 Counter-flow의 유동채널 내부의 압력손실, 반응물질의 농도분포, 고분자 전해질 막을 통한 Water Transport, 고분자 전해질 막의 이온전도도 및 I-V 성능곡선을 비교하였다. 그 결과 반응물질의 농도분포, Water Transport, 고분자 전해질 막의 이온전도도가 우수한 Counter-flow 유동조건에서의 성능이 Co-flow 유동조건에 비하여 더욱 우수하였다.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• 제23권12호
• /
• pp.1765-1773
• /
• 2013

The cathode reaction is one of the most seriously limiting factors in a microbial fuel cell (MFC). The critical dissolved oxygen (DO) concentration of a platinum-loaded graphite electrode was reported as 2.2 mg/l, about 10-fold higher than an aerobic bacterium. A series of MFCs were run with the cathode compartment inoculated with activated sludge (biotic) or not (abiotic) on platinum-loaded or bare graphite electrodes. At the beginning of the operation, the current values from MFCs with a biocathode and abiotic cathode were $2.3{\pm}0.1$ and $2.6{\pm}0.2mA$, respectively, at the air-saturated water supply in the cathode. The current from MFCs with an abiotic cathode did not change, but that of MFCs with a biotic cathode increased to 3.0 mA after 8 weeks. The coulomb efficiency was 59.6% in the MFCs with a biotic cathode, much higher than the value of 15.6% of the abiotic cathode. When the DO supply was reduced, the current from MFCs with an abiotic cathode decreased more sharply than in those with a biotic cathode. When the respiratory inhibitor azide was added to the catholyte, the current decreased in MFCs with a biotic cathode but did not change in MFCs with an abiotic cathode. The power density was higher in MFCs with a biotic cathode ($430W/m^3$ cathode compartment) than the abiotic cathode MFC ($257W/m^3$ cathode compartment). Electron microscopic observation revealed nanowire structures in biofilms that developed on both the anode and on the biocathode. These results show that an electron-consuming bacterial consortium can be used as a cathode catalyst to improve the cathode reaction.

• 대한설비공학회:학술대회논문집
• /
• 대한설비공학회 2008년도 동계학술발표대회 논문집
• /
• pp.567-571
• /
• 2008

PEM Fuel Cell operation mode can be classified into dead-end mode or open mode by whether the outlet port is blocked or not. Generally, dead-end type fuel cell has some merits on the pressure drop and system efficiency because it can generate more power than the open type fuel cell due to high operating pressure condition. However, the periodic purging process should be done for removing water which is formed as product of a reaction in the gas diffusion layer. In this study, cathode side dead-end type operation has been conducted. Moreover, pulsating flow generator at the outlet of cathode side has been suggested for increasing the period to purge the formed water because the pulsating flow can make formed water scattered uniformly over the whole channel. As a result, the purging period with pulsation increased by 1.5-2 times longer than that without pulsating.

• 대한전기학회:학술대회논문집
• /
• 대한전기학회 2003년도 하계학술대회 논문집 B
• /
• pp.1350-1352
• /
• 2003

For developing a 100 kW MCFC power generation system, Several design parameters for a fuel cell stack and system analysis results by Cycle Tempo, a processing computer soft ware, were described. Approximately two substacks with 90 cells are required to generate 100 kW at a current density of $125\;mA/cm^2$ with $6000\;cm^2$ of cells. An overall heat balance was calculated to predict exit temperature. The 100 kW power is expected only under pressurized operation condition at 3 atm. Recycle of cathode gas by more than 50% is recommended to run the stack at $125\;mA/cm^2$ and 3 atm. Manifolds should be designed based on gas flow rates for the suggested operating condition. The fuel cell power generation system was designed conceptually with several choices of utilization of anode exhaust gas. To operate and evaluate the MCFC system, control and measurement system and operation mode are designed before 100 MCFC system construction. In system control schematics, OS, PLC and MMI were consisted and have roles for MCFC system control. For operation of 100 kW MCFC system, NS, PS PR mode were considerated step by step and simulated.

• 한국분말재료학회지
• /
• 제12권2호
• /
• pp.117-121
• /
• 2005

Platinum catalysts for the DMFC (Direct Methanol Fuel Cell) were impregnated on several carbon supports and their catalytic activities were evaluated with cyclic voltammograms of methanol electro-oxidation. To increase the activities of the Pt/C catalyst, carbon supports with high electric conductivity such as mesoporous carbon, carbon nanofiber, and carbon nanotube were employed. The Pt/e-CNF (etched carbon nanofiber) catalyst showed higher maximum current density of $70 mA cm^{-2}$ and lower on-set voltage of 0.54 V vs. NHE than the Pt/Vulcan XC-72 in methanol oxidation. Although the carbon named by CNT (carbon nanotube) series turned out to have larger BET surface area than the carbon named by CNF (carbon nanofiber) series, the Pt catalysts supported on the CNT series were less active than those on the CNF series due to their lower electric conductivity and lower availability of pores for Pt loading. Considering that the BET surface area and electric conductivity of the e-CNF were similar to those of the Vulcan XC-72, smaller Pt particle size of the Pt/e-CNF catalyst and stronger metal-support interaction were believed to be the main reason for its higher catalytic activity.

• 한국세라믹학회지
• /
• 제51권4호
• /
• pp.271-277
• /
• 2014

To overcome the limitations of the solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) due to the high temperature operation, there has been increasing interest in proton conducting fuel cells (PCFCs) for reduction of the operating temperature to the intermediate temperature range. In present work, the perovskite $BaCe_{0.85-x}Zr_xY_{0.15}O_{3-\delta}$ (BCZY, x = 0.1, 0.3, 0.5, and 0.7) were synthesized via solid state reaction (SSR) and adopted as an electrolyte materials for PCFCs. Powder characteristics were examined using X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and Brunauer, Emmett and Teller (BET) surface area analysis. Single phase BCZY were obtained in all compositions, and chemical stability was improved with increasing Zr content. Anode-supported cell with $Ni-BaCe_{0.55}Z_{0.3}Y_{0.15}O_{3-\delta}$ (BCZY3) anode, BCZY3 electrolyte and BCZY3-$Ba_{0.5}Sr_{0.5}Co_{0.8}Fe_{0.2}O_{3-\delta}$ (BSCF) composite cathode was fabricated and electrochemically characterized. Open-circuit voltage (OCV) was 1.05 V, and peak power density of 370 ($mW/cm^2$) was achieved at $650^{\circ}C$.