| Title: |
Electricity Generation from Synthetic Acid-Mine Drainage (AMD) Water using Fuel Cell Technologies
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| Resource Type: |
document --> technical publication --> journal article
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| Country: |
USA
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| Year: |
2008 |
| Availability: |
Environmental Science and Technology 41, 8149 - 8153
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| Author 1/Producer: |
Shaoan Cheng
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| Other Authors/Producers: |
Brian A. Dempsey, and Bruce E. Logan
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| Author / Producer Type: |
University research group / research institute
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EUGRIS Keyword(s): |
Contaminated land-->Remediation options-->Recycling/reuse
Contaminated land-->Remediation options-->Remediation options overview
Water and sanitation-->Industrial water
Water and sanitation-->Pollution
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| Short description: |
Acid-mine drainage (AMD) is difficult and costly to treat. This team investigated a new approach to AMD treatment using fuel cell technologies to generate electricity while removing iron from the water. Utilizing a recently developed microbial fuel cell architecture, we developed an acid-mine drainage fuel cell (AMD-FC) capable of abiotic electricity generation.
Logan's previous work focused on developing microbial fuel cells to
harness the energy from chemical reactions controlled by bacteria. The
team realised that Logan's fuel cell design could also use this acidic
waste. However, with AMD the bacteria are not used in the microbial fuel
cell. Instead, the new cell generates energy from a chemical reaction
that occurs naturally when the polluted water comes into contact with
oxygen.
AMD is a serious environmental problem that threatens the health of
plants and animals as well as the safety of drinking-water supplies. It
is expensive and difficult to combat, with large quantities of chemicals
often being used to neutralise the acid. This fuel cell is able to
combat AMD whilst providing a source of power at the same time.
As well as being acidic, AMD contains iron. When exposed to oxygen, this
iron reacts releasing energy that can be used to generate electricity.
Electricity generated using Logan's fuel cell could, for example, power
a device to pump water out of a mine.
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Submitted By:
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Professor Paul Bardos WhoDoesWhat?
Last update: 10/01/2008
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