By: Emerick Gilliams (our NSF-REU Renewable Energy Program summer intern)
Hi! I am a rising junior studying chemical engineering at the University of Florida. This summer, I have been taken on as a renewable energy intern at Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute where I have been working remotely on benthic microbial fuel cells (BMFCs).
BMFCs are an emerging option for renewable energy. BMFCs utilize microbes in the sediment of the benthic layer in a body of water to create an electric current as the microbes oxidize organic and inorganic matter. This creates a redox gradient between the anoxic sediment and oxic water.
The importance of this research and all research with BMFCs strongly relates to oceanographic research, as BMFCs are being investigated as a possible power source for subsea sensors. BMFCs are currently being used as battery substitutes and battery chargers for offshore dataloggers and sensors. Successfully making BMFCs a consistent power source would reduce the costs for device deployment, maintenance, and replacement, which happens to be some of the most expensive portions of marine research.
The overall goal of my project is to explore the capabilities of small-scale BMFCs. During my project, I have created ten indoor BMFCs using sediment and water samples from a nearby lake. I have been testing various sets of three variables: salinity, BMFC design, and addition of carbon-based additives. My project has shown that with even a fuel cell design size of a few inches, harvestable power is accomplishable.
During this research, I have also been working with Arduino circuitry to create a battery-powered device that can monitor the voltage of a fuel cell while recording that data to a micro SD card. This device can monitor up to six BMFCs for about 100 days while connected to a battery.
For the conclusion of my project, three BMFCs will be constructed in situ in a nearby lake and will be monitored by my Arduino circuit in a waterproof enclosure. The data will be analyzed after the completion of the program.
Overall, I am very thankful to have had this experience, and I cannot wait to bring what I have learned into my future academic and professional career!
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