Operation of microbial fuel cells

摘要

In operation of a microbial fuel cell it has been found that improved efficiency results if the microbes are kept 'hungry', i.e. the cell is run under conditions of fuel supply and load such that electrical output is dependent on fuel concentration, rather than as is conventionally the case being run under excess fuel so that power output is concentration independent. A method and apparatus are described to enable fuel cells to be run under energetic or coulombic efficiency control.