Microbial Electrolysis Cell for Hydrogen Production and Electricity Generation

This project explores adding a microbial electrolysis reactor in series with a hydrogen fuel cell to a water treatment facility to generate electricity. A microbial electrolysis reactor (MER) is a device that utilizes an anode and a cathode to produce hydrogen gas from microbial growth within wastewater. The hydrogen gas is then sent to a fuel cell, where it combines with oxygen to produce electricity. The team researched both hydrogen production and hydrogen fuel cells in order to create a system that would generate electricity from only wastewater. The generated electricity could be used for many different applications, including powering different machinery in the water treatment plant or adding the electricity to the grid. The system was optimized so that it was both economically and environmentally friendly.