Hydrogen production from inexhaustible supplies of fresh and salt water using microbial reverse-electrodialysis electrolysis cells

摘要: There is a tremendous source of entropic energy available from the salinity difference between river water and seawater, but this has yet to be efficiently captured stored. Here we demonstrate that H2 can produced in single process by capturing driven along with organic matter degradation using exoelectrogenic bacteria. Only five pairs seawater cells were sandwiched an anode, containing bacteria, cathode, forming microbial reverse-electrodialysis electrolysis cell. Exoelectrogens added electrical potential acetate oxidation reduced anode overpotential, while reverse electrodialysis stack contributed 0.5–0.6 V at ratio (seawater:river water) 50. The production rate increased 0.8 1.6 m3-H2/m3-anolyte/day for flow rates ranging 0.1 0.8 mL/ min. recovery, electrons used evolution released substrate oxidation, ranged 72% 86%. Energy efficiencies, calculated changes salinities loss matter, 58% 64%. By relatively small (11 membranes), only ∼1% was needed pumping water. Although Pt on cathode these tests, additional tests nonprecious metal catalyst (MoS2) demonstrated 0.8 m3/m3/d efficiency 51%. These results show pure gas virtually limitless supplies water, biodegradable matter.