Sequester of CO2 and Power Generation in Photosynthetic Fuel Cells of Chlorella vulgaris

Davi de L. Cavalcanti; Paulo H. da Silva; Dr.SÃ©rgio P. Ramos; Dr.Camilo E. La Rotta H.; Dra. Galba M.C.Takaki

Abstract

The Photosynthetic Fuel Cell (PFC) is considered a promising new technology. This kind of Microbial Fuel Cell (MFC) uses microalgae as electron acceptors attached to the cathode compartment to decrease the operational costs with conventional MFC generating energy. Besides generate energy the microalgae have the ability to sequester atmospheric carbon dioxide by photosynthesis, and turn it into value-added biomass where the most valuable by-products are currently starch and lipids, which are the basis of the manufacture of biofuels such as bioethanol and biodiesel. In the present study the microalgae Chlorella vulgaris was used as an electron acceptor in a cathode compartment, where during ten days of experiments showed the amount of CO2 captured by the algae cells (7mg L of CO2). At the same time, the composition of the biomass was produced starch (3%) and lipids (70%), and electrochemical parameters such as coulombic efficiency (CE = 33.1%) and the maximum current density (Id max = 147 mA cm²). The results confirmed the high potential of C. vulgaris in power generation PFC, and in the generation of products of industrial interest.

Keywords

Photosynthetic cathode, Biofuel cell, Microalgae.

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Cites this article as

D. d. L. C. , P. H. d. S. , D. P. R. , D. E. L. R. H., D. G. M.C.Takaki, "Sequester of CO2 and Power Generation in Photosynthetic Fuel Cells of Chlorella vulgaris", International Journal of Innovative Research in Engineering & Management (IJIREM), Vol-2, Issue-5, Page No-43 - 46, 2015. Available from: