Fuel cell assembly for biofuels

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12494500-B2
Application number	US-202519279676-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 24, 2025
Priority date	Sep 7, 2022
Publication date	Dec 9, 2025
Grant date	Dec 9, 2025

Abstract

A bio-electrochemical fuel cell is provided. The fuel cell includes an anode placed between a second endplate and a supporting plate, a cathode placed between a first endplate and the supporting plate, a separator plate provided between the first endplate and the cathode, a separator plate provided between the second endplate and the anode, and at least one separator plate provided on each side of the supporting plate. The anode has a first layer and a biofilm including photosynthetic microorganisms is present on a surface of the first layer. A central aperture of the first endplate receives a flow of water containing the photosynthetic microorganisms and a central aperture of the second endplate discharges the flow of water. Application of light to the fuel cell assembly causes the photosynthetic microorganisms to release oxygen at the anode and induces a photo-current in the anode.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . A fuel cell assembly for biofuels, comprising:
a transparent glass anode; a cathode; a first endplate including a central aperture; a second endplate opposite the first endplate, the second endplate including a central aperture; a supporting plate between the first endplate and the second endplate, the supporting plate including a central aperture; at least one first separator plate provided between the first endplate and the cathode; and at least one second separator plate provided between the second endplate and the anode, wherein: the anode is between the second endplate and the supporting plate, the cathode is between the first endplate and the supporting plate, a first layer is directly on the anode and comprises at least one enzyme selected from the group consisting of superoxide dismutase and catalase enzyme, the at least one enzyme being entrapped in an enzyme immobilization material comprising a hydrophobically modified polysaccharide having a micellar or inverted micellar structure, a biofilm comprising photosynthetic microorganisms selected from the group consisting of green algae, cyanobacteria, and combinations thereof is present directly on a surface of the first layer of the anode, the anode, the cathode, the first endplate, the supporting plate, the second endplate and the first and second separator plates are connected together to form the fuel cell assembly, the central aperture of the first endplate receives a flow of water containing photosynthetic microorganisms selected from the group consisting of green algae, cyanobacteria, and combinations thereof; the central aperture of the second endplate discharges the flow of water, an application of light to the fuel cell assembly causes the biofilm to release oxygen at the anode and induces a photo-current in the anode, and the fuel cell assembly does not include an ion selective membrane between the anode and the cathode.

2 . The fuel cell assembly of claim 1 , having a planar structure.

3 . The fuel cell assembly of claim 1 , wherein the fuel cell assembly has a hexagonal shape, a reaction chamber having an average interior diameter in a range of 6-200 cm, and an average exterior diameter in a range of 10-400 cm.

4 . The fuel cell assembly of claim 3 , wherein the reaction chamber has an average interior diameter in a range of 6-150 cm, and an average exterior diameter in a range of 10-300 cm.

5 . The fuel cell assembly of claim 1 , wherein one or more of the first and second separator plates is a transparent silicone rubber material.

6 . The fuel cell assembly of claim 1 , wherein the anode comprises a conductive transparent glass coated with indium tin oxide.

7 . The fuel cell assembly of claim 1 , wherein the cathode comprises a carbon material or platinum.

8 . The fuel cell assembly of claim 7 , wherein the carbon material is at least one selected from the group consisting of activated carbon, reduced graphene oxide, graphite, carbon felt, carbon foam, carbon paper, carbon brush, carbon cloth, carbon black, carbon powder, carbon nanofibers, carbon fiber, single-walled carbon nanotubes, double-walled carbon nanotubes, multi-walled carbon nanotubes, carbon nanotube arrays, diamond-coated conductors, glass carbon, mesoporous carbon, uncompressed graphite worms, delaminated purified flake graphite, polycrystalline graphite, and pyrolytic graphite.

9 . The fuel cell assembly of claim 1 , wherein the cathode comprises at least one enzyme selected from the group consisting of laccase, cytochrome C oxidase, superoxide dismutase, bilirubin oxidase, and peroxidase.

10 . The fuel cell assembly of claim 9 , wherein the cathode has a layer of bilirubin oxidase.

Assignees

• Univ Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal

Inventors

• Cevik Emre
• Anil Ismail
• Aga Omer
• Senel Mehmet

Classifications

• H01M4/9016

  Oxides, hydroxides or oxygenated metallic salts · CPC title

• H01M2004/8689

  Positive electrodes · CPC title

• H01M2250/30

  Fuel cells in portable systems, e.g. mobile phone, laptop · CPC title

• H01M8/02 Primary

  Details (electrodes H01M4/86 - H01M4/98) · CPC title

• H01M2004/8684

  Negative electrodes · CPC title