Bioelectrochemical system having polyvalent ion removing function

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016137536-A1
Application number	US-201414896118-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 5, 2014
Priority date	Jun 7, 2013
Publication date	May 19, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

The present invention provides a bioelectrochemical system for removing a polyvalent ion present in seawater etc., capable of producing electricity. The bioelectrochemical system according to the present invention comprises: an anode chamber comprising an anode which accommodates an electron produced when treating an organic material in wastewater with a microorganism; a cathode chamber comprising a cathode receiving the electron from the anode, for producing a hydroxide ion by reacting the electron with oxygen and water provided from the outside, and depositing the polyvalent ion inside an electrolyte by using the hydroxide ion; and an anion exchange membrane for blocking the polyvalent ion inside the electrolyte from moving to the anode chamber. Also, the present invention provides the bioelectrochemical system capable of removing the polyvalent ion present in seawater etc., and simultaneously producing hydrogen. The present invention comprises: the anode chamber, provided with the anode to which electrochemically active bacteria are attached, for producing the electron by having organic wastewater, as a substrate, injected thereto; the cathode chamber, provided with the cathode, for removing the polyvalent ion and simultaneously producing a hydrogen gas by having seawater, as an electrolyte, injected thereto; the anion exchange membrane for separating the anode chamber and the cathode chamber and preventing the polyvalent cation in seawater from moving to the anode chamber; and a power source connected between the anode and the cathode.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A bioelectrochemical system, comprising:
an anode chamber housing an anode that accepts electrons generated when organic matter of wastewater is treated by microorganisms; a cathode chamber housing a cathode that receives the electrons from the anode and at which the electrons moving from the anode chamber react with externally fed oxygen and water to produce hydroxide ions which, in turn, precipitate polyvalent ions of an electrolyte; and an anion exchange membrane for blocking movement of the polyvalent cations of the electrolyte into the anode chamber.

2 . The bioelectrochemical system of claim 1 , wherein the microorganisms are electrochemically active bacteria.

3 . The bioelectrochemical system of claim 2 , wherein the anode chamber is neural in pH and has a temperature of 20° C. to 100° C. whereby the activity of the electrochemically active bacteria are maintained.

4 . The bioelectrochemical system of claim 3 , wherein the anode chamber is fed with the precipitate of the cathode chamber or a chemical when the pH of the anode chamber is lower than a neutral pH.

5 . The bioelectrochemical system of claim 1 , wherein the anode exists as a plurality of replicas, thereby enhancing electron generation.

6 . The bioelectrochemical system of claim 1 , wherein the anode is in a form of brush or felt made of graphite or carbon.

7 . The bioelectrochemical system of claim 1 , wherein the cathode comprises a platinum catalyst or a platinum replacement catalyst.

8 . The bioelectrochemical system of claim 1 , wherein the cathode is an air-cathode.

9 . The bioelectrochemical system of claim 1 , wherein the cathode chamber is under an aerobic condition.

10 . A bioelectrochemical system, comprising:
an anode chamber housing an anode to which electrochemically active bacteria adhere and at which electrons are generated as the electrochemically active bacteria use organic wastewater as a substrate, the organic wastewater being fed into the anode chamber; a cathode chamber housing a cathode at which hydrogen gas is generated from seawater as an electrolyte, the seawater being introduced into the cathode chamber; an anion exchange membrane for separating the anode chamber and the cathode chamber from each other and for blocking movement of the polyvalent cations of the electrolyte into the anode chamber, and a power source for connecting the anode to the cathode.

11 . The bioelectrochemical system of claim 10 , wherein the cathode chamber allows for generation of OH − ions through a reduction reaction, thereby precipitating polyvalent cations of the seawater with the OH − ions.

12 . The bioelectrochemical system of claim 11 , further comprising a means for carrying part of the precipitate of the cathode chamber or an effluent from the cathode chamber into the anode chamber.

13 . The bioelectrochemical system of claim 10 , wherein both the anode chamber and the cathode chamber are under an anaerobic condition.

14 . The bioelectrochemical system of claim 10 , wherein the anode exists as a plurality of replicas.

15 . The bioelectrochemical system of claim 10 , further comprising a sensor for measuring a concentration of organic matter in the organic wastewater.

Assignees

• Korea Energy Research Inst

Inventors

• Nam Joo-Youn
• Park Soon-Chul
• Kim Dong-Kook
• Jeong Namjo
• Kim Chan-Soo
• Kim Daehee
• Hwang Kyo Sik
• Park Chul-Ho
• Jwa Eunjin

Classifications

• C02F5/02

  Softening water by precipitation of the hardness · CPC title

• H01M4/96

  Carbon-based electrodes · CPC title

• Y02W10/30

  Wastewater or sewage treatment systems using renewable energies · CPC title

• C02F2201/4619

  Supplying gas to the electrolyte · CPC title

• C02F2001/46152

  characterised by the shape or form · CPC title