A Novel Biogas-Fueled-SOFC Aided Process for Direct Production of Electricity from Wastewater Treatment: Comparison of the Performances of High and Intermediate Temperature SOFCs

Abstract

A novel process for the treatment of municipal and industrial wastewater is developed, which leads to the direct production of electricity, and/or H2, with an environmentally friendly way. The electricity production is directly, and in high efficiency, obtained via novel biogas fuelled fuel cells, which are also developed here and concern an important subunit of the overall process. Biogas is generated by the anaerobic treatment of the activated sludge that emanates from the already processed municipal waste, while H2 is achieved from the electrolytic degradation of the high COD industrial waste. A sort description of the novel process is presented while the performances of two types, i.e. high and intermediate temperatures, solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) tested on direct feed of simulated biogas mixtures are comparatively analyzed.