UK Scientists Advance Urine-Powered Fuel Cells

Urine-powered fuel cells are the focus of a new, groundbreaking research paper prepared by UK-based scientists.

Working at Bristol Robotics Lab, Doctor Ioannis Ieropoulos, Professor John Greenman and Professor Chris Melhuish have been examining the human waste product's potential as a power source and the results of their research appear in a document titled ‘Urine Utilisation by Microbial Fuel Cells; Energy Fuel for the Future'.

Microbial Fuel Cells, or MFCs, carry out chemical-to-electrical energy conversion through a microorganic catalytic reaction that replicates natural bacterial interactions. They feature an anode and a cathode, divided by a central membrane through which ions are exchanged. Typically, the anode end contains bacteria and the cathode side contains oxygen or chemicals: the reaction between these, stimulated by the application of an external power source, is what products electrical energy.

Urine-Powered Fuel Cells

In general, scientists have avoided researching urine-powered fuel cells, despite the product's widespread availability (an estimated 6.4 trillion litres is generated by the world's seven billion residents each year, equivalent to a per capita daily production rate of 2.5 litres).

"Urine is chemically rich in substances favourable to the MFCs", Doctor Ieropoulos said, in a statement. He continued: "Our research found that the output of electricity was consistent and measurable depending on the volume of urine and the timing of the doses. At the moment the output from one MFC is small."

Urine Fuel Cell Research

He and his colleagues' urine fuel cell research highlighted how,"...by miniaturisation and multiplication of the number of MFCs into a stack and regulating the flow of urine, it may be possible to look at scales of use that have the potential to produce useful levels of power, for example, in a domestic or small village setting."

While humans produce urine in abundance, animals release even more and animal urine, too, could be a viable potential MFC source. There's a particular environmental benefit associated with both animal and human urine-based energy production, too: treated, decontaminated urine can be safely released to the outside world, removing the need for specialised wastewater firms to get involved.

"Whilst we recognise the need for a great deal more research in this area, we are very excited by the potential of this work", Doctor Ieropoulos concluded.

MFC image copyright US Navy. Used for representational purposes only

See also:

Nissan Releases 2011 Next Generation Fuel Cell

Catalytic Hydrogen Electric Conversion Breakthrough