Photos and Videos of Microbial Fuel Cells (MFCs) and the BEAMR systems researched in the Logan lab
 

	Tsinghua University and Penn State recently developed a new type of bioelectrochemical system called a microbial desalination cell (MDC). This reactor contains two membranes, and three chambers, with the water in the middle chamber desalinated when current is generated by bacteria. The paper can be found on the publications page (see Cao et al. 2009). Additional images are available for our new systems at: http://live.psu.edu/album/2110
	This is our most frequently used reactor, which holds 28-ml and is usually operated in fed-batch mode. We have used this system to examine a variety of factors that affect power generation, such as electrode spacing, solution chemistry, electrode materials, substrates and pure vs mixed cultures. This reactor has a flat anode and a flat cathode. See publication by Liu and Logan (2004).
	This is the same type of cube reactor, but here we have replaced the flat anode with a graphite fiber brush anode. See the paper by Logan et al. (2007).
	In order to scale up MFCs, we need to provide more surface area for the cathode. This is a reactor we tested using tubular cathodes made of ultrafiltration membranes that were coated on the inside with catalyst and a carbon conductive paint and a Pt catalyst. See the publication by Zuo et al. (2007).
	This is a single chamber MFC that uses a very large brush anode and a flat cathode. This reactor is red due to the growth of Rhodopseudomonas palustris DX-1. Power is very much limited by the cathode surface area, but it is a nice easy design that can be made out of glass, plastic or just about any material. See Logan et al. (2007) for performance data of a glass bottle system.
	This is the same cube reactor as above with a brush anode, but this one has a pure culture of Rhodopseudomonas palustris DX-1. See paper by Xing et al. (2008).
	This is a two-chamber reactor modified to have a crimp top on the reactor top and a crimp top side access port. The brush is suspended in the solution.
	This flat plate microbial fuel cell, that operates in continuous flow mode, has a proton exchange membrane sandwiched between two carbon paper electrodes. Channels are drilled to that the flow follows a serpentine path through the system. See paper by Min & Logan (2004).
	This is a conventional two-chamber microbial fuel cell. In this setup, both chambers are gas sparged: one with nitrogen to maintain anaerobic conditions in the chamber where the bacteria grow (anode); the other with air to provide oxygen in solution (cathode).
	Same as the above cell, except the anode chamber is filled with a wastewater solution.
	This is the Single Chamber Microbial Fuel Cell (SCMFC) described in our ES&T paper (Liu et al. 2004, ES&T). Here is the SCMFC is empty-- note the central cathode tube running down the center.
	Same as above, but filled with wastewater.
	A data logging multimeter is used to monitor voltage in the circuit containing a resistor. From the voltage and resistor information, we can calculate total power output by the system.