Discover insights from thousands of peer-reviewed papers on microbial electrochemical systems
A. Ranjeeta Khare, B. Yogendra Kumar
Journal of Renewable and Sustainable Energy · 2015
Evolution in utility grid/electric grid from centralized control structures to decentralized control structures has been changed rapidly. Moreover this is because of increased usage of distributed renewable energy sources in utility grid. As a result this type of evolution necessitates new and advance concepts /methods in control structures of smart electric grid. Multi agent structures (MASs) are consequence of this requirement which is able to handle disturbances due to renewable energy sources, capacity to run in islanding mode, highly distributed nature of grid. Presently multi agent structures are the advancement of artificial intelligence. Agents facilitate a means to bridge the gap between humans and machines by means of interaction and intelligence. With the use of multi agent structures, optimization of control system and enhancement in reliability and intelligence may be realized. Main objective of the review is to give acquaintance of application of multiagent system in hybrid system so that in future it may form basis of multiagent system design with its pros and corns. Authors have discussed various aspects for development of multi-agent structures used in hybrid systems like system power control, optimization techniques with more emphasis on agent communication, agent platform, and MAS architecture. As agent platform and agent communication are the basis of any MAS construction. Proper selection of agent platform and agent communication decides easy and simple design of the MAS. Several aspects of MAS and its results are compared to provide global perspective of the state of the art.
Ali M. Eltamaly, Abdullrahman A. Al-Shamma'a
Journal of Renewable and Sustainable Energy · 2016
The configuration of hybrid energy systems has a great influence on the cost of generated energy from the system. This paper introduces a design, simulation, assessment, and selection of optimum autonomous hybrid renewable energy configuration out of three different configurations. The proposed hybrid system contains photovoltaic (PV), wind, diesel, and battery energy systems. A new computer program has been designed to simulate different configurations of hybrid energy systems. A genetics optimization smart technique using a genetic algorithm has been used to calculate the optimum sizing for each component at different configurations of the hybrid system for minimum cost and highest reliability. The optimum penetration ratio of renewable energy systems (PV and wind) will be selected according to the lowest price. Actual data for one remote site in Saudi Arabia has been used in the input data of this computer program. Sensitivity analysis has been carried out to show the conditions for selecting any configuration under study. The results obtained from this study can help researchers, designers, and decision makers to answer many open questions regarding the design and installations of hybrid renewable energy systems.
Avishkar Wanjari, Atharva D. Amale, Savita V. Chandpurkar et al.
Hybrid Renewable Energy Generator with IOT Monitoring · 2023
Solar power plants need to be monitored for efficient power output. This aids in when restoring optimum energy output from power generation while being on the lookout for concerns such as defective solar panels, damaged connections, and dust accumulation on panels that reduce performance. Here, we propose an automated Internet of Things-based system for monitoring solar and wind power that provides automatic power monitoring from anywhere over the Internet. This system automatically detects the solar panel's output and sends information via the internet to an IOT system. Here, we used an IOT platform to send energy-generating parameters to an IOT platform server via the Internet. IoT-based controllers are the key components of the framework. This will promote preventative assistance, identification of the cause, and a true inspection of the plant that can sustain ongoing assessment. Nowadays, the frameworks for sustainable energy sources are emerging as the best way to produce power. As technology advances, the cost of sustainable energy source equipment is decreasing overall, enabling large-scale solar-powered photovoltaic setups. We developed a model for the use of a practical IoT strategy to screen a sun-oriented evaluation of the performance of a solar and wind power system with open-source resources and tools like Arduino and Ubidots. A SaaS (Software as a Service) platform called Ubidots gives a web-based area for tracking the generating parameters. Ubidots offers all services at lower charges, saving you money on website planning and maintenance. We concentrated on creating a system that required the least amount of effort and had an easy-to-use interface so that regular people could install rooftop solar-powered plants and screens without relying on organisations that provide administrative support.
, Mei Zhang
International Journal of Renewable, Green, and Sustainable Energy · 2025
This study presents a comprehensive dynamic performance analysis and simulation of a standalone hybrid renewable energy system (HRES) tailored for remote Chinese communities with limited access to the national grid. The proposed system integrates solar photovoltaic (PV), wind energy, and battery storage to ensure a reliable and sustainable electricity supply. Using HOMER and MATLAB/Simulink, various configurations were modeled to evaluate system behavior under fluctuating weather and load conditions. The results highlight the system’s ability to maintain voltage stability, improve energy reliability, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Sensitivity analyses demonstrate the adaptability of the HRES to diverse environmental scenarios and its economic feasibility compared to conventional diesel-based systems. This research provides valuable insights for policymakers and engineers aiming to implement clean energy solutions in rural and off-grid regions of China.
Om Krishan, Sathans Suhag
IET Renewable Power Generation · 2020
This study proposes a novel control strategy for a hybrid energy storage system (HESS), as a part of the grid‐independent hybrid renewable energy system (HRES) which comprises diverse renewable energy resources and HESS – combination of battery energy storage system (BESS) and supercapacitor energy storage system (SCESS). The proposed control strategy is implemented into two parts: in the first part, HESS controller is designed and implemented to maintain the active power balance among different constituents of HRES and regulate DC‐link voltage ( V DC ) under surplus power mode and deficit power mode. The low‐frequency components of imbalance power are diverted to BESS while the high‐frequency components are diverted to SCESS while maintaining the state of charge (SoC) constraints of HESS thereby reducing stress on BESS. In the second part, inverter controller is designed and implemented to maintain AC voltage and frequency within limits in the events of perturbation. The proposed HESS along with its novel control strategy, as implemented in the HRES, is a new proposition in this study. The detailed model of HRES is simulated in MATLAB/Simulink and the results prove the efficacy of the control strategy. Further, hardware‐in‐loop real‐time simulation studies using OPAL‐RT real‐time simulator demonstrate the feasibility of hardware implementation of HRES with the proposed control strategy.
Prakash Kumar, Dheeraj Kumar Palwalia
Journal of Renewable Energy · 2015
Power extension of grid to isolated regions is associated with technical and economical issues. It has encouraged exploration and exploitation of decentralized power generation using renewable energy sources (RES). RES based power generation involves uncertain availability of power source round the clock. This problem has been overcome to certain extent by installing appropriate integrated energy storage unit (ESU). This paper presents technical review of hybrid wind and photovoltaic (PV) generation in standalone mode. Associated components like converters, storage unit, controllers, and optimization techniques affect overall generation. Wind and PV energy are readily available, omnipresent, and expected to contribute major future energy market. It can serve to overcome global warming problem arising due to emissions in fossil fuel based thermal generation units. This paper includes the study of progressive development of standalone renewable generation units based on wind and PV microgrids.
Rajeswari Ramachandran, Jeevitha Satheesh Kumar, Balasubramonian Madasamy et al.
IET Renewable Power Generation · 2021
Abstract This paper proposes a hybrid moth flame optimization–generalized Hopfield neural network (MFO‐GHNN) optimized self‐adaptive fractional order proportional integral derivative (FOPID) controller for automatic load frequency control of multi‐area hybrid power system (HPS). The control problem is formulated with an objective function of area control error associated with unknown parameters such as K p , K i , K d , λ and μ of FOPID controller. The fractional order of differentiator and integrator terms, and the initial values of K p , K i and K d , are drawn from MFO algorithm. Then, the K p , K i and K d are fine‐tuned by solving the dynamic equations governing the behaviour of GHNN under system uncertainties. To test the practicability and effectiveness of the proposed controller, the multi‐area HPS is studied with uncertain change in load demand, system parameters, solar and wind power generation. The proposed method is modelled using MATLAB/Simulink. The results showed that the steady state and transient performance indices of proposed FOPID controller are significantly enhanced than the PID, MFO‐FOPID and GHNN‐PID controllers. In addition, the stability of non‐linear dynamic HPS is analysed using Matignon's theorem of stability. Further, the performance of controller is validated using real time digital simulator run in hardware‐in‐the loop environment.
J. Arends
Microbial Biotechnology · 2017
Microbial bioelectrochemical systems have been in the full spotlight for over a decade due to the promise of being a platform for sustainable electrical power generation from wastewaters. This promise has not yet been fulfilled, but the research on bioelectrochemical systems (BES) has received a tremendous boost (Schr€ oder, 2011; Arends and Verstraete, 2012). The field has diversified into exploring various configurations of BESs for energy production/storage, bioremediation/waste cleanup and bioproduction/electrofermentation, as a tool for fundamental research and for biosensor development (Schr€ oder et al., 2015). The fact that many bacteria, with Geobacter spp. as one of the model organisms, are (putatively) able to directly deposit electrons on an electrode (Koch and Harnisch, 2016) opens the possibility to translate biologically relevant environmental signals directly into an electrical current. This allows the creation of a low current, amperometric microbial bioelectrochemical sensor system, applicable in many environments. However, to come to practical applications of BES-based sensors, several issues need to be overcome. Amongst others, one can think of signal/response ratio, signal specificity i.e. minimizing interferences, measurement range, need for calibration, signal stability over time, use of pure cultures or mixed communities, mechanical stability, storage and shelf life of the sensor probe. The work by Estevez-Canales et al. (2017) as described in their recent manuscript makes a step forward in prolonging the shelf life and optimizing storage conditions of pre-colonized bioanodes. They have developed a method to colonize an anode with Geobacter sulfurreducens in a silica gel matrix embedded in a carbon felt electrode. The microorganisms remained alive within the silica matrix in which they were encapsulated, and their concentration did not change for a minimum of 4 days as assayed with fluorescence microscopy. Activity could be maintained over 18 days in a lactate-fed system as determined by the current response. Acetate pulse experiments indicated a fast response time, in the order of minutes, of the bacteria encapsulated in the silica matrix. Using pre-colonized electrodes which take ~1 h to produce (Estevez-Canales et al., 2017) and can be stored offers a great advantage over producing (in the order of days) and possibly storing electroactive biofilms. As the authors indicate, several issues remain to be addressed to develop storable microbial electrodes for fast, selective and reproducible recordings. For example, optimal storage conditions for these electrodes need to be determined. From the manuscript, it becomes clear that the electrodes were stored under favourable conditions for Geobacter sulfurreducens. However, the most extreme conditions for storing the encapsulated microorganisms, in terms of temperature, humidity, time without electron donor/acceptor and exposure to atmospheric oxygen (Lin et al., 2004) still need to be understood. It would be interesting to compare the durability of a precolonized electrode with an electroactive biofilm of the same dimensions with regard to their storage conditions but also regarding the mechanical strength of biocatalyst attachment. An intriguing follow-up question is the impact of invasion, or colonization, of the silica surface by other microorganisms on the performance of the electrodes with immobilized electroactive microorganisms. Generally, microbial bioelectrochemical sensors are envisioned to be used in ‘dirty’ environments such as (waste)waters, fermenters and anaerobic digesters (Yang et al., 2015). These environments are characterized by a very diverse microbial community of which several members might possibly be capable of colonizing the silica matrix and thus hinder analyte mass transfer towards the embedded sensing microorganisms. On a more positive note, interaction of environmental microorganisms with encapsulated microorganisms (not Received 28 November, 2016; accepted 8 December, 2016. *For correspondence. E-mail jan.arends@ugent.be; Tel. +32 (0)9 264 59 76; Fax +32 (0)9 264 62 48. Microbial Biotechnology (2018) 11(1), 20–21 doi:10.1111/1751-7915.12590 Funding information European Research Council.
A. Schievano, A. Goglio, C. Erckert et al.
SHILAP Revista de lepidopterología · 2018
In a very near future, renewable electricity produced by photovoltaic and eolic is destined to be the cheapest form of energy. As these sources can’t be constant in time, new industrial research challenges have already been shifted to electricity storage from the grid. Here we present an innovative concept of electricity storage system, based on the field of bioelectrochemical systems. Electromethanogenesis is one of the most recent applications in this field, where methanogenic microorganisms of the Archaea domain can fix CO2 to methane, under electrical stimulation. In other words, electricity can be efficiently converted into CH4, i.e. one of the most commonly used fuels, territorially-distributed with a capillary grid in most EU-Countries. What is needed, to implement this process, is a relatively concentrated source of CO2 in an anaerobic acqueous environment. Currently in our society, huge concentrated streams of CO2 are released into the atmosphere every day from wastewater and waste treatment facilities, as well as from landfills. To treat sewage and organic waste, organic matter is degraded to inorganic carbon, mainly by microbial oxidation processes, which are strongly energy-intensive. In perspective, every wastewater treatment, anaerobic digestion, organic waste composting facility and controlled ladfill could be a key hotspot to transform excess grid electricity into biomethane, while treating waste with the same energy. Biomethane could be injected to the distribution grid and the waste-management facilities would become the interface between the two grids. To achieve this scenario, efforts in scaling up electromethanogenesis systems and new bioelectrodes materials (e.g. electro-active biochar) are needed. Here, we summarize some key steps in this field of research and the constraints that are to be overcome.
R. Muñoz-Aguilar, D. Molognoni, P. Bosch‐Jimenez et al.
Energies · 2018
This paper deals with the design, operation, modeling, and grid integration of bioelectrochemical systems (BES) for power-to-gas application, through an electromethanogenesis process. The paper objective is to show that BES-based power-to-gas energy storage is feasible on a large scale, showing a first approximation that goes from the BES design and operation to the electrical grid integration. It is the first study attempting to cover all aspects of a BES-based power-to-gas technology, on authors’ knowledge. Designed BES reactors were based on a modular architecture, suitable for a future scaling-up. They were operated in steady state for eight months, and continuously monitored in terms of power consumption, water treatment, and biomethane production, in order to obtain data for the following modeling activity. A black box linear model of the BES was computed by using least-square methods, and validated through comparison with collected experimental data. Afterwards, a BES stack was simulated through several series and parallel connections of reactors, in order to obtain higher power consumption and test the grid integration of a real application system. The renewable energy surplus and energy price variability were evaluated for the grid integration of the BES stack. The BES stack was then simulated as energy storage system during low energy price periods, and tested experimentally with a real time system.
D. Molognoni, P. Bosch‐Jimenez, Rubén Rodríguez-Alegre et al.
Frontiers in Energy Research · 2020
Bioelectrochemical power-to-gas represents a novel solution for electrical energy storage, currently under development. It allows storing renewable energy surplus in the form of methane (CH4), while treating wastewater, therefore bridging the electricity and natural gas (and wastewater) grids. The technology can be coupled with membrane contactors for carbon dioxide (CO2) capture, dissolving the CO2 in wastewater before feeding it to the bioelectrochemical system. This way, the integrated system can achieve simultaneous carbon capture and energy storage objectives, in the scenario of a wastewater treatment plant application. In this study, such technology was developed in a medium-scale prototype (32 L volume), which was operated for 400 days in different conditions of temperature, voltage and CO2 capture rate. The prototype achieved the highest CH4 production rate (147 ± 33 L m–3 d–1) at the lowest specific energy consumption (1.0 ± 0.3 kWh m–3 CH4) when operated at 25°C and applying a voltage of 0.7 V, while capturing and converting 22 L m–3 d–1 of CO2. The produced biogas was nearer to biomethane quality (CH4 > 90% v/v) when CO2 was not injected in the wastewater. Traces of hydrogen (H2) in the biogas, detectable during the periods of closed electrical circuit operation, indicated that hydrogenotrophic methanogenesis was taking place at the cathode. On the other hand, a relevant CH4 production during the periods of open electrical circuit operation confirmed the presence of acetoclastic methanogenic microorganisms in the microbial community, which was dominated by the archaeal genus Methanothrix (Euryarchaeota). Different operational taxonomic units belonging to the bacterial Synergistes phylum were found at the anode and the cathode, having a potential role in organic matter degradation and H2 production, respectively. In the panorama of methanation technologies currently available for power-to-gas, the performances of this bioelectrochemical prototype are not yet competitive, especially in terms of volumetric CH4 production rate and power density demand. However, the possibility to obtain a high-quality biogas (almost reaching biomethane quality standards) at a minimal energy consumption represents a potentially favorable business scenario for this technology.
M. Shahparasti, A. Rajaei, Andres Tarrasó et al.
Electronics · 2021
This paper presents a proposal for potential bioelectrochemical power to gas stations. It consists of a two-level voltage source converter interfacing the electrical grid on the AC side and an electromethanogenesis based bioelectrochemical system (EMG-BES) working as a stacked module on the DC side. The proposed system converts CO2 and electrical energy into methane, using wastewater as the additional chemical energy input. This energy storage system can contribute to dampening the variability of renewables in the electrical network, provide even flexibility and grid services by controlling the active and reactive power exchanged and is an interesting alternative technology in the market of energy storage for big energy applications. The big challenge for controlling this system lays in the fact that the DC bus voltage of the converter has to be changed in order to regulate the exchanged active power with the grid. This paper presents a cascade approach to control such a system by means of combining external control loops with fast inner loops. The outer power loop, with a proportional-integral (PI) controller with special limitation values and anti-windup capability, is used to generate DC bus voltage reference. An intermediate loop is used for DC bus voltage regulation and current reference generation. A new proportional resonant controller is used to track the current reference. The proposed scheme has been validated through real-time simulation in OPAL OP4510.
Necla Altın, R. G. Akay
Journal of Electrochemical Energy Conversion and Storage · 2023
This review article addresses microbial fuel cells (MFCs) as a renewable energy source. MFCs are bioelectrochemical systems that use exoelectrogenic bacterial communities under anaerobic conditions to convert chemical energy into electrical energy. These systems are attracting attention due to their potential to reduce overall energy consumption, produce zero carbon emissions, and exhibit high energy density. The rapid development of renewable energy sources has increased the potential for bioenergy, particularly MFCs, to become one of the most important energy sources of the future. In addition to energy production, MFCs show potential for bioremediation and efficient removal of various pollutants. While MFC technology currently has limited application at the laboratory level, it is expected to increase in commercial use in the near future and offers great potential in the areas of renewable energy and environmental sustainability. This review article focuses on the historical and ecological development of the components used in MFCs, examining in detail their evolution and use in MFCs for renewable energy production.
Eleftheria Sapountzaki, U. Rova, P. Christakopoulos et al.
ChemSusChem · 2023
The urgent need to reduce CO2 emissions has motivated the development of CO2 capture and utilization technologies. An emerging application is CO2 transformation into storage chemicals for clean energy carriers. Formic acid (FA), a valuable product of CO2 reduction, is an excellent hydrogen carrier. CO2 conversion to FA, followed by H2 release from FA, are conventionally chemically catalyzed. Biocatalysts offer a highly specific and less energy intensive alternative. CO2 conversion to formate is catalyzed by formate dehydrogenase (FDH), which usually requires a cofactor to function. Several FDHs have been incorporated in bioelectrochemical systems where formate is produced by the biocathode and the cofactor is electrochemically regenerated. H2 production from formate is also catalyzed by several microorganisms possessing either formate hydrogenlyase or hydrogen-dependent CO2 reductase complexes. Combination of these two processes can lead to a CO2-recycling cycle for H2 production, storage, and release with potentially lower environmental impact than conventional methods.
E. Sudirjo, C. Buisman, D. Strik
Frontiers in Microbiology · 2019
Marine sediment has a great potential to generate electricity with a bioelectrochemical system (BES) like the microbial fuel cell (MFC). In this study, we investigated the potential of marine sediment and activated carbon (AC) to generate and store electricity. Both internal and external energy supply was validated for storage behavior. Four types of anode electrode compositions were investigated. Two types were mixtures of different volumes of AC and Dutch Eastern Scheldt marine sediment (67% AC and 33% AC) and the others two were 100% AC or 100% marine sediment based. Each composition was duplicated. Operating these BES’s under MFC mode with solely marine sediment as the anode electron donor resulted in the creation of a bio-battery. The recharge time of such bio-battery does depend on the fuel content and its usage. The results show that by usage of marine sediment and AC electricity was generated and stored. The 100% AC and the 67% AC mixed with marine sediment electrode were over long term potentiostatic controlled at -100 mV vs. Ag/AgCl which resulted in a cathodic current and an applied voltage. After switching back to the MFC operation mode at 1000 Ω external load, the electrode turned into an anode and electricity was generated. This supports the hypothesis that external supply electrical energy was recovered via bi-directional electron transfer. With open cell voltage experiments these AC marine bioanodes showed internal supplied electric charge storage up to 100 mC at short self-charging times (10 and 60 s) and up to 2.4°C (3,666 C/m3 anode) at long charging time (1 h). Using a hypothetical cell voltage of 0.2 V, this value represents an internal electrical storage density of 0.3 mWh/kg AC marine anode. Furthermore it was remarkable that the BES with 100% marine sediment based electrode also acted like a capacitor similar to the charge storage behaviors of the AC based bioanodes with a maximum volumetric storage of 1,373 C/m3 anode. These insights give opportunities to apply such BES systems as e.g., ex situ bio-battery to store and use electricity for off-grid purpose in remote areas.
P. D. Kolubah, H. Mohamed, Ananda Rao Hari et al.
Small · 2024
MXenes have excellent properties as electrode materials in energy storage devices or fuel cells. In bioelectrochemical systems (for wastewater treatment and energy harvesting), MXenes can have antimicrobial characteristics in some conditions. Here, different intercalation and delamination approaches to obtain Ti3C2Tx MXene flakes with different terminal groups and lateral dimensions are comprehensively investigated. The effect of these properties on the energy harvesting performance from wastewater is then assessed. Regardless of the utilized intercalant molecules, MXene flakes obtained using soft delamination approaches are much larger (up to 10 µm) than those obtained using mechanical delamination methods (<1.5 nm), with a relatively higher content of ─O/─OH surface terminations. When employed in microbial fuel cells, electrodes made of these large MXene flakes have demonstrated a power density of over 400% higher than smaller MXene flakes, thanks to their lower charge transfer resistance (0.38 Ω). These findings highlight the crucial role of selecting appropriate intercalation and delamination methods when synthesizing MXenes for bioelectrochemical applications.
S. Molenaar, A. Mol, T. Sleutels et al.
Environmental Science & Technology Letters · 2016
Bioelectrochemical systems hold potential for both conversion of electricity into chemicals through microbial electrosynthesis (MES) and the provision of electrical power by oxidation of organics using microbial fuel cells (MFCs). This study provides a proof of concept for a microbial rechargeable battery (MRB) allowing storage of electricity by combining MES and a MFC in one system. Hexacyanoferrate(II/III) was used as counter redox couple. Duplicate runs showed stable performance over 15 days, with acetate being the main energy carrier. An energy density of around 0.1 kWh/m3 (normalized to anode electrolyte volume) was achieved at a full cycle energy efficiency of 30–40%, with a nominal power output during discharge of 190 W/m3 (normalized to anode volume). With this study, we show a new potential application area for bioelectrochemical systems as a future local energy storage device.
S. Molenaar, M. Elzinga, Sonja G. Willemse et al.
ChemElectroChem · 2019
Recently, the microbial rechargeable battery (MRB) has been proposed as a potentially sustainable and low-cost electrical energy storage technology. In the MRB, bioelectrochemical CO 2 reduction and subsequent product oxidation has successfully been combined in one integrated system. However, finding a suitable counter electrode is hindering its further development. In this work, we have tested two alternative counter electrodes in duplicate-namely, i) oxygen/water and ii) a capacitive electrode-for use in the MRB platform. During daily charge/discharge cycling over periods of 11 to 15 days, experimentally obtained energy efficiencies of 25 and 3.7 % were reported when using the capacitive and the oxygen/water electrodes, respectively. Large overpotentials, resulting in a voltage efficiency of 15 % and oxygen crossover leading to coulombic efficiencies of 25 % caused the considerably lower efficiency for the oxygen/water systems, despite the theoretical higher voltage efficiency. Although the capacitive electrode equipped systems performed better, energy density is limited by the operational potential window within which capacitive systems can operate reliably. Microbial community analysis revealed dominant presence of Geobacter in the bioanode and Selenomonadales in the biocathode. These results do not necessarily bring practical application of the MRB closer, but they do provide new insights in the working principle of this new technology.
A. Dhar, Nadavala Siva Kumar, Mehul Khimani et al.
International Journal of Energy Research · 2019
Naturally available neem tree gum consisting of bioelectrolyte and bioelectrode was fabricated for flexible energy storage device. Structural morphology, thermal stability, porosity and surface area of as prepared bioelectrode were characterized thoroughly by using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) isotherm respectively. The bioelectrolyte conductivity was optimized under various concentrations of lithium ion salts and temperatures through electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). A flexible supercapacitor (SCs) was fabricated by using bioelectrodes and electrolyte and tested for its electrochemical properties. The supercapacitor displayed specific capacitance of 640 Fg‐1 and 200 Fg‐1 at a current density 0.5 Ag‐1 and 1.0 V operating potential window. The energy device has also demonstrated large operational window (2.0 V) and shown 102 Fg‐1 at a current density of 1.0 Ag‐1. The novelty of the present work lies in the simplified, cost‐effective procedure for preparation of biomaterials, their remarkably high stability under strong mechanical bent and long‐term charging‐discharging cycles of the fabricated device.
J. Mathew, A. Inobeme, Y. Azeh et al.
Caliphate Journal of Science and Technology · 2024
The urgent need to mitigate climate change has spurred innovative research in carbon capture and storage (CCS) technologies. Electrochemical approaches utilize electrocatalysis and electrochemical reduction to capture carbon dioxide (CO2) from industrial emissions, demonstrating high selectivity and enabling the production of valuable chemicals and fuels from captured CO2. Bioelectrochemical techniques leverage microorganisms to convert CO2 into biomass or biofuels, enhancing carbon capture efficiency through biological and electrochemical synergy. Integrating bioelectrochemical systems with renewable energy sources provides a carbon-negative pathway, aiding industry decarbonization. This review underscores the transformative potential of these techniques in revolutionizing CCS strategies, emphasizing their role in addressing climate change while fostering a sustainable, circular economy.
Mustafa Erguvan, Roohany Mahmud, David W. MacPhee
Energy Storage · 2020
Abstract Electricity production from concentrated solar power (CSP) plants has been more commonplace in the last decade since the sun is one of the most abundant, renewable energy sources. The heat transfer fluid temperature in a CSP plant may go up to 1000°C; however, most of the current power plants operate on temperature ranges between 220°C and 565°C due to decomposition of molten salts in high temperatures. Since the sun is not available at nights and cloudy days, an important consideration is how to store the energy received by the sun to use at other times. In this study, a three‐dimensional borehole heat exchanger model is developed to store solar energy underground using concrete and molten salt as a storage medium and heat transfer fluid, respectively. While molten salt is circulating through a pipe, which is placed into the concrete, heat is transferred from the molten salt to the concrete or vice versa during the charging and discharging processes. Numerous simulations are conducted using ANSYS Fluent, with varying borehole diameters, mass flow rates, and thermal resistances of the borehole wall. Average concrete temperature, outlet heat transfer fluid temperature, and energy and exergy efficiencies are investigated for each case. It was found here that while concrete temperature increases with increasing mass flow rate, the increasing trend is minimal after the mass flow rate increases beyond 6 kg/s. There exists a negative relation between the borehole diameter and average concrete temperature during the charging process, and vice versa in discharging. Energy and exergy efficiencies varied from 0.2% to 98.1% and 0.1% to 77.9%, respectively. While the most efficient system was found at a borehole diameter of 550 mm for adiabatic cases, it was found to be 750 mm when heat leakage is taken into consideration. Borehole diameters of 2000 mm performed the worst among all cases due to low heat transfer rates. Heat leakage was found to have a significant impact on energy and exergy efficiencies, especially in energy efficiencies for higher borehole diameters and low mass flow rates in the discharging process.
Alberto Boretti
Energy Storage · 2022
Abstract A renewable energy‐only grid must couple mutable energy supplies such as wind and solar photovoltaic and affordable energy storage by lithium‐ion batteries to dispatchable energy supply such as Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) with thermal energy storage (TES) and Enhanced Geothermal Energy (EGS). EGS is centered on the exploitation of the substantial unconventional geothermal energy supplies in the crust of the Earth which is missing permeability and groundwater, with significant opportunities in western Saudi Arabia where the solar resource is also relevant. Regarding conventional geothermal energy, thermal efficiencies of the cycles can be increased to above 30% with EGS, and above 40% through the integration of EGS with CSP and TES, surpassing the 50% efficiency mark adopting advanced ultra‐supercritical (AUSC) technologies.
Oleg Dimitriev, Tsukasa Yoshida, He Sun
Energy Storage · 2020
Abstract Energy storage is one of the most important energetic strategies of the mankind, along with other energy challenges, such as development of energy resources, energy conversion, and energy saving. The problem of energy storage is especially actual in respect to renewable sources of energy, such as sun, wind, tides, which have seasonal or diurnal variations and which therefore are not available at any moment of time. This article overviews the main principles of storage of solar energy for its subsequent long‐term consumption. The methods are separated into two groups: the thermal and photonic methods of energy conversion. The comparison of efficiency of energy production and storage through natural and artificial photosynthesis, sensible and latent heat, chemisorptions and physisorption, chemical and electrochemical reactions is given.
Yuko Hirase
IET Energy Systems Integration · 2019
Grid‐tied inverters have become required to equip the function that supports electrical grids stable. So‐called ‘smart inverters’ have also been shown to provide load distribution under steady state. Similarly, other types of advanced inverters that contribute to transient grid stability have recently attracted attention. Combining a battery with an inverter not only enables the use of renewable energy (RE) regardless of time or season but also increases the system inertial and synchronising forces due to its high responsiveness. However, the use of these grid‐supportive features in inverters is commonly not disclosed by manufacturers; thus, a system administrator must uniformly regulate and verify the effects. Although the requirements for smart inverters' are being established, those for advanced inverters with transient contributions have not yet been formulated. Furthermore, these requirements must confirm the transient‐supportive functions regardless of the inverter control method. Therefore, this work proposes a set of guidelines for establishing these requirements based on stabilisation/disturbance theory. Furthermore, it was confirmed by simulation that inverter control satisfying these requirements can be realised, for example, by a control method that simulates a virtual inertial force.
Thorben Muddemann, Bolong Jiang, Ulrich Kunz et al.
ECS Meeting Abstracts · 2017
In search for appropriate processes to enhance the efficiency of municipal sewage plants, microbial fuel cells (MFC) have moved into research focus. Due to the MFC characteristic, which is able to treat wastewater while generating power simultaneously, it is also a promising approach to change the energy balance of sewage plants – switching from the biggest municipal energy consumer to an energy producer. Owing to the small power density of MFCs in comparison to chemical fuel cells, large active surface areas and therefore low-cost cell constructions, electrodes and catalysts are necessary. Challenges in MFC upscaling have been overcome and a functional and less price intensive cell design for integration in existing aeration tanks of municipal wastewater treatment plants has been developed (figure left). The new cell design integrates a double-sided graphite/polymer composite anode between two cathodes, to enlarge the surface area. It allows online half-cell potential measurement and biofilm flushing by nitrogen (figure right), among other options. High performance catalytic active cathodes are used, which are produced in-house by a semi-automatic production line. A fuel cell stack of up to fifty MFCs, each with an active area of 6000 square centimeters respectively, has successfully started operation with real municipal wastewater at the wastewater treatment plant in Goslar, Germany. In addition to the technical cell design, the wastewater parameters strongly affect the electrochemical performance of microbial fuel cells. Therefore the influences of process parameters (temperature, pH, O 2 , TOC etc.) were measured to determine optimized operating points when fed by real wastewater. Additionally cathodic catalysts influence the MFC performance considerably, so the electrode-performance of the scaled up microbial fuel cells were investigated by half-cell measurements. Figure 1
Ayobami S. Oyewo, Alejandro Kunkar, Dmitrii Bogdanov et al.
IET Renewable Power Generation · 2024
Abstract Transitioning to renewables is critical to address the Caribbean's vulnerability to imported fossil fuel price volatility and concerns about climate change. This study presents a first‐of‐its‐kind comprehensive analysis of 17 illustrative pathways varying the impact of e‐fuel imports, grid interconnections and an accelerated energy transition towards the Caribbean's carbon neutrality by 2050. The research method is based on techno‐economic principles for designing a cost‐optimal energy system. An optimisation tool is used, the LUT Energy System Transition Model, to analyse the various pathways. The study finds that high uptake of renewables in Caribbean energy systems significantly lowers costs and enhances reliability, crucial for building competitive and resilient economies. Renewable energy dominated pathways show 7–24% lower cumulative costs compared to alternatives, with grid integration reducing costs by 1–10%. Accelerated transition pathways incur 3–12% higher costs than complete defossilisation by 2050. Solar photovoltaics, wind power, batteries, and electrolysers are pivotal for achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. Importing e‐fuels reduces system costs by 7–16% and supports local resource use. Offshore renewable energy overcome land limitations, driving sustainable development and a vibrant blue economy. High electrification levels with renewable energy, sector coupling, and Power‐to‐X solutions enhance system efficiency and flexibility. Given the dominance of solar photovoltaics, the Caribbean's energy transition could be more appropriately called a ‘Solar‐to‐X Economy’. This research contributes to the international perspective on sustainable energy transition for islands.
Kumar Gurupanch Sanjay, Bhonsle Devanand, Rizvi Tanu
i-manager’s Journal on Electrical Engineering · 2023
This research involves the implementation of a dual-input DC-DC boost converter for integrating solar and fuel cell energy sources with a smart grid. The growing demand for renewable energy sources necessitates the efficient utilization and integration of multiple energy systems. The proposed dual-input converter enables simultaneous extraction and management of power from solar panels and fuel cells, resulting in improved energy generation and utilization. The converter incorporates a smart grid interface, allowing bidirectional power flow between the energy sources and the grid. The design and control strategy of the dual-input converter are discussed in detail, with a focus on achieving high conversion efficiency, maximum power point tracking, and optimal power sharing between the solar panels and fuel cells. The control algorithm utilizes a combination of Perturb and Observe (P&O) and Incremental Conductance (IncCond) methods for Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT), ensuring efficient power extraction from the solar panels. Additionally, a Proportional-Integral (PI) controller is implemented to regulate power flow between the energy sources and the grid. Simulation and experimental results are presented to validate the proposed converter's performance under various operating conditions.
Lewis Hsu, Meriah Arias-Thode, Orianna Bretschger et al.
ECS Meeting Abstracts · 2016
Water and energy are main priorities for much of the world as increasing demands on the world’s resources forces nations to make sustainable choices. Microbial fuel cells emerged as a promising technology to provide energy efficient wastewater treatment at significant cost savings compared to conventional treatment processes. They have an even greater benefit in those areas that are difficult to connect to municipal sewage treatment networks. We discuss here a pilot scale demonstration at a rural Naval training camp in Warner Springs, CA. The system is a 100 gallon system outfitted with a solar energy system that allows full system operation in an energy neutral configuration. The system configuration here was previously tested in the laboratory using wastewater in semi-batch operation at both the 40 gallon scale and 100 gallon scale. Laboratory studies indicated that a 7-day batch treatment time would result in high removal of biological oxygen demand. Effluent quality was also good with more than 99% removal of suspended solids, turbidity, and nitrogen. Before deployment to the field, the system was rebuilt using lessons learned from the laboratory studies and other large scale demonstrations. Considerations for size, portability, ease of use, and operations were considered here and will be discussed. The overall goal for the field-deployed system was to demonstrate continuous treatment at rate of 20 gallon per day. Initial results from the startup phase operating in semi-batch mode show promising results, decreasing the COD content more than 80% over a 7-day treatment time. Results from the ongoing demonstration will also be discussed here. The system here represents a significant move towards providing decentralized wastewater treatment. We examine the feasibility of applying this technology in an off-grid application to meet a real-world requirement. We will also examine lessons learned from the demonstration and possible improvements to incorporate into the next iterations of these types of systems.
Khaya Shabangu, Babatunde Bakare, Joseph Bwapwa
Sustainability · 2022
Microbial fuel cell (MFC) technology turns chemical energy into bioelectricity in a clean and efficient manner, lowering carbon emissions and increasing bioenergy production. It is a multifaceted technique that has the potential to be a panacea for clean water scarcity and sustainable, renewable energy. In this review, the approach focuses on scaling-up and application prospects at a commercial scale. An outlook on various, previously tried methodologies was generated in order to establish a viable bioelectricity scaling-up approach that is also cost-effective in its design. Precise themes were followed to evaluate previously produced models and methodologies for MFCs: principle and anatomical mechanisms, basic applications, bioelectricity scaling-up potentials from previous work and limitations, then an outlook on MFC feasibility and its wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) energy supply chain. The goal of this paper is to derive a viable approach from prior research in order to comprehend how MFC technology may be scaled-up for commercial and practical power output. Essentially, this article summarizes the current energy predicaments faced by South Africa and proposes MFCs as a new knowledge-contributing technology with electricity scaling-up potential. Conclusively, more research on MFC technique scaling-up operating factors is recommended.
Andy Prakoso, Erfan Syahputra, Eko Adhi Setiawan
E3S Web of Conferences · 2018
Electricity has become a very important needs for human life today and one of the parameters in one region condition. Nowadays, the dependence on fossil fuels to fulfill the electricity needs is really worrying, and it causes the depletion of fossil fuels. Today, the whole world is paying more attention to renewable energy as one of the best solution to solve the future energy problems. Renewable energy becomes the best solution because it will not be exhausted and enviromentally friendly. In the other hand, renewable energy also have problem, because it cannot produce energy everytime like photovoltaics which can produce energy only when there is enough solar radiation. Therefore, a hybrid system is made that expected to minimize the weakness from other components of the system. In this project, a hyrid system is designed using HOMER PRO software to calculate the electricity and economic factor of the hybrid system. The objective of this project is to find the best hybrid system that can solve the electricity problems. The system will be independent since grid function will replaced by fuel cell in the 19th year based on the assumption.
Tingke Fang, Annette von Jouanne, Emmanuel Agamloh et al.
Energies · 2024
This paper presents an overview of the status and prospects of fuel cell electric vehicles (FC-EVs) for grid integration. In recent years, renewable energy has been explored on every front to extend the use of fossil fuels. Advanced technologies involving wind and solar energy, electric vehicles, and vehicle-to-everything (V2X) are becoming more popular for grid support. With recent developments in solid oxide fuel cell electric vehicles (SOFC-EVs), a more flexible fuel option than traditional proton-exchange membrane fuel cell electric vehicles (PEMFC-EVs), the potential for vehicle-to-grid (V2G)’s implementation is promising. Specifically, SOFC-EVs can utilize renewable biofuels or natural gas and, thus, they are not limited to pure hydrogen fuel only. This opens the opportunity for V2G’s implementation by using biofuels or readily piped natural gas at home or at charging stations. This review paper will discuss current V2G technologies and, importantly, compare battery electric vehicles (BEVs) to SOFC-EVs for V2G’s implementation and their impacts.
Bin Yang, Feifang Li, Xingwang Zhang et al.
ECS Meeting Abstracts · 2016
Microbial three-electrode cells (M3C) have been widely used as a promising platform for developing biosensors and studying electrochemically active bacteria (EAB). Compared to conventional microbial two-electrode cells (e.g. microbial fuel cells and microbial electrolysis cells), M3Cs can offer more stable and better defined electrochemical environments for various research purposes. This work focuses on developing a microfluidic M3C with micro-liter scale volume by using soft-lithography technology, which has comparable performance as the conventional bench scale M3Cs. In this microfluidic M3C with a build-in three electrode system, laminar flow was exploited to separate the reference electrolyte (0.1 M KCl) from the medium without hindering ion exchange. With the stable and controllable working electrode potential, this device was able to provide a well-defined electrochemical environment for G. sulfurredecens respiration on the electrode. Due to the micro-liter scale volume and a short hydraulic retention time (HRT), fast responses to ferric citrate and formaldehyde with a good reproducibility were achieved. Furthermore, a good linear relationship between the output signal (peak area) and chemicals concentrations was obtained. The microfluidic M3C developed in our work would provide researchers in related areas a versatile platform for biosensor and fundamental EAB study.
Pavlina Theodosiou, John Greenman, Ioannis A. Ieropoulos
Molecules · 2020
Microbial Fuel Cells (MFCs) employ microbial electroactive species to convert chemical energy stored in organic matter, into electricity. The properties of MFCs have made the technology attractive for bioenergy production. However, a challenge to the mass production of MFCs is the time-consuming assembly process, which could perhaps be overcome using additive manufacturing (AM) processes. AM or 3D-printing has played an increasingly important role in advancing MFC technology, by substituting essential structural components with 3D-printed parts. This was precisely the line of work in the EVOBLISS project, which investigated materials that can be extruded from the EVOBOT platform for a monolithically printed MFC. The development of such inexpensive, eco-friendly, printable electrode material is described below. The electrode in examination (PTFE_FREE_AC), is a cathode made of alginate and activated carbon, and was tested against an off-the-shelf sintered carbon (AC_BLOCK) and a widely used activated carbon electrode (PTFE_AC). The results showed that the MFCs using PTFE_FREE_AC cathodes performed better compared to the PTFE_AC or AC_BLOCK, producing maximum power levels of 286 μW, 98 μW and 85 μW, respectively. In conclusion, this experiment demonstrated the development of an air-dried, extrudable (3D-printed) electrode material successfully incorporated in an MFC system and acting as a cathode electrode.
Tom H. J. A. Sleutels, Annemiek ter Heijne, Philipp Kuntke et al.
ChemistrySelect · 2017
Abstract Ion transport through ion exchange membranes in Bioelectrochemical Systems (BESs) is different from other electrochemical cells as a result of the complex nature of the electrolyte, as the electrolytes in BESs contain many other cations and anions than H + and OH − . Moreover, these other cations and anions are generally present in high concentrations and therefore determine the ion transport through the membrane. In this work, we provide a theoretical framework for understanding ion transport across ion exchange membranes in BESs. We show that the transport of cations and anions other than H + and OH − determines the pH gradient between anode and cathode, and on top of that, also determines the membrane potential. Experimental data for microbial electrolysis cells with cation and anion exchange membranes are used to support the theoretical framework. In case of cation exchange membranes, the total potential loss consists of both the pH gradient and the concentration gradient of other cations, while in case of anion exchange membranes, the total potential loss is lower because part of the pH gradient loss can be recovered at the membrane. The presented work provides a better theoretical understanding of ion transport through ion exchange membranes in general and in BESs specifically.
Mohamed Ahmed Ali, Mohey Eldin Mandour, Mohammed Elsayed Lotfy
Fuels · 2025
An efficient adaptive modeling criterion for the polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) is proposed in this paper, which can facilitate its precise simulation, design, analysis and control. In this work, a number of state-of-the-art algorithms have been adapted to optimize the complex electrochemical PEMFC model. Investigations are carried out not only from the conventional perspective of modeling accuracy but also from a new perspective represented by the impact of process computational time. Here, a novel technique of PEMFC modeling is proposed based on a meta-heuristic optimization algorithm called the wild horse optimizer (WHO). The proposed technique is concerned with the impact of the computational time on dynamic PEMFC modeling. A comprehensive statistical analysis was performed on the results of competing meta-heuristic optimizers that were adapted to a common PEMFC modeling problem. Among them, the proposed WHO approach’s results showed a promising performance in terms of its accuracy and minimum computational time over the other state-of-the-art approaches. For further evaluation of the WHO approach, it was used to optimize additional commercial PEMFC stack models. The results of the WHO approach highlighted its superior performance from the point of view of a high accuracy with a low computational burden, which supports its suitability for online applications.
Rubén Rodríguez-Alegre, Alba Ceballos-Escalera, Daniele Molognoni et al.
Energies · 2019
Anaerobic digestion of sewage sludge produces large amounts of CO2 which contribute to global CO2 emissions. Capture and conversion of CO2 into valuable products is a novel way to reduce CO2 emissions and valorize it. Membrane contactors can be used for CO2 capture in liquid media, while bioelectrochemical systems (BES) can valorize dissolved CO2 converting it to CH4, through electromethanogenesis (EMG). At the same time, EMG process, which requires electricity to drive the conversion, can be utilized to store electrical energy (eventually coming from renewables surplus) as methane. The study aims integrating the two technologies at a laboratory scale, using for the first time real wastewater as CO2 capture medium. Five replicate EMG-BES cells were built and operated individually at 0.7 V. They were fed with both synthetic and real wastewater, saturated with CO2 by membrane contactors. In a subsequent experimental step, four EMG-BES cells were electrical stacked in series while one was kept as reference. CH4 production reached 4.6 L CH4 m−2 d−1, in line with available literature data, at a specific energy consumption of 16–18 kWh m−3 CH4 (65% energy efficiency). Organic matter was removed from wastewater at approximately 80% efficiency. CO2 conversion efficiency was limited (0.3–3.7%), depending on the amount of CO2 injected in wastewater. Even though achieved performances are not yet competitive with other mature methanation technologies, key knowledge was gained on the integrated operation of membrane contactors and EMG-BES cells, setting the base for upscaling and future implementation of the technology.
Xueqin Zhang, Hesamoddin Rabiee, Joshua Frank et al.
Biotechnology for Biofuels · 2020
Abstract Background Bioelectrochemical methane oxidation catalysed by anaerobic methanotrophic archaea (ANME) is constrained by limited methane bioavailability as well as by slow kinetics of extracellular electron transfer (EET) of ANME. In this study, we tested a combination of two strategies to improve the performance of methane-driven bioelectrochemical systems that includes (1) the use of hollow fibre membranes (HFMs) for efficient methane delivery to the ANME organisms and (2) the amendment of ferricyanide, an effective soluble redox mediator, to the liquid medium to enable electrochemical bridging between the ANME organisms and the anode, as well as to promote EET kinetics of ANME. Results The combined use of HFMs and the soluble mediator increased the performance of ANME-based bioelectrochemical methane oxidation, enabling the delivery of up to 196 mA m −2 , thereby outperforming the control system by 244 times when HFMs were pressurized at 1.6 bar. Conclusions Improving methane delivery and EET are critical to enhance the performance of bioelectrochemical methane oxidation. This work demonstrates that by process engineering optimization, energy recovery from methane through its direct oxidation at relevant rates is feasible.
Thomas Krieg, Linh M. P. Phan, Jeffery A. Wood et al.
Biotechnology and Bioengineering · 2018
Abstract Bioelectrochemical systems (BESs) have the potential to contribute to the energy revolution driven by the new bio‐economy. Until recently, simple reactor designs with minimal process analytics have been used. In recent years, assemblies to host electrodes in bioreactors have been developed resulting in so‐called “electrobioreactors.” Bioreactors are scalable, well‐mixed, controlled, and therefore widely used in biotechnology and adding an electrode extends the possibilities to investigate bioelectrochemical production processes in a standard system. In this work, two assemblies enabling a separated and non‐separated electrochemical operation, respectively, are designed and extensively characterized. Electrochemical losses over the electrolyte and the membrane were comparable to H‐cells, the bioelectrochemical standard reaction system. An effect of the electrochemical measurements on pH measurements was observed if the potential is outside the range of −1,000 to +600 mV versus Ag/AgCl. Electrobiotechnological characterization of the two assemblies was done using Shewanella oneidensis as an electroactive model organism. Current production over time was improved by a separation of anodic and cathodic chamber by a Nafion® membrane. The developed electrobioreactor was used for a scale‐up of the anaerobic bioelectrochemical production of organic acids and lysine from glucose using an engineered Corynebacterium glutamicum . Comparison to a small‐scale custom‐made electrobioreactor indicates that anodic electro‐fermentation of lysine and organic acids might not be limited by the BES setup but by the biocatalysis of the cells.
Nishant Singh, M. Romero, Alessandra Travanut et al.
Biomaterials Science · 2019
Many debilitating infections result from persistent microbial biofilms that do not respond to conventional antibiotic regimens. A potential method to treat such chronic infections is to combine agents which interfere with bacterial biofilm development together with an antibiotic in a single formulation. Here, we explore the use of a new bioresponsive polymer formulation derived from specifically modified alginate nanoparticles (NPs) in order to deliver ciprofloxacin (CIP) in combination with the quorum sensing inhibitor (QSI) 3-amino-7-chloro-2-nonylquinazolin-4(3H)-one (ACNQ) to mature Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms. The alginate NPs were engineered to incorporate a pH-responsive linker between the polysaccharide backbone and the QSI, and to encapsulate CIP via charge-charge interactions of the positively-charged drug with the carboxyl residues of the alginate matrix. In this way, a dual-action release of antibiotic and QSI was designed for the low-pH regions of a biofilm, involving cleavage of the QSI-linker to the alginate matrix and reduced charge-charge interactions between CIP and the polysaccharide as the alginate carboxyl side-chains protonated. When tested in a biofilm model the concomitant release of CIP + QSI from the pH-responsive nanoparticles significantly reduced the viability of the biofilm compared with CIP treatment alone. In addition, the alginate NPs were shown to penetrate deeply into P. aeruginosa biofilms, which we attribute in part to the charges of the NPs and the release of the QSI agent. Finally, we tested the formulation in both a 2D keratinocyte and a 3D ex vivo skin infection model. The dual-action bio-responsive QSI and CIP release nanoparticles effectively cleared the infection in the latter, suggesting considerable promise for combination therapeutics which prevent biofilm formation as well as effectively killing mature P. aeruginosa biofilms.
K. R. Sims, Yuan Liu, G. Hwang et al.
Nanoscale · 2018
Biofilms are surface-bound, structured microbial communities underpinning persistent bacterial infections. Biofilms often create acidic pH microenvironments, providing opportunities to leverage responsive drug delivery systems to improve antibacterial efficacy. Here, the antibacterial efficacy of novel formulations containing pH-responsive polymer nanoparticle carriers (NPCs) and farnesol, a hydrophobic antibacterial drug, were investigated. Multiple farnesol-loaded NPCs, which varied in overall molecular weight and corona-to-core molecular weight ratios (CCRs), were tested using standard and saturated drug loading conditions. NPCs loaded at saturated conditions exhibited ∼300% greater drug loading capacity over standard conditions. Furthermore, saturated loading conditions sustained zero-ordered drug release over 48 hours, which was 3-fold longer than using standard farnesol loading. Anti-biofilm activity of saturated NPC loading was markedly amplified using Streptococcus mutans as a biofilm-forming model organism. Specifically, reductions of ∼2-4 log colony forming unit (CFU) were obtained using microplate and saliva-coated hydroxyapatite biofilm assays. Mechanistically, the new formulation reduced total biomass by disrupting insoluble glucan formation and increased NPC-cell membrane localization. Finally, thonzonium bromide, a highly potent, FDA-approved antibacterial drug with similar alkyl chain structure to farnesol, was also loaded into NPCs and used to treat S. mutans biofilms. Similar to farnesol-loaded NPCs, thonzonium bromide-loaded NPCs increased drug loading capacity ≥2.5-fold, demonstrated nearly zero-order release kinetics over 96 hours, and reduced biofilm cell viability by ∼6 log CFU. This work provides foundational insights that may lead to clinical translation of novel topical biofilm-targeting therapies, such as those for oral diseases.