Self-Burying Sediment Energy Harvester

• Main Authors: ARIAS-THODE YOLANDA MERIAH, HALONEN RYAN JOHN, BIANCHI JOSHUA, HSU LEWIS, CHADWICK BART
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 10.12.2015
• Subjects: BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS; ELECTRICITY; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSIONOF CHEMICAL INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY; REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGYGENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS; TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINSTCLIMATE CHANGE

A self-burying microbial fuel cell can include a housing with conductive elements. An anode and cathode can be integrated into the housing at respective proximal and distal ends. A self-burying means for partially burying the microbial fuel cell in a submerged environment is included, so that the anode is buried and but the cathode is exposed to the submerged environment can be included. The self-burying means can include omni-directional vibrating device located within the housing, a plurality of intake ports formed in the housing for a pump within the housing. The pump outputs into a longitudinal fluid conduit that extends through the housing and exits at the distal end of the housing. When the vibrating device activates at the same time as the pump, temporary slurry can be formed at the extreme distal end of the device, and the vibrating action causes the microbial fuel cell to become partially buried.