Grant: Engage Grants Program

This project will develop a novel microbial fuel cell (MFC) retrofit which can be introduced to an existing*waste water treatment plant and evaluate its performance in terms of organic removal and electricity*generation. In MFC, bacteria facilitate direct conversion of organic matter into to electricity. One of our*partners, AECOM is a Global Engineering firm that works in the waste water treatment sector and has many*clients with high strength wastewaters which are ideal for treatment with MFC technology. This study will*demonstrate the effectiveness of retrofitting an existing anaerobic treatment system treating organic rich waste*water to their potential clients. The results will also be useful in the design of new facilities for clients that do*not have existing treatment systems. Normally, waste water treatment is highly energy intensive which*increases treatment costs, resulting in a high economic burden for small scale industries. Our second industrial*partner, Tantalus Vineyards is eager to see if the addition of MFC retrofit to their current anaerobic treatment*system will increase treatment efficiency and produce electricity. Considering the key role of the wine industry*in Canada's economy in terms of business, tax and export revenue, adapting and proving sustainable solutions*for treating large volume of organic rich wastewater in an environment friendly way will be highly significant.*The demonstration of an effective retrofit to an existing system will also enhance the tools available in*Canada's wastewater treatment industry allowing more efficient waste treatment for similar industries.