An open electrolytic cell has been designed and constructed for use in a dry environment. This was used to investigate the passivation processes concerned with both the lithium and the carbon (SO2) electrodes. A.c. impedance techniques have been used in both two and three terminal cell systems in order to study the kinetics of the electrode processes. Effects of temperature, state-of-charge and reverse cell operation have been studied. Computer simulations were made of the growth of crystals on a flat (Li) surface and the resulting growth transients connecting current and time were derived. This model was extended to simulate the porous carbon (SO2) electrode and the utilisation of the carbon as a function of the depth of reaction penetration into the electrode is devised for both potentiostatic and galvanostatic discharging.

This project was aimed to use a purple non-sulphur bacterium, Rhodopseudomonas palustris, as a biocatalyst for hydrogen production, from the waste of biodiesel manufacturing, crude glycerol. The goal of this project was to understand the fundamentals relevant to scaling up the process and developing an off the shelf product. The first objective was to determine the ability of R. palustris to generate hydrogen by non-growing cells in comparison to that by growing cells. Similar average hydrogen production rates and energy conversion were found for both processes but a significant difference in the hydrogen yield was observed. Hydrogen production reached ~ 80 % of the theoretical maximum hydrogen yield by non-growing R. palustris, about eight-fold of that reached by growing R. palustris. The high yield suggested that it is economically appealing to use non-growing R. palustris as the biocatalyst for continuous hydrogen production. To accomplish the proposed scale-up systems, understanding its product formation kinetics is the key. It was found that the hydrogen production rate is not growth-associated and depends solely on the dry cell mass with a non-growth associated coefficient of 2.52 (Leudeking–Piret model dP/dt=2.52 X). Light is vital for hydrogen production by non-growing R. palustris, in terms of light intensity and wavelength range. It was found that excessive or insufficient light intensity may constrain the performance. Only photons of light with appropriate wavelengths can excite cytochrome bacteriochlorophyll complexes II in R. palustris to generate hydrogen. Among white LEDs, infrared LEDs, and incandescent light bulbs, at the same light intensity, infrared LEDs gave the best results in the H2 production rate and energy conversion by non-growing cells, 22.0 % ± 1.5 % higher than that with white LEDs and around 25-30 times of that by incandescent light bulbs. It was found that non-growing R. palustris can be immobilised in alginate beads to give similar H2 production rates as that by cells suspended in media. This preliminary result pointed the direction of developing an off the shelf product of immobilised non-growing R. palustris as a biocatalyst for continuous hydrogen production.

El texto completo de este trabajo no está disponible en el Repositorio Académico UPC por restricciones de la casa editorial donde ha sido publicado. / This article proposes a mechanical development of a dry cell in order to obtain HHO through water electrolysis. Calculations and technical specifications of the materials used for implementation are supported by mathematical, physical and chemical formulas and theories (Faraday´s Law, electrolysis process and mechanical design). The importance of mechanical design is focused on achieving efficient use of the energy provided to the cell that allows the H2 and O2 molecules to be separated without overheating the cell, evaporating the water, loss of current due to the geometry of the electrodes (Foucault Current). Moreover, choosing materials for proper implementation and physical robustness is mandatory. In addition, the mechanical design is not justified in different articles. Nevertheless, the mechanical design of the cell and the efficiency in the production of HHO are related. Therefore, the mechanical design and the calculations were performed, as well as the construction of the dry cell to obtain HHO. The results of the implementation and production were placed and compared with what theoretically the dry cell should produce from the law of Faraday. Finally, the volumetric flow of HHO obtained was 2.70 L per minute. It means a production efficiency of 98.68%. It is higher than the majority of the dry cells. / Revisión por pares