Hog Farms and Humans in Space -- fuel cell fuel

Found at http://center.acs.org/applications/ccs/application/index.cfm?PressReleaseID=2410&categoryid=2
and http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2004/10/041030205626.htm


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | October 27, 2004
Watts from wastewater: New device produces power while treating sewage

A new technology is being developed that can turn raw sewage into raw
power. The device, called a microbial fuel cell, not only treats
wastewater, but also provides a clean energy source with the potential
for enormous financial savings, according to scientists at
Pennsylvania
State University.

[...] At the moment, scientists can’t exactly pull a hydrogen
fuel cell
off the shelf and use it to treat wastewater, but the design
principles
are very similar. Wastewater flows on one side of the cell and air
flows
on the other, continuously generating electricity while also removing
organic matter from the water.

The device also could be used to treat waste from the food processing
industry and farms -- especially hog farms, which have tremendous
problems with costs and odors, Logan says. NASA scientists are even
developing a similar technology to be used in manned space missions,
turning the astronauts’ waste into extra power.
[...]


/dps