Research Projects

The present proposal envisages developing a novel hybrid Microbial Photo-electrochemical system (MPEs) for the enhancement of hydrogen gas production and a Metal Hydride system to purify and store pure hydrogen gas. The MPEs will be fabricated with a composite bio-anode and photosensitive cathode in a quasi single chamber. The bio-anode made of graphite plate embedded with Luffa aegyptica (LA) will accumulate the organic matter in the fibrous structure thus enhancing the availability of substrate to the microbes. The photo-sensitive cathode made of Titanium dioxide (TiO₂) coated Nickel Foam has been widely researched by photocatalysts for its high efficacy and low toxicity in wastewater treatment. A novel metal hydride reactor with enhanced heat and mass transfer will be used in order to purify and store the hydrogen where LaNi5-based metal hydrides with Al and Fe substitutions will be used. The feedstock used in this reaction will be sewage and RO reject. The optimized concentration of nutrients available in the RO reject diluted with the sewage, will synergistically influence the microbial performance thus enhancing the treatment capability and hydrogen gas production in the MPEs. The combination of sewage and RO reject were never been tested in MPEs for the generation of hydrogen gas and the Metal Hydride system has never been investigated for the purification and storage of hydrogen gas produced in hybrid MPEs. Moreover, the sewage and RO reject are the most generated wastewater through domestic and industrial activities. Due to the inadequate infrastructure and requirement of the abundance of energy for their treatment, they are often discharged untreated to the environment, creating havoc environmental concerns. Hence the current proposal while emphasizing the production of green hydrogen from the wastewater acts as a panacea for both environmental degradation and energy crisis.