Only in the UK, every year more than 100,000 tons of medium-density fibreboard (MDF) has been discarded by the furniture industry, however, abandoned fibreboard now have a new use. According to “New Scientist” magazine recently reported that the waste fibreboard in the case of non-combustion can be converted into electrical energy. Micro-energy generation technologies that can help reduce the plant to obtain energy from external resources consumption, but also in the generation process can produce more storage emissions.
With the building trade in the past 30 years the rapid development of tens of thousands of medium-density fiberboard into the market. This cheap fibreboard, flexible, and will not be the same as the timber was broken and has become very popular furniture manufacturing industry, one of the materials.
United Kingdom University of St Andrews and his team of John Owen said that the medium density fiberboard in the minimum can be modified for a direct carbon fuel cell (DCFC) to provide power. Direct carbon fuel cell is a highly efficient, clean fuel cell technology, its principle is that carbon and oxygen and re-gasification Needless to directly produce electricity through the electrochemical reaction, the efficiency of up to 80% fuel utilization rate of about 100% .
As a result of a direct carbon fuel cell will not be wasted heat, the efficiency of internal combustion engine capacity of up to 2 times, has been developed to molten carbonate, solid oxide and molten hydroxide as the electrolyte of a wide range of direct carbon fuel cell. Although the use of a direct carbon fuel cell will emit carbon dioxide, but gas is a clean way on the release, unlike the burning of carbon fuel emissions produced by the same mixture of nitrogen and other wastes, which greatly reduces carbon capture the difficulty of avoiding the emission of atmospheric pollution, pollution control and energy conservation on the importance of reducing emissions.
Owen and his research team first of all, the high temperature at 500 ℃ under nitrogen environment broken MDF carried out so as to remove water vapor and other volatile gases. Owen said that this process will enable low-cost medium-density fiberboard is a step up, portable, easy to be sent to the space required. Subsequently, the researchers treated fiberboard made from dried powder, mixed with lithium and potassium carbonate as the electrolyte fuel cell. At 500 ℃ in temperature to between 800 ℃, the mixture will lead to medium-density fiberboard with carbon and oxygen into the cells within the combination of electron ionization and produces carbon dioxide, and to generate the required current.
The battery can be made in current density of 200 milliamperes per square centimeter provide 100 milliwatts per square centimeter of power, which means that a side length of 10 cm square current of the battery in the case of 20 amps produce 2 volts. This and other types of direct carbon fuel cell is similar, can be applied to large-scale power plants.
Technical University of Delft, the Netherlands, although the Kass Moss expressed support for the study, in the future, direct carbon fuel cell may be a major role in the chemical decomposition of hydrogen gas, and other types of fuel cells to provide energy after the consumption of the remaining carbon. But the use of medium density fiberboard and other small-scale waste of energy generated in the market can still find room for development.
At the same time,Kass Moss also would like to see more information on the data medium density fiberboard. In his view, the research team only shows that the number great enough fiber, the researchers still need to further quantify the real data to the realization of this study provide support.
China’s Harbin Engineering University Materials Science and Chemical Engineering College Professor Cao Dianxue view, looking for direct carbon fuel cell powered by the new raw materials that fuel cell technology is an important aspect of the success of his team of Owen for the non-traditional energy sources also said that innovation the praise of Italy.
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