An underwater fuel cell that recharges itself by consuming microscopic marine life could keep ocean sensors in the water powered for longer.
Replacing batteries for underwater sensors can be a tricky endeavour, especially if they are located far out in difficult-to-access locations. Michigan Technological University researchers have developed a system that converts dissolved organic matter and microscopic forms of marine biomass into electrical power.
“There are increasing deployments of all kinds of sensors in the marine environment for observing ecological conditions, organism migrations and acoustics relevant to naval defence,” said researcher Amy Marcarelli. “Almost all run on batteries, which have to be replaced.”
Some sensing units can run on wave energy, but those devices have to be near the ocean’s surface. The microbial fuel cell (MFC) enables long-endurance ocean-deployed sensor systems that self-refuel while fully submerged.
“The basic idea is that microbes move electrons around...