Patent ID: 8455144

Claim:
A system for electrical power generation, comprising: a cathode compartment containing a cathode electrode; an anode compartment containing an anode electrode and having at least one inlet for introduction of a fuel having a hydrogen constituent into said anode compartment, said anode compartment being separated from said cathode compartment by a membrane permeable to protons; an external circuit making an electrical connection between the anode electrode and the cathode electrode; a bioreactor including at least one inlet for introduction of oxygen (O 2 ) and a carbon source into the bioreactor, the bioreactor containing living microorganisms selected to be viable and active at a pH less than about 1.0 and being capable of oxidizing ferrous (Fe 2+ ) ions to ferric ions (Fe 3+ ), the bioreactor being in flow communication with the cathode compartment, the bioreactor and the cathode compartment containing an aqueous solution, the aqueous solution having a pH below about 1 and including the ferric ions (Fe 3+ ) and ferrous ions (Fe 2+ ), a pump for circulating the aqueous solution between the cathode compartment and the bioreactor, wherein in operation: i) the aqueous solution is circulated between the cathode compartment and the bioreactor and the fuel is introduced into said anode compartment and a reaction at the anode electrode is electrochemical oxidation of the hydrogen constituent of the fuel to produce electrons (e − ) and protons (H + ), wherein said protons (H + ) cross the proton exchange membrane into the cathode compartment and said electrons (e − ) travel to the external circuit, and simultaneously ii) oxygen (O 2 ) and the carbon source are introduced into the bioreactor and the aqueous solution so that in the bioreactor the ferrous ions (Fe 2+ ) are aerobically oxidized by the microorganisms to ferric ions (Fe 3+ ) at a pH below about 1, and in the cathode compartment the ferric ions (Fe 3+ ) are reduced to the ferrous ions (Fe 2+ ) by electrons flowing from said external circuit to the cathode electrode; wherein electric power is obtained by electrons passing through a load in the external circuit.