Eco Factor: Students develop bio-cell to clean sewage water and generate electricity.
A team of engineering students at the Indian Institute of Technology in Kharagpur have developed a bio-cell, which they claim can be used to treat sewage water and also generate renewable electricity – a solution that can solve the energy and water crisis in one go.
The bio-cell (LOCUS) can be set up in the form of a plant, which can treat sewage water for a housing complex as it flows through the plant. The patent-pending invention carries a cell that will automatically grow millions of anaerobic bacteria that multiply through respiration. This bacterium cleans up the sewage water and in the process generates free electrons, which can be harnessed for renewable energy.
The team believes that the its present stage, the cell can clean up to 50,000 liters of sewage water, about the amount produced by 100 residential units in a day. Though the energy output of the cell won’t power any air conditioners, the team believes that if 350 units are installed, the cells can generate enough electricity to meet 50% of the demand of an apartment complex with 100 apartments.
Via: Times of India
