Synthetic biology and microdevices : a powerful combination

Recent developments demonstrate that the combination of microbiology with micro-and nanoelectronics is a successful approach to develop new miniaturized sensing devices and other technologies. In the last decade, there has been a shift from the optimization of the abiotic components, for example, the chip, to the improvement of the processing capabilities of cells through genetic engineering. The synthetic biology approach will not only give rise to systems with new functionalities, but will also improve the robustness and speed of their response towards applied signals. To this end, the development of new genetic circuits has to be guided by computational design methods that enable to tune and optimize the circuit response. As the successful design of genetic circuits is highly dependent on the quality and reliability of its composing elements, intense characterization of standard biological parts will be crucial for an efficient rational design process in the development of new genetic circuits. Microengineered devices can thereby offer a new analytical approach for the study of complex biological parts and systems. By summarizing the recent techniques in creating new synthetic circuits and in integrating biology with microdevices, this review aims at emphasizing the power of combining synthetic biology with microfluidics and microelectronics

NASA SBIR abstracts of 1991 phase 1 projects

The objectives of 301 projects placed under contract by the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) are described. These projects were selected competitively from among proposals submitted to NASA in response to the 1991 SBIR Program Solicitation. The basic document consists of edited, non-proprietary abstracts of the winning proposals submitted by small businesses. The abstracts are presented under the 15 technical topics within which Phase 1 proposals were solicited. Each project was assigned a sequential identifying number from 001 to 301, in order of its appearance in the body of the report. Appendixes to provide additional information about the SBIR program and permit cross-reference of the 1991 Phase 1 projects by company name, location by state, principal investigator, NASA Field Center responsible for management of each project, and NASA contract number are included

A review on prognostics and health monitoring of proton exchange membrane fuel cell

Fuel cell technology can be traced back to 1839 when British scientist Sir William Grove discovered that it was possible to generate electricity by the reaction between hydrogen and oxygen gases. However, fuel cell still cannot compete with internal combustion engines although they have many advantages including zero carbon emissions. Fossil fuels are cheaper and present very high volumetric energy densities compared with the hydrogen gas. Furthermore, hydrogen storage as a liquid is still a huge challenge. Another important disadvantage is the lifespan of the fuel cell because of their durability, reliability and maintainability. Prognostics is an emerging technology in sustainability of engineering systems through failure prevention, reliability assessment and remaining useful lifetime estimation. Prognostics and health monitoring can play a critical role in enhancing the durability, reliability and maintainability of the fuel cell system. This paper presents a review on the current state-of-the-art in prognostics and health monitoring of Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell (PEMFC), aiming at identifying research and development opportunities in these fields. This paper also highlights the importance of incorporating prognostics and failure modes, mechanisms and effects analysis (FMMEA) in PEMFC to give them sustainable competitive advantage when compared with other non-clean energy solutions

Reactors for microbial electrobiotechnology

From the first electromicrobial experiment to a sophisticated microbial electrochemical process - it all takes place in a reactor. Whereas the reactor design and materials used strongly influence the obtained results, there are no common platforms for MES reactors. This is a critical convention gap, as cross-comparison and benchmarking among MES as well as MES vs. conventional biotechnological processes is needed. Only knowledge driven engineering of MES reactors will pave the way to application and commercialization. In this chapter we first assess the requirements on reactors to be used for bioelectrochemical systems as well as potential losses caused by the reactor design. Subsequently, we compile the main types and designs of reactors used for MES so far, starting from simple H-cells to stirred tank reactors. We conclude with a discussion on the weaknesses and strengths of the existing types of reactors for bioelectrochemical systems that are scored on design criteria and draw conclusions for the future engineering of MES reactors. [GRAPHICS]

The State of the Art in Fuel Cell Condition Monitoring and Maintenance

Fuel cell vehicles are considered to be a viable solution to problems such as carbon emissions and fuel shortages for road transport. Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) Fuel Cells are mainly used in this purpose because they can run at low temperatures and have a simple structure. Yet to make this technology commercially viable, there are still many hurdles to overcome. Apart from the high cost of fuel cell systems, high maintenance costs and short lifecycle are two main issues need to be addressed. The main purpose of this paper is to review the issues affecting the reliability and lifespan of fuel cells and present the state of the art in fuel cell condition monitoring and maintenance. The Structure of PEM fuel cell is introduced and examples of its application in a variety of applications are presented. The fault modes including membrane flooding/drying, fuel/gas starvation, physical defects of membrane, and catalyst poisoning are listed and assessed for their impact. Then the relationship between causes, faults, symptoms and long term implications of fault conditions are summarized. Finally the state of the art in PEM fuel cell condition monitoring and maintenance is reviewed and conclusions are drawn regarding suggested maintenance strategies and the optimal structure for an integrated, cost effective condition monitoring and maintenance management system

A H2 PEM fuel cell and high energy dense battery hybrid energy source for an urban electric vehicle

Electric vehicles are set to play a prominent role in addressing the energy and environmental impact of an increasing road transport population by offering a more energy efficient and less polluting drive-train alternative to conventional internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles. Given the energy (and hence range) and performance limitations of electro-chemical battery storage systems, hybrid systems combining energy and power dense storage technologies have been proposed for vehicle applications. The paper discusses the application of a hydrogen fuel cell as a range extender for an urban electric vehicle for which the primary energy source is provided by a high energy dense battery. A review of fuel cell systems and automotive drive-train application issues are discussed, together with an overview of the battery technology. The prototype fuel cell and battery component simulation models are presented and their performance as a combined energy/power source assessed for typical urban and sub-urban driving scenario

HYDROGEN POWERED VESSELS AT SEA:FUEL CELL & BATTERY UPSCALING

There is today a strong effort in developing fuel cell / battery systems for ship propulsion to achieve zero-emission maritime transport, in accordance with UN sustainability goals and the Fit For 55 plan to achieve the climate goals agreed by the EU Council and the European Parliament. Critical for successful implementation of fuel cell / battery systems are system design and control during operation. Fuel cells and batteries have ideal operating ranges. Use outside of this range will cause degradation, impacting system lifecycle. Fuel cell / battery systems are used for transport today but applying such systems for maritime transport requires significant upscaling. Cars typically have a power of 100 to 300 kW, while ocean going ships require tens of MW of power to handle the loads required. To achieve such system capacity, systems are assembled with multiple fuel cells and batteries in stacks. A better understanding of the effect of such upscaling, and system dynamics with respect to load, is therefore required for successful implementation of fuel cell / battery systems for maritime transport. This paper discusses fuel cell types, methods and models applicable for this purpose.HYDROGEN POWERED VESSELS AT SEA:FUEL CELL & BATTERY UPSCALINGpublishedVersio