Thu, Jan 05, 2012
Fuel Cells, Microrobotics Being Developed For Possible Future
Space Missions
Robotic exploration to remote regions, to include distant
planetary bodies, is often limited by energy requirements to
perform, in repetition, even the simplest tasks. With this in mind,
researchers at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory are looking into
a novel approach that could some day aid scientific space and
planetary research without the need for power-intense options often
used today.
Integrating the NRL developed technologies in microrobotics,
microbial fuel cells, and low power electronics, space robotics
scientist Dr. Gregory P. Scott at NRL’s Spacecraft
Engineering Department inspires a novel autonomous microrover,
weighing in at nearly one-kilogram and powered by an advanced
microbial fuel cell (MFC) technology.
“The goal is to demonstrate a more efficient and reliable
energy source for use in powering small robotic vehicles in
environments where the option for human intervention is
non-existent,” said Scott. “Microbial fuel cells
coupled with extremely low-power electronics and a low energy
requirement for mobility addresses gaps in power technology
applicable to all robotic systems, especially planetary
robotics.”
The MFC was selected because of its long-term durability owing to
the ability of microorganisms to reproduce and the
bacterium’s high energy density compared with traditional
lithium-ion power sources. This research explores in more detail
the use of microbes as a power source and moves to eliminate the
existing bulk associated with MFC infrastructure, such as large,
power intensive pump systems and MFC mass and volume
requirements.
A portion of the energy generated by the MFC will be used to
maintain onboard electronics and control systems with the remaining
energy directed toward slowly charging a battery or capacitor until
a sufficient amount of electricity is collected. Once sufficient
power is stored, the system can then discharge this collected
energy to activate a more power intensive scientific instrument or
to propel the rover forward using a novel tumbling or hopping
locomotion system.
Focusing on a pure culture anaerobic bacterium, such as Geobacter
sulfurreducens, as the core of the microbial fuel cell-based
system, the power generation technology for this research would
have an exceptionally long lifetime, beneficial for recharging
onboard batteries or capacitors and providing for long-duration
scouting missions. “As we move forward in the utilization of
MFCs as an energy generation method, this research begins to lay
the groundwork for low powered electronics with a long-term
potential for space and robotic applications,” adds
Scott.
Through his selection as a Fellow to the newly re-instated NASA
Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) program, Scott was awarded a
research grant to investigate the initial phase of this innovative
concept. The MFC research group at the Naval Research Laboratory
has a proven track record of developing novel biological power
generation systems both within the laboratory and in the field. NRL
researchers have provided real-world demonstration of these systems
as a practical alternative to batteries for low-power consuming
applications. Much of this success has been in the proof-of-concept
practical applications of MFC-powered maritime sensors.
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