Amanda Simson

Assistant Professor of Chemical Engineering

DIY at home: compost and MFCs

During COVID we moved our research into our apartments or our backyards. Andrew started working on microbial fuel cells and Yueling started composting and taking measurements of her compost. 

MICROBIAL FUEL CELLS: Andrew has been 3D printing parts and constructing MFCs with muck he has found in Seoul, South Korea. He made his project for $41.33 (If you don't have access to a 3D printer you can get one for just over $100). Here is a short video on making a few different MFC designs: 

COMPOSTING: After composting in plastic bins and measuring temperature and pH, Yueling added air flow, sized a reactor, and started controlling C/N ratio with the hope of understanding the impact of biochar on compost rates. We gave up on this project after having too many pest issues.