Investigation into effects of cathode aeration on output current characteristics in a tubular microbial fuel cell

Abstract

This work is mainly focused on studying the effects of cathode aeration in a tubular mediator-less microbial fuel cell. COD removal efficiency and the effect of closing the circuit are among other parameters investigated. A new combination of electrodes, i.e., platinumcoated titanium as the cathode and chrome-/vanadiumcoated stainless steel as the anode, is used in this work. Aeration of the cathode chamber is carried out by addition of oxygen, which plays the role of final electron-acceptor terminal. When the cathode chamber is aerated, the maximum achievable voltage and current are 630 mV and 1.06 mA, respectively. When the cathode operates under anaerobic conditions, COD reduced by only 40 % after 90 h, as opposed to 90 % achieved with cathode aeration, in which case more than 36 % of COD is removed in the first 8 h, while the rest of it is eliminated over a much longer period of time (i.e., 82 h). The best curve fitting for COD removal follows a logarithmic pattern, indicating higher removal levels when more substrate is available. Closing the circuit is followed by a plunge in voltage, which is attributable to the ohmic resistance.

Development of a functional stack of soil microbial fuel cells to power a water treatment reactor: From the lab to field trials in North East Brazil

“…Operation in waterlogged environments helps maintain the anode under anoxic conditions whilst facilitating ion transport to the cathode (29). It often implies, however, that the cathode is fully submerged in the water, which slows down the oxygen reduction kinetics and leads to the need for expensive catalysts or additional aeration (30). In SMFCs designs with the cathode exposed to air, performance can be greatly affected by the moist content in soil.…”

Evaluation of a continuous flow microbial fuel cell for treating synthetic swine wastewater containing antibiotics

“…3) transfer of protons through the membrane, and 4) the concentration of oxygen in the cathode chamber (Amari et al, 2015;Gil et al, 2003). Compared with the single continuous mode, the catholyte in this mode was changed from deionized water to the continuous supply of anode effluent.…”

“…Journal Pre-proof accepter in the cathode portion, and the competitive consumption of oxygen can limit the voltage generation (Amari et al, 2015;Najafgholi et al, 2015). The other possible reason is due to the permeation of oxygen from the anode to the cathode chamber through what connects them.…”

Célula a Combustível do tipo Microbiana alimentada com efluente de laticínios: Estudo da recuperação de energia e do potencial remediador em sistemas de compartimento único

“…As MFCs utilizam micro-organismos eletrogênicos, também chamado de eletroquimicamente ativo, como catalisadores No anodo, a reações de oxidação da matéria orgânica catalisadas pelos microorganismos eletrogênicos são categorizadas como complexas dependentes de fatores intrínsecos e extrínsecos do sistema (Sathishkumar et al, 2018). Assim dentre estes fatores, os mais determinantes são a arquitetura da MFC (Amari et al, 2015;, o material do eletrodo , a composição do efluente/substrato , o inóculo de partida , e por fim a aclimatação bem como o modo de alimentação do sistema (Zhang et al, 2011;Oliveira et al, 2013 nas portas anódicas 1, 2 e 3 (Figura 3.1). As análises estatísticas dos parâmetros físicos e químicos foram realizadas com n = 5 coletadas na porta de saída durante o período do 100º dia até 105º dia.…”