Optimizing the electrode size and arrangement in a microbial electrolysis cell

Abstract

This study investigates the influence of anode and cathode size and arrangement on hydrogen production in a membrane-less flat-plate microbial electrolysis cell (MEC). Protein measurements were used to evaluate microbial density in the carbon felt anode. The protein concentration was observed to significantly decrease with the increase in distance from the anode-cathode interface. Cathode placement on both sides of the carbon felt anode was found to increase the current, but also led to increased losses of hydrogen to hydrogenotrophic activity leading to methane production. Overall, the best performance was obtained in the flat-plate MEC with a two-layer 10 mm thick carbon felt anode and a single gas-diffusion cathode sandwiched between the anode and the hydrogen collection compartments.Crown

Microbial electrochemical systems for sustainable biohydrogen production: Surveying the experiences from a start-up viewpoint

“…For example, the arrangement of the electrodes (anode, cathode) was shown to affect the internal resistance of the system [67,70] and smaller electrode spacing was found to increase H 2 production in MEC [114]. Therefore, constructional or in other words, architectural features of BES should be treated with care to minimize losses and enhance the performances [115][116][117] Further considerations should be made regarding the MEMBRANE to be used in two-chambered arrangements, which represent the traditional design of bioelectrochmical systems. In such applications, the anodic and cathodic compartments are separated by various ion exchange membranes.…”

Understanding the impact of flow rate and recycle on the conversion of a complex biorefinery stream using a flow-through microbial electrolysis cell

“…This may be due to increase in side reactions such as methanogenesis and/or limitation due to mass transfer. The occurrence of methanogenesis is feasible given the reports on methanogenesis in the literature even at lower concentrations and OLRs [5,8,23]. Furthermore, the continued removal of COD at high OLRs indicates that fermentation of compounds within BOAP continued, which would then continue to produce acetic acid as a byproduct.…”

Electricity production from synthesis gas in a multi‐electrode microbial fuel cell

“…Pieces of carbon felt measuring 1 cm × 1 cm × 5 cm were cut from the middle and bottom of each anode using a surgical scissor and stored at –20°C until use. Protein analysis was performed following the procedure described in Gil‐Carrera et al . and expressed as mg of protein mL –1 of anode ().…”