Enhancement of mass and charge transport in scaled-up microbial fuel cell by using innovative configuration of bioanode

• Published in: International journal of environmental science and technology (Tehran) Vol. 16; no. 12; pp. 8175 - 8184
• Main Authors: Thung, W.-E., Ong, S.-A., Ho, L.-N., Wong, Y.-S., Ridwan, F., Oon, Y.-L., Oon, Y.-S., Lehl, H. K.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 01.12.2019
• Subjects: Aquatic Pollution; Earth and Environmental Science; Ecotoxicology; Environment; Environmental Chemistry; Environmental Science and Engineering; Original Paper; Soil Science & Conservation; Waste Water Technology; Water Management; Water Pollution Control; Anode configuration; Membrane-less; Up-flow; Directional fluid flow; MFC; Mass transfer
• ISSN: 1735-1472; 1735-2630
• DOI: 10.1007/s13762-019-02390-8

The effectiveness of electron and proton transport to anode and cathode is the key criteria in microbial fuel cell technology in order to improve the electricity generation. An innovative linked anode was designed to enhance the mass transfer of protons and electrons in the scaled-up up-flow membrane-less microbial fuel cell. The common cube anode was used to compare with the linked anode. The performance of voltage output for the cube anode and the linked anode was examined by various hydraulic retention times and the electrode spacing distances. The maximum power density of the linked anode was almost identical at all electrode spacing distances. Meanwhile, this result demonstrated that the configuration of linked anode has better directional fluid flow, mass transfer of protons and electrons, and voltage output (stationary phase) than those of the cube anode at all hydraulic retention times. The finding could suggest that the different configuration of bioanode in an up-flow membrane-less microbial fuel cell is an important factor to be considered for future real application.