Journal
BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY
Volume 110, Issue -, Pages 273-277Publisher
ELSEVIER SCI LTD
DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2012.01.121
Keywords
Microbial fuel cell; Spacer; Oxygen demand; Scale up
Funding
- King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) [KUS-I1-003-13]
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource Environment
- Harbin Institute of Technology [2010DX08]
- National Creative Research Group of Natural Science Foundation of China [50821002]
- National Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars [51125033]
- china scholarship council (CSC)
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Scaling up microbial fuel cells (MFCs) will require more compact reactor designs. Spacers can be used to minimize the reactor size without adversely affecting performance. A single 1.5 mm expanded plastic spacer (S1.5) produced a maximum power density (97 +/- 26 mW m(-2)) that was similar to that of an MFC with the cathode exposed directly to air (no spacer). However, a very thin spacer (1.3 mm) reduced power by 33%. Completely covering the air cathode with a solid plate did not eliminate power generation, indicating oxygen leakage into the reactor. The S1.5 spacer slightly increased columbic efficiencies (from 20% to 24%) as a result of reduced oxygen transfer into the system. Based on operating conditions (1000 Omega, CE = 20%), it was estimated that 0.9 L h(-1) of air would be needed for 1 m(2) of cathode area suggesting active air flow may be needed for larger scale MFCs. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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