Influence of Electrodes Configuration on Hydraulic Characteristics of Constructed Wetland–Microbial Fuel Cell Systems Using Graphite Rods and Plates as Electrodes

Xiaoou Wang (), Yu Zhang, Changping Zhang, Jiayin Li, Ming Xue and Weiyi Xia
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Xiaoou Wang: Key Laboratory of Clean Energy Utilization and Pollutant Control in Tianjin, School of Energy and Environmental Engineering, Hebei University of Technology, Tianjin 300401, China
Yu Zhang: Key Laboratory of Clean Energy Utilization and Pollutant Control in Tianjin, School of Energy and Environmental Engineering, Hebei University of Technology, Tianjin 300401, China
Changping Zhang: Key Laboratory of Clean Energy Utilization and Pollutant Control in Tianjin, School of Energy and Environmental Engineering, Hebei University of Technology, Tianjin 300401, China
Jiayin Li: Key Laboratory of Clean Energy Utilization and Pollutant Control in Tianjin, School of Energy and Environmental Engineering, Hebei University of Technology, Tianjin 300401, China
Ming Xue: Key Laboratory of Clean Energy Utilization and Pollutant Control in Tianjin, School of Energy and Environmental Engineering, Hebei University of Technology, Tianjin 300401, China
Weiyi Xia: Key Laboratory of Clean Energy Utilization and Pollutant Control in Tianjin, School of Energy and Environmental Engineering, Hebei University of Technology, Tianjin 300401, China

Sustainability, 2023, vol. 15, issue 8, 1-21

Abstract: Constructed wetland–microbial fuel cell coupling systems (CW–MFCs) have received significant academic interest in the last decade mainly due to the promotion of MFCs in relation to pollutants’ degradation in CWs. Firstly, we investigated the effect of hydraulic retention time (HRT) and electrode configuration on the flow field characteristics of CW–MFCs using graphite rods and plates as electrodes, as well as the optimization of electrode configuration using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) numerical simulation. The results showed that: (1) the apparent HRT was the most influential and decisive factor, with a contribution of over 90% for the average HRT of CW–MFCs; (2) anode spacing was the most influential factor for the hydraulic performance of CW–MFCs, with contributions of over 50% for water flow divergence and hydraulic efficiency ( λ ) and over 45% for effective volume ratio ( e ); (3) anode size was significant for e and λ, with a contribution of over 20%; (4) cathode position and cathode size had no statistically significant effect on the hydraulic performance of CW–MFCs. It was mainly through the blocking of water flows, flows around, compressing water flow channels and boundary layer separation that the MFC electrodes influenced the hydraulic characteristics of the flow field in CW–MFCs. Optimizing the flow field by optimizing the electrode configuration helped to facilitate electricity generation and pollutants’ removal in CW–MFCs. This study offers a scientific reference for improving the hydraulic performance of CW–MFCs, and it also provides a new research perspective for improving the wastewater treatment and electricity production performance of CW–MFCs.

Keywords: constructed wetland; microbial fuel cell; hydraulic characteristics; computational fluid dynamics; electrodes configuration; optimization (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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