Architecture Optimization of a Single-Chamber Air-Cathode MFC by Increasing the Number of Cathode Electrodes

Theofilos Kamperidis, Asimina Tremouli () and Gerasimos Lyberatos
Additional contact information
Theofilos Kamperidis: School of Chemical Engineering, National Technical University of Athens, 15780 Athens, Greece
Asimina Tremouli: School of Chemical Engineering, National Technical University of Athens, 15780 Athens, Greece
Gerasimos Lyberatos: School of Chemical Engineering, National Technical University of Athens, 15780 Athens, Greece

Sustainability, 2023, vol. 15, issue 17, 1-12

Abstract: The aim of this study was the optimization of a single-chamber microbial fuel cell (MFC) architecture, by increasing the number of cathode electrodes. An air cathode single chamber MFC with a modifiable lid and bottom was operated with 4 and 6 Gore-Tex MnO 2 cathode electrodes. The anode consisted of graphite granules. It was found that the increase from 4 (total cathodic surface area of 160 cm 2 ) to 6 (total cathodic surface area of 240 cm 2 ) electrodes resulted in an increase of the maximum current and the maximum power output of the cell by approximately 72% and 129%, respectively. Additionally, by increasing the cathodic surface area the internal resistance (R int ) of the unit decreased by approximately 19%. The organic removal from the substrate was not affected by the addition of the new electrodes while it was high across all cases studied (chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal > 89%). The average coulombic efficiency (CE) during the 4-electrode operation was 14.3%, while the corresponding efficiency for 6-electrode operation was 18.5%.

Keywords: single-chamber MFC; cathode electrodes; cathode surface area; Gore-Tex; graphite granules; power output; coulombic efficiency; internal resistance (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/15/17/13107/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/15/17/13107/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:17:p:13107-:d:1229702

Access Statistics for this article

Sustainability is currently edited by Ms. Alexandra Wu

More articles in Sustainability from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().