Performance evaluation of microbial fuel cell using novel anode architecture and with low cost components

Abstract

Microbial fuel cell (MFC) has proved to be an effective technology for treatment of wastewater with additional advantage of electricity generation. Though the power density obtained has increased many- folds over a last decade, the cost of treatment and cost of the electricity generation need to be brought down to make the process feasible. In the present research, an attempt has been made to use locally available, low cost and effective materials for the construction of the MFC using novel anode architecture. The MFC was made using multiple membranes in the single cell. The special design of anode proved to be very effective in getting higher power density. The volumetric power density of 2002 mW/m3 could be achieved without use of any chemical catholyte. The corresponding Coulombic efficiency obtained was 13.17%. When chemical catholyte was used, the power density increased to 5201 mW/m3, an increase by more than 2.5 times. The corresponding Coulombic efficiency of the MFC also increased to 29.16 %. Such novel anode architecture could take this technology step forward for practical implementation to harvest carbon neutral electricity from wastewater. The performance of MFC in the removal of COD from wastewater was found to be 93.9 to 97.75% which is highly satisfactory. The removal efficiency was found to be independent of the initial COD of the substrate.