Modeling and validation of single-chamber microbial fuel cell cathode biofilm growth and response to oxidant gas composition

JOURNAL OF POWER SOURCES

卷:328

Article

Ou, Shiqi^1,2  Zhao, Yi³  Aaron, Douglas S.¹  Regan, John M.³  Mench, Matthew M.¹ 

[1] Univ Tennessee, Dept Mech Aerosp & Biomed Engn, Knoxville, TN 37996 USA

[2] Oak Ridge Natl Lab, Natl Transportat Res Ctr, Knoxville, TN 37932 USA

[3] Penn State Univ, Dept Civil & Environm Engn, University Pk, PA 16801 USA

关键词: Microbial fuel cell;    High performance computing;    Oxygen transport;    Cathodic biofilm growth;    Transient model;   

DOI  :  10.1016/j.jpowsour.2016.08.007

来源: Elsevier

【 摘 要 】

This work describes experiments and computational simulations to analyze single-chamber, air-cathode microbial fuel cell (MFC) performance and cathodic limitations in terms of current generation, power output, mass transport, biomass competition, and biofilm growth. Steady-state and transient cathode models were developed and experimentally validated. Two cathode gas mixtures were used to explore oxygen transport in the cathode: the MFCs exposed to a helium-oxygen mixture (heliox) produced higher current and power output than the group of MFCs exposed to air or a nitrogen-oxygen mixture (nitrox), indicating a dependence on gas-phase transport in the cathode. Multi-substance transport, biological reactions, and electrochemical reactions in a multi-layer and multi-biomass cathode biofilm were also simulated in a transient model. The transient model described biofilm growth over 15 days while providing insight into mass transport and cathodic dissolved species concentration profiles during biofilm growth. Simulation results predict that the dissolved oxygen content and diffusion in the cathode are key parameters affecting the power output of the air-cathode MFC system, with greater oxygen content in the cathode resulting in increased power output and fully-matured biomass. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

【 授权许可】

Free