Application of interface material and effects of oxygen gradient on the performance of single-chamber sediment microbial fuel cells (SSMFCs)

Wang CT 1 , Sangeetha T 2 , Yan WM 2 , Chong WT 3 , Saw LH 4 , Zhao F 5 Show all authors , Chang CT 6 , Wang CH 7

Affiliations 

  • 1 Department of Mechanical and Electro-Mechanical Engineering, National I-Lan University, I-Lan 26047, Chinese Taipei. Electronic address: ctwang@niu.edu.tw
  • 2 Department of Energy and Refrigerating Air-Conditioning Engineering, National Taipei University of Technology, Taipei 10608, Chinese Taipei
  • 3 Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Malaya, Jalan Universiti, 50603 Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
  • 4 Lee Kong Chian Faculty of Engineering and Science, UTAR, Kajang 4300, Malaysia
  • 5 CAS Key Laboratory of Urban Pollutant Conversion, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Science, Xiamen 361021, China
  • 6 Institute of Materials Science and Engineering, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, No.43, Keelung Rd., Sec.4, Da'an Dist., Taipei 10607, Chinese Taipei
  • 7 Institute of Materials Science and Engineering, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, No.43, Keelung Rd., Sec.4, Da'an Dist., Taipei 10607, Chinese Taipei. Electronic address: chwang@mail.ntust.edu.tw
J Environ Sci (China), 2019 Jan;75:163-168.
PMID: 30473281 DOI: 10.1016/j.jes.2018.03.013

Abstract

Single-chamber sediment microbial fuel cells (SSMFCs) have received considerable attention nowadays because of their unique dual-functionality of power generation and enhancement of wastewater treatment performance. Thus, scaling up or upgrading SSMFCs for enhanced and efficient performance is a highly crucial task. Therefore, in order to achieve this goal, an innovative physical technique of using interface layers with four different pore sizes embedded in the middle of SSMFCs was utilized in this study. Experimental results showed that the performance of SSMFCs employing an interface layer was improved regardless of the pore size of the interface material, compared to those without such layers. The use of an interface layer resulted in a positive and significant effect on the performance of SSMFCs because of the effective prevention of oxygen diffusion from the cathode to the anode. Nevertheless, when a smaller pore size interface was utilized, better power performance and COD degradation were observed. A maximum power density of 0.032mW/m2 and COD degradation of 47.3% were obtained in the case of an interface pore size of 0.28μm. The findings in this study are of significance to promote the future practical application of SSMFCs in wastewater treatment plants.

* Title and MeSH Headings from MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

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