scholarly journals Comparative study between synthetic and dairy wastewaters in single chamber microbial fuel cell for power generation

Author(s):  
Payel Choudhury ◽  
Ria Majumdar ◽  
Tarun Kanti Bandyopadhyaya

To investigate the performance of microbial fuel cell (MFC) with a single-chamber membrane, Pseudomonas aeruginosa is used as a bio catalyst for various synthetic wastewaters rich in carbohydrate and is compared with real dairy wastewater in this experiment. Therefore, the choice of appropriate carbon, nitrogen, NaCl, inoculum content, temperature, and pH process parameters are used for preparing synthetic wastewater was agreed upon by one-variable-at-a time approach. Maximum levels of voltage generation attained from the synthetic wastewater was 485 mV when supple­mented with 1.5 % of lactose as a source of carbon, 0.3 % of ammonium chloride as a decent nitrogen source, 0.03 % of NaCl, inoculum concentration of 3 %, the temperature at 37 oC and pH 7. On the other hand, the maximum voltage attained with real dairy wastewater was 561 mV with high chemical oxygen demand (COD) value of 801 mg l-1. The maximum power density obtained from dairy wastewater was 73.54 mW m-2. Thus, High voltage achieved for MFC operating with real dairy wastewater suggests that it can be used not only for the industrial application to generate more renewable power, but also for the wastewater treatment carried out at the same time.

2013 ◽  
Vol 68 (9) ◽  
pp. 1914-1919 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gai-Xiu Yang ◽  
Yong-Ming Sun ◽  
Xiao-Ying Kong ◽  
Feng Zhen ◽  
Ying Li ◽  
...  

Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) are devices that exploit microorganisms as biocatalysts to degrade organic matter or sludge present in wastewater (WW), and thereby generate electricity. We developed a simple, low-cost single-chamber microbial fuel cell (SCMFC)-type biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) sensor using carbon felt (anode) and activated sludge, and demonstrated its feasibility in the construction of a real-time BOD measurement system. Further, the effects of anodic pH and organic concentration on SCMFC performance were examined, and the correlation between BOD concentration and its response time was analyzed. Our results demonstrated that the SCMFC exhibited a stable voltage after 132 min following the addition of synthetic WW (BOD concentration: 200 mg/L). Notably, the response signal increased with an increase in BOD concentration (range: 5–200 mg/L) and was found to be directly proportional to the substrate concentration. However, at higher BOD concentrations (>120 mg/L) the response signal remained unaltered. Furthermore, we optimized the SCMFC using synthetic WW, and tested it with real WW. Upon feeding real WW, the BOD values exhibited a standard deviation from 2.08 to 8.3% when compared to the standard BOD5 method, thus demonstrating the practical applicability of the developed system to real treatment effluents.


Author(s):  
Aris Mukimin ◽  
Nur Zen ◽  
Hanny Vistanty ◽  
Purwanto Agus

Microbial fuel cell (MFC) is a new proposed technology reported to generate renewable energy while simultaneously treating wastewater. Membraneless microbial fuel cell (ML-MFC) system was developed to eliminate the requirement of membrane which is expensive and prone to clogging while enhancing electricity generation and wastewater treatment efficiency. For this purpose, a reactor was designed in two chambers and connected via three pipes (1 cm in diameter) to enhance fluid diffusion. Influent flowrate was maintained by adjusting peristaltic pump at the base of anaerobic chamber. Carbon cloth (235 cm2) was used as anode and paired with gas diffusion layer (GDL) carbon-Pt as cathode. Anaerobic sludge was filtered and used as starter feed for the anaerobic chamber. The experiment was carried out by feeding synthetic wastewater to anaerobic chamber; while current response and potential were recorded. Performance of reactor was evaluated in terms of chemical oxygen demand (COD). Electroactive microbe was inoculated from anaerobic sludge and showed current response (0.55-0.65 mA) at 0,35 V, range of diameter 1.5-2 µm. The result of microscopics can showed three different species. The microbial performance was increased by adding ferric oxide 1 mM addition as acceptor electron. The reactor was able to generate current, voltage, and electricity power of 0.36 mA, 110 mV, and 40 mWatt (1.5 Watt/m2), respectively, while reaching COD removal and maximum coulomb efficiency (EC) of 16% and 10.18%, respectively.


2013 ◽  
Vol 69 (2) ◽  
pp. 293-297 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ling-ling Zhao ◽  
Tian-shun Song

A 10 L upflow microbial fuel cell (UMFC) was constructed for simultaneous carbon and nitrogen removal. During the 6-month operation, the UMFC constantly removed carbon and nitrogen, and then generated electricity with synthetic wastewater as substrate. At 5.0 mg L−1 dissolved oxygen, 100 Ω external resistance, and pH 6.5, the maximum power density (Pmax) and nitrification rate for the UMFC was 19.5 mW m−2 and 17.9 mg·(L d)−1, respectively. In addition, Pmax in the UMFC with chicken manure wastewater as substrate was 16 mW m−2, and a high chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal efficiency of 94.1% in the UMFC was achieved at 50 mM phosphate-buffered saline. Almost all ammonia in the cathode effluent was effectively degraded after biological denitrification in the UMFC cathode. The results can help to further develop pilot-scale microbial fuel cells for simultaneous carbon and nitrogen removal.


2013 ◽  
Vol 146 ◽  
pp. 247-253 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ramin Sedaqatvand ◽  
Mohsen Nasr Esfahany ◽  
Tayebeh Behzad ◽  
Madjid Mohseni ◽  
Mohammad Mahdi Mardanpour

2015 ◽  
Vol 1113 ◽  
pp. 823-827 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nik Mahmood Nik Azmi ◽  
Nazlee Faisal Ghazali ◽  
Ahmad Fikri ◽  
Md Abbas Ali

A membrane-less and mediator-less system was designed and tested with wastewater sample as fuel to generate electricity. Microorganisms were first isolated from the wastewater sample to pure culture and were used as the ‘machinery’ that converts wastewater into energy. The wastewater samples were treated either by sterilization or non-sterilization methods. These tests were run using a modified air-cathode single chamber microbial fuel cell (MFC). By sterilizing the wastewater, the calculated power density was much lower compared to non-sterilized wastewater indicating a significant role of microbial activity in the SCMFC system and substrate availability. Furthermore, mixed culture was observed to give larger power density compared to an individual microbe (18.42 ± 5.84 mW/m2 for mixed culture and 8.82 ± 4.56 mW/m2 to 9.46 ± 4.87 mW/m2 for individual microbe, Bukholderi capecia and Acidovorax sp. respectively) to prove that larger power value could be achieved with a mixed microbial system. In addition, the system proved to remove 68.57% of chemical oxygen demand (COD) of the wastewater sample tested. In conclusion, the designed SCMFC has been proven capable of power generation and wastewater treatment comparable to other SCMFCs to date.


Sensors ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 101 ◽  
Author(s):  
Washington Logroño ◽  
Alex Guambo ◽  
Mario Pérez ◽  
Abudukeremu Kadier ◽  
Celso Recalde

2008 ◽  
Vol 58 (1) ◽  
pp. 37-43 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. M. Ghangrekar ◽  
V. B. Shinde

Long term performance of mediator-less and membrane-less microbial fuel cell (ML-MFC) was evaluated for treatment of synthetic and actual sewage and electricity harvesting. The anode chamber of ML-MFC was inoculated with pre-heated mixed anaerobic sludge collected from a septic tank. The ML-MFC was operated by feeding synthetic wastewater for first 244 days, under different organic loading rates, and later with actual sewage for next 30 days. Maximum chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal efficiency of 91.4% and 82.7% was achieved while treating synthetic wastewater and actual sewage, respectively. Maximum current of 0.33 mA and 0.17 mA was produced during synthetic and actual sewage treatment, respectively. Maximum power density of 6.73 mW/m2 (13.65 mW/m3) and maximum current density of 70.74 mA/m2 was obtained in this membrane-less MFC with successful organic matter removal from wastewater.


2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 41-50
Author(s):  
Ayu Diah Syafaati ◽  
Diana Rahayuning Wulan ◽  
Irwan Nugraha

Abstract - The need of energy in Indonesia was increasing and encouraging to develope some efficient   renewable   technology   and   environmental   friendly   researches.   One   of   the alternative energy that can be used is Microbial Fuel Cell (MFC). Microbial Fuel Cell (MFC) works by using microorganisms to degrade organic compounds that can generate electrical energy.   Several   studies   have   been   conducted   on   Single   Chamber   MFC.   In   this   study, conducted to determine the effect of wastewater treatment through Stack Microbial Fuel Cell (MFC) on current producing. The system used carbon brush electrode, Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) as cation exchanger, tofu liquid waste as source of substrate, and bacterial isolated tofu liquid waste as degrading organic substrate, that has known in system's ability to generate electrical energy as well as reduce COD value. Optical Density (OD) value was measured to determine the metabolic activity of bacteria, with wavelength 570 nm. The research showed that Microbial Fuel Cell (MFC) that lasted for 72 hours resulted potential of electrical current  0.96 mA at  Stack MFC and Blank 0,43 mA.  The acquisition of electric current Stack MFC was greater than Blank Single Chamber. In addition, it also decreased Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) value in the range of 28-38%. Keywords -  Chemical Oxygen Demand, Current, Microbial Fuel Cell , Stack MFC, Tofu liquid waste


2012 ◽  
Vol 38 (1) ◽  
pp. 264-269 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohammad Mahdi Mardanpour ◽  
Mohsen Nasr Esfahany ◽  
Tayebeh Behzad ◽  
Ramin Sedaqatvand

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document